I should have known better, but I let the image in my mind get the best of me.
Jaimie was one of the few girls I played with while growing up. I don’t remember how old I was exactly when I got to spend the night with her. I may have been around nine years old. Anyway, I was so excited for my little adventure. That is until supper that evening.
Her mother had fixed a roast with veggies. I have always loved roasts, so I was ready to dig in until her dad sat down at the table. The first thing he said was, “That’s a possum I caught.” Yep, he was pointing to the roast.
Of course, I was instantly horrified. When you grow up out in the country, you see many a dead possums laying on the side of the road. So that image immediately popped into my head.
Jaimie and her mom reassured me it was a beef roast and not a possum.
But Jaimie’s dad didn’t concede at all. With a straight face, he continued on with his story.
“I took my rifle and shot this thing,” again, pointing to the roast, “on the ridge behind the house just this morning. I brought it down and cleaned it up.”
While I was relieved it wasn’t road kill, the image of him cleaning it up to eat still wasn’t an appetizing thought.
At that point, Jaimie’s mother raised her voice, “Now you know that ain’t true. I would never serve you possum and tell you it’s a beef roast. I bought this at the grocery store just the other day.”
While I knew she was telling the truth and Jaimie’s dad was playing a trick on me, I just couldn’t eat the possum…er roast at that point. The seed of it being a possum had taken root in my child’s brain and it was there to stay.
“Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” Matthew 13:32 (KJV)
In this verse, God’s kingdom is being described as a mustard seed in that the tiniest of seeds can grow into a mighty tree. If you think about it, any idea can take root in somebody’s mind and grow. Personally, I think as believers, we need to make sure we are planting Godly seeds in others because there is a whole world out there that wants to plant destructive weeds in their minds and heart.
If Jaimie’s dad said that to me in this day and time, I would respond, “Yumm! I haven’t had a good tasty possum in years. Hope you fixed lots of gravy to go with it. And don’t forget the biscuits so I can sop up the juices.”
Then I would have planted an image in his mind that he wouldn’t forget.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.