I was thinking about the Scott family reunion that I attended this summer in Pontiac, Michigan, and I realized that if I told ya’ll about all my kinfolk on just my mother’s side alone (the Scott's), I’d fill an entire library full of stories. Some happy, some sad, and some that will remind you of just how powerful God really is. Sam and Artelia’s marriage of over 70 years produced 12 children (6 boys, 6 girls); 35 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren, and 9 great-great grandchildren. Now those grand children numbers may be disputed in some circles, namely because some of my uncles may have some children that they haven’t claimed..to the family. C’mon now, don’t start tripping, let’s be REAL. We’ve gotten into a steady groove of having reunions every 2 years and it’s been a wonderful thing. Because when you have a family of such size, it stands to reason that they will scatter as the winds blow. The seeds of Sam and Artelia Scott spread across the country, from New York to California, from Michigan to Texas, there will be Scott’s around when Jesus comes back!
But when you have the opportunity to see Big Mama hold her great-great-granddaughter in her lap? You need to seize those moments, because they’re precious. And that child on her lap who will have no memory of that event, will be able to show that same photo to HER great-great-granddaughter, if the Lord says the same..ya feel me? My memory of the Scott's always begins at the house that all of the kids lived in at some time or another in El Dorado Arkansas. It was in this house on Liberty street, that Big Daddy built with his own hands. The thing about family, is that they know you. They know who your mama is and who your daddy is and what they’re all about, so you can’t front with family. So as you look at that picture of the notorious Scott 12, kinda like the 12 disciples huh? Ain’t that spooky? J , from left to right on the bottom (girls first!) is my Aunt Louis, Aunt Jean, Aunt Mable, Aunt Jeanette, Aunt Faye (my mother) and Aunt Cynthia from left to right at the top you have my Uncle Scotty, Uncle J.E., Uncle Otis., Uncle Tyree, Uncle Dwight and Uncle Lloyd. 3 of the boys have followed the path of Big Daddy and became ministers. Uncle Scotty and Aunt Mable have already moved on up to that upper room along with Big Daddy, along with several of the grand‘s. We have family members who have been murdered as well as family members in jail for murder, family who have died from incurable diseases, tragic accidents, HIV, cancer, the Scott family has had more than it‘s share of tragedies and hardships, including most recently our cousin T.J. who was killed this past spring. But above all else, prayer is a large part of the Scott family. Because every one of those 12 kids that you see in that picture are real testimonies to the power of prayer.
Big Daddy was that man on fire ya’ll, there was a lot of energy around this man. Whenever I heard him preach, he always had a way of telling a story, that was a living testimony and witness as to the power of God. I’m talking about healings and miracles that God made happen out on those lonely Southern roads. My cousin remembers this one time they went to Memphis where Big Daddy had to preach a funeral. When Big Daddy first got up to the podium, and mind you, he doesn’t know ANYONE in this congregation, he barely knows the man he’s saying words over, but when he got up to the pulpit, the entire congregation was crying, moaning and sobbing. It was a sad aura..but the first thing Big Daddy said was, ‘Look..we didn’t come here to cry. We came here to celebrate a homecoming’ and from that point on, Big Daddy started telling jokes and wonderful stories of the mighty power of God in real life action, that by the time he got through, the whole church was laughing out loud and smiling halleluiah. That’s that fire ya’ll. And he didn’t just talk it, Big Daddy walked it..day to day grinding. Uneducated, black and poor in the Jim Crow South, but guess what? He got on his hustle for the Lord and by the sweat of his brow, and now I’m able to tell ya’ll wonderful stories about the Scott Family Reunion in Pontiac Michigan 2004.
I'm very proud to tell everyone that we had a WONDERFUL time in Pontiac Michigan this year. Since the Scott’s are scattered all over, we rotate sites for the reunion every year. This gives everybody a chance to assume the responsibility of hosting it and it evens out the travel burden on those families that have to come from far away. Just the Houston crew alone rolled out 17 deep, but you know, that’s just how the SOUTHSIDE represents. You see, we have this inner clique in the family, where every year we have the Scott Olympics, pitting the North side (boooo!) of the family against the Southside (STILL holdin’!!) This is roughly determined by the Mason Dixon line, but since most of the family doesn’t even know where that is, people just get on whatever side their mama is on. We went out to a very nice park, put some meat on the pit, played volleyball, ran races, played dominoes, checkers, cards and the side that tallied the most points won. The Northisde won last year in Kansas City, but this year the Southside went up to Michigan and spanked the North like they were some bald headed step-children that Big Daddy didn’t tell us about. What? It’s just jokes..the Scott’s know how to handle it.
It’s always good to catch up with family, see all the new additions, who’s going to college, who got a new job, who’s getting married, who’s getting divorced, who tried to killl their husband, who just got outta jail…you know, the regular kinda family stuff. We always make sure to go to church together and worship together. We can almost fill half a church with Scott’s alone and being able to see your uncles preach and your aunts speak and your cousins sing and play the drums all worshipping together as a united family? It’s a beautiful thing..especially when there’s Mother Superior sitting on that front aisle enjoying church service just like everybody else.
After church we wall went over to a banquet hall and had a nice reception/dinner/awards ceremony where we honored all the graduates (college, high school or otherwise), and we also had a real nice candle memoriam for all the kinfolk who have moved on to the other level. Later on that night, all of the grown folks who still liked to get out went to a real nice jazz club in downtown Detroit. Not only did we bring in the party crew, but our Aunt Cynthia got up on the microphone and did a jamming rendition of Summertime with the band. Just being able to kick it and catch up with your kinfolk you haven’t seen in awhile is a refreshing experience, and I’m greatly looking forward to seeing EVERYBODY again.
So for all you Scott’s out there? I love ya kinfolk..fo real. Whether it’s by blood or by marriage, in-laws and outlaws, I love you all the same. I hope you all remember to pray for me as I pray for you, don’t forget about Uncle J.E., cuz ya’ll know he needs some SERIOUS prayer and I look forward to seeing ALL (where you at Coach Kev? Pookie? Sammie? What's up??) of you in St. Louis in 2006. Like Big Mama says, ‘Let us live together and love one another.’..All hail.
