The Fatherhood Chronicles XIX: Some Firsts

The last few weeks have been amazing for this new father.

Sofie has begun to smile. At first it was just spontaneous smiling with some cooing and proto-giggles. But then . . . she smiled back at her daddy! So in the mornings (between 6:00 and 9:00) when she is more alert and awake, her dad puts her on the changing table, and talks to her, grinning as big as he can. And that little looker just grins right back, her face scrunching up in an all-over body smile. Sometimes she’ll even sort of giggle. (Sniff.)

Then, a week ago this past Saturday, daddy gave Sofie her first bottle. He has been looking forward to this since she was born. You should rightly assume that he had very high hopes and expectations how this first time would go. Wrapped like a burrito in her pink blanket, he grabbed the bottle–chock full of good stuff from momma–and took a deep breath. She took it right off. No fuss (though plenty of mess–she’s a vigorous eater!). That was just dang cool enough. But then . . . she looked me dead in the eye and locked on. (Sniffles.)

Then today, Anna called my cell phone during the class I was teaching. I answered, because I thought it might be my sister, Stephanie, who is due to give birth in the next 24 hours. Instead, Anna gave me the news: Sofie, during her “tummy time” on her Baby Einstein play mat, rolled over! And not just once, but five or six times. I missed it. But I’ll get to see other times.

I tell you what, folks. When this little girl laughs with me in the morning, or looks me in the eye while feeding her (somtimes giving a mischievous grin), this new daddy’s heart just goes bang!

So, in celebration, I’m posting these recent studio proofs of Sofie at four weeks.

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Why Orthodoxy? Pt. I

Prelude: Setting the Stage (Part I of IX)

At the beginning of the summer of 2000, for various reasons which I have explored elsewhere, I began to take a serious look at the Orthodox Church. I come from a non-denominational (“independent”) conservative evangelical Protestant background. In part because of a longing for a real, tangible connection to the New Testament Church which my upbringing had taught me to seek and to make a reality in my own day, I began to explore within the historic Church the disciplines of the monastic orders, the daily office and liturgy. In the course of my exploration, over some five years, I looked seriously, if only briefly, at the Roman Church, but soon focused my attention on the Anglican Communion, and the Episcopal Church here in the States. Because of my strong Protestant sensibilities, and because of the historic ties of Anglicanism to apostolic origins, the liturgies, and the sacraments, the Episcopal Church made a lot of sense to me, and I was confirmed at the hands of Bishop Peter Beckwith on 14 April 1996. My parish priest, Fr. Jim Cravens, was my sponsor.

Beginning in 2000, I began to have misgivings about certain issues in the Episcopal Church, but I was also pursuing ordination. So, as an aspirant, I began to attend an Episcopal seminary. My experiences there, in the space of about three months, were the catalyst for me to reignite my previous search for the historic Church and a way to find tangible connections to it. Orthodoxy was my only other option. I began to read a dozens of books, popular and scholarly, on Orthodoxy, especially several books describing the testimonies of various Jews, agnostics and atheists, Roman Catholics, and Protestants of diverse varieties, and how they came to be baptized or chrismated into the Orthodox Church.

On 23 July 2000, I worshipped for the first time at All Saints Orthodox Church. In the ensuing three years, it has become my home parish. I am not yet Orthodox, not having yet been chrismated. But here is a list of reasons why I want to be.

[Please note: Speaking as I must about my previous and present church experiences in light of my attraction to Orthodoxy, I must necessarily and frequently take up a critical stance to many aspects of these experiences. But I have also tried to offer honest and heartfelt positive appraisals where I can.]

Next: 1. Honoring the Past (Part II of IX)

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