Eyes
A Reese Piece from Robert…
When Reese was born she had blue eyes. This surprised me because neither Mindy nor I have blue eyes. Over time Reese’s eyes became less blue, but they’re still beautiful. (As a father, I’m obligated by law to say that.) I believe this eye color change is common for children.
One day, back when Reese was very young, I remember staring into her blue eyes and being impressed by something about them I couldn’t quite figure out at first. So I kept staring, which I’m sure made her a little uncomfortable. Then I realized it. The whites of Reese’s eyeballs were a perfect, milky white.
That may sound like a given to you, but I’m not so sure.
When I look at my eyes there are all these red streaks in them. I guess these streaks are strained and broken blood vessels. My best theory is that my eyes are bloodied by the wear and tear of use and misuse throughout my long years of looking and living.
Maybe your eyes are a bit streaked as well.
But not Reese’s eyes back then. They weren’t bloodied yet. If I’m right, Reese’s eyes were clean and clear because her eyes were enjoying a fresh start. She was, after all, only five months old at the time. Her eyes were just beginning life, as was she, of course.
There is this ancient Christian tradition about baptism that has always fascinated me.
One of the realities baptism represents has to do with new birth. By identifying ourselves with the faithful love of God in Jesus, we can receive an opportunity to begin again with God, with our world, and even with ourselves. This is good news.
All of us emerged through the water of a woman’s uterus as fresh and new children. And such a gift was made possible – made real – by the grace given to us by a mother.
Baptism calls us to imagine that through water each of us can emerge again. We can begin again. We can be born with clear eyes and a soft heart. And such a gift is made possible – made real – by the grace of the God who smiles at us through the face of Jesus.
Tradition has it that sometimes in the early days of the Church a person would be baptized naked and then clothed in a fresh, white robe – a garment un-streaked by the use and misuse of life.
The person wearing that perfect, milky robe had been given a fresh start in Jesus. So, by Christ’s power, that person had the God-given opportunity to see the world with new eyes. The eyes of their spirit had become as unmarked as the new robe draped across their shoulders.
Dare to believe it. Dare to act out of that belief. We can all become new because of God’s love known through Jesus.
Can we believe it? Can we place our hope upon it? Live with the refreshment of spirit that comes from such shocking good news.
A Reese’s Revenge from Karyssa…
No, dad, I don’t think it was rude you wrote this about my eyes.
And you are totally correct – many, many babies have blue eyes.
My eyes aren’t blue anymore, but I’m not sad about it. They’re kinda green, not exactly like your eyes or mom’s eyes. Their tone is kinda bright, unique. I like it.
They also have some streaks in them now. That’s OK too. Maybe sometimes the sunlight got too bright and something little popped in them. It’s OK they have the streaks now. It’s OK my no-streak eyes ended.
I guess all eyes have a beginning and an end. They all will see and not see. They change. But, they’re all special; they’re all beautiful; they’re all unique because of their different colors and streaks.
Change is what happens. Change is what life is. Bad and good, God is in it all. It will end up good.
That’s interesting what you wrote about people being baptized naked and getting the fresh robe, the fresh life.
I’d like to restart some parts of my life. Have a do-over. Do over some anger moments or sadness times or fear times. Do them smarter.
But I’d also like a do-over for some happiness moments too. Do over for a different reason than the rest, I think.
I remember my baptism. Mom baptized me. I was a little worried. I wasn’t much of a swimmer yet. My face had not been under the water much. I wasn’t used to it yet.
When I went under the water for the baptism, I felt a hand on my forehead, but it didn’t seem like it was mom’s. Maybe it was God’s? And it was like I could almost breathe under the water. It did feel new. A little. A little like a new life.
I wasn’t worried anymore.
When Reese was born she had blue eyes. This surprised me because neither Mindy nor I have blue eyes. Over time Reese’s eyes became less blue, but they’re still beautiful. (As a father, I’m obligated by law to say that.) I believe this eye color change is common for children.
One day, back when Reese was very young, I remember staring into her blue eyes and being impressed by something about them I couldn’t quite figure out at first. So I kept staring, which I’m sure made her a little uncomfortable. Then I realized it. The whites of Reese’s eyeballs were a perfect, milky white.
That may sound like a given to you, but I’m not so sure.
When I look at my eyes there are all these red streaks in them. I guess these streaks are strained and broken blood vessels. My best theory is that my eyes are bloodied by the wear and tear of use and misuse throughout my long years of looking and living.
Maybe your eyes are a bit streaked as well.
But not Reese’s eyes back then. They weren’t bloodied yet. If I’m right, Reese’s eyes were clean and clear because her eyes were enjoying a fresh start. She was, after all, only five months old at the time. Her eyes were just beginning life, as was she, of course.
There is this ancient Christian tradition about baptism that has always fascinated me.
One of the realities baptism represents has to do with new birth. By identifying ourselves with the faithful love of God in Jesus, we can receive an opportunity to begin again with God, with our world, and even with ourselves. This is good news.
All of us emerged through the water of a woman’s uterus as fresh and new children. And such a gift was made possible – made real – by the grace given to us by a mother.
Baptism calls us to imagine that through water each of us can emerge again. We can begin again. We can be born with clear eyes and a soft heart. And such a gift is made possible – made real – by the grace of the God who smiles at us through the face of Jesus.
Tradition has it that sometimes in the early days of the Church a person would be baptized naked and then clothed in a fresh, white robe – a garment un-streaked by the use and misuse of life.
The person wearing that perfect, milky robe had been given a fresh start in Jesus. So, by Christ’s power, that person had the God-given opportunity to see the world with new eyes. The eyes of their spirit had become as unmarked as the new robe draped across their shoulders.
Dare to believe it. Dare to act out of that belief. We can all become new because of God’s love known through Jesus.
Can we believe it? Can we place our hope upon it? Live with the refreshment of spirit that comes from such shocking good news.
A Reese’s Revenge from Karyssa…
No, dad, I don’t think it was rude you wrote this about my eyes.
And you are totally correct – many, many babies have blue eyes.
My eyes aren’t blue anymore, but I’m not sad about it. They’re kinda green, not exactly like your eyes or mom’s eyes. Their tone is kinda bright, unique. I like it.
They also have some streaks in them now. That’s OK too. Maybe sometimes the sunlight got too bright and something little popped in them. It’s OK they have the streaks now. It’s OK my no-streak eyes ended.
I guess all eyes have a beginning and an end. They all will see and not see. They change. But, they’re all special; they’re all beautiful; they’re all unique because of their different colors and streaks.
Change is what happens. Change is what life is. Bad and good, God is in it all. It will end up good.
That’s interesting what you wrote about people being baptized naked and getting the fresh robe, the fresh life.
I’d like to restart some parts of my life. Have a do-over. Do over some anger moments or sadness times or fear times. Do them smarter.
But I’d also like a do-over for some happiness moments too. Do over for a different reason than the rest, I think.
I remember my baptism. Mom baptized me. I was a little worried. I wasn’t much of a swimmer yet. My face had not been under the water much. I wasn’t used to it yet.
When I went under the water for the baptism, I felt a hand on my forehead, but it didn’t seem like it was mom’s. Maybe it was God’s? And it was like I could almost breathe under the water. It did feel new. A little. A little like a new life.
I wasn’t worried anymore.