My 3 White Dresses

My mom bought me a white dress,
not red or pink or blue.
She said it was a special dress,
Like very other few
There has been just one before,
A dress now put away,
That I wore some time ago,
Upon my blessing day.
As a little baby clothed,
In my first white dress,
My dad held me in his arms,
There to name and bless.
So pure and clean I was just then
With time to grow and learn
About my Father's plan for me.
My glory I must earn.
Now I've reached the age to judge,
The wrong road from the right,
And I am here to be baptized;
In this dress of white.
So once again, I'm free from sin.
The path is clear to me.
I'll grasp the rod and hold on tight,
I vow with certainty.
Just as mud would stain my dress,
Sin would stain my soul.
The key is to repent or bleach,
For whiteness is my goal.
And if I try my very best,
Then richly blessed I'll be,
Wearing inside God's holy house,
White dress number three.
So today I make this pledge
I'll strive to choose the right,
Through this sacred baptism ordinance,
In my second dress of white.
 -Linda Gay Perry Nelson