trees

driving down a street in the neighborhood, i notice trees.

seems odd in the midst of a city constructed of brick and wood

where concrete takes over natural land.

i notice not just one tree, but how there's not one tree alike.

trees as various and unique as humans walking the sidewalks.

some must be planted in certain cultures.

needing a certain amount of rain. or the right temperature. or sunlight. or earth.

where'er the tree may be, each and every one go through seasons.

sure the land and climate dictate when the seasons come.

the same is true for you and me.

childbirth brings about a season of slowing down and assessing priorities.

a career move ushers in a season of transition and uprooting and settling down again.

a loss or death or tragedy changes our perspective and can bring hibernation.

an unexpected turn or circumstance pauses life's movement or speeds it up.

tall.

short.

deeply rooted.

linking roots underground.

sproutlings.

fruit bearing.

nut bearing.

leaf changing.

shade provider.

resource of timber.

trees are always giving back.

they don't hold on to anything for long.

when planted in the right place, they thrive.

in and out of season.

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. {Jeremiah 17.7-8}

take a look around you. your family.

are you thriving where you are planted?

"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us…." {Acts 17.26-27}