I was traveling to a vacation destination and sitting in the breakfast area of a hotel in Jackson, Tennessee, reading and sipping hot tea. A group of workers were eating breakfast and one says, “Are you redeye?” Another replied, “Redeye.” All at once, a flood of memories swept through my mind.
My parents were long time child evangelists. At our “Kid’s Crusades” my dad, to get everyone’s attention to something we were about to do, would yell, “Arrrrre … youuuuuu … REDEYYYYYYYYYEEEE!!!” The kids would scream like the roar of Niagara Falls, “REDEYYYYYYYEEEEE!!!” Then he would do something silly like fall back or drop the mic, or wipe his face and say, “Who spit?” He was so good at interacting on that level, and naturally after then antics he would have their undivided attention.
When I attended Southwestern Assemblies of God College in Waxahatchie, Texas (now SAGU), I was eating lunch with some friends in the cafeteria. When we were done I said, “Are you redeye?” It was an instinctive phrase ingrained in me. A girl at the table exclaimed, “What did you say?” I repeated, “Are you redeye?” She said, “When I was a kid this man came to our church and would say that!” “THAT WAS MY DAD!” I replied excitedly.
Now, thirty years later I’m reminded again of what a rich history God has given me. I’m not stuck in the past, I’m growing ever forward. A tree, over time, grows big and strong. It’s vast network of branches sprout lush green leaves and fruit or nuts pop out in season. Birds find rest and shelter. Squirrels romp and play. A low strong limb my support a tire swing where children laugh and play. The shade produced cools a picnic table where families can gather. All of this is only sustainable if it has a significant root structure, not only spreading out close to the surface, but going deep. When the winds blow and the storms rage, its ability to stand depends on how deep its roots are.
I’m thankful for my familial roots and the legacy I was handed. More importantly are the roots I continue to develop in my relationship with God and my meditation on His Word. In these I find real strength and power.
Blessed is the one
Psalm 1:2-3
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
