Trees, Seasons, and Being Rooted

When I was a little girl, we lived on the corner, in a little town called Granite Quarry, North Carolina. We had one tree in our front yard...actually it was the only tree in the whole yard! I loved this tree. It was easy to climb, a great place to sit and read, and, simply put, it was "my tree." 

When I was in my twenties, married, and no longer living at home, dad decided that the tree needed to come down. Even though the tree was dying and a limb could have easily fallen on the house, I was devasted. "This is my tree, how could we just cut down?!" Yes, I was married and in my twenties and yet...I cried.

Picture a giant oak tree and the way it looks in all it's seasons...full, green, and shady in the summer. Bright red, yellow and orange leaves in the fall. Giant, stark against a gray, cold winter day. Full of buds in spring...every season may be different, but the tree still holds an amazing beauty.

Kruger Park has become a sanctuary for me when I've had a rough week. Saturday, as I drove through for some much needed Jesus time, The Lord started speaking to me about trees, seasons, and being rooted. You see, there's one tree that, no matter what day I go, or what time I drive past it, I always take it's picture. This time when I took it's picture, I felt like the Holy Spirit was beginning to speak to my heart. As I drove on, looking for the elusive animals of the park, I just couldn't keep my mind from the tree nor my eyes from looking at other trees. 

                                                        This is "the tree."

Trees just seemed to literally stand out to me yesterday. I would be driving and suddenly stop to take a picture of a tree. This can cause quite a commotion in Kruger, if you have someone following you! Many times I had to flag people on, only to tell them "no animal, just taking a picture of that tree." Yes...my day was full of funny looks! People just don't understand...

The next tree that caught my eye, wasn't pretty at all, but as I looked at it, I realized that I felt the way it looked...BARREN...

I felt like every thing that makes me beautiful and makes me who I am had been shaken and ripped from me. I had a day where I just didn't feel like I could say anything right to anybody. I had a day where I just couldn't wrap my head around what I was being asked to do. I had a day that someone said "I played favorites." All of these days added up to me feeling shaken and unsure of who I am. While I sat looking at this tree and telling God, "I feel exactly like this tree looks," I could feel the Holy Spirit start to speak. "Yes, it's barren, but it's just a season. A season like what you're facing." My response, "I don't think I like where this conversation is going." "I know," He said, "but trust Me, it's going to be good. Drive on."

So, I drove...

As I drove, the Holy Spirit began to remind me of some things about trees, seasons, and being rooted. In the fall of the year, leaves are at their most beautiful point...RIGHT.BEFORE.THEY.DIE Now, that sounds a little ominous, but think of it this way...we want to be more like Christ, but in order to do that we must die to our old selves. Christ begins to work on some areas that might be giving us some trouble in our growth to be like Him. If the leaves stayed on the tree forever, there would be no room for new growth. When we're not faced with challenges and trials, there's no room for new growth. 

                                                             It's just a season!

Winter is when the tree "looks" barren, when, in actuality, all that's going on is the opportunity for growth. Yes, it feels like you're as barren as the day is long, but hold on, God is working! At least I know He's working on me. I want there to be new growth. I want there to be change. Doesn't mean I like the winter season, however, I'm beginning to see the beauty in it...at least I am after yesterday. 

                                                             It's just a season!

Spring! This is the time that everything just seems to pop and sizzle with new life! One day you may look out your window and all you see is the barren tree. The next...WHAM...the tree is alive and bursting with new life!! This is that place where you realize that the challenges and the trials may come but you've learned to have faith that God is going to help you through. This is the that place where you come out of feeling barren and start to realize you are new! Your responses are different, your thought life is different. You are different and full of new life!

                                                               It's just a season!                                      

Remember that giant oak from earlier? Summer is when people can sit in it's shade and feel the breeze blow through on a hot summer's day. Summer time is when you're finally in full and ultimate capacity of who you are and what your purpose is. You are complete and people can benefit from you and you can help them understand their winters. 

                                                               It's just a season!

Now...being rooted...

The last stop on this journey was a place called Lake Panic Hide. It's quiet and the perfect place for the rest of this conversation. It was at this place, where hippos were playing and fish eagles were "singing," that the Holy Spirit reminded me of...

Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly following their advice, their plans and purposes, nor stands submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down to relax and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God he habitually meditates ponders and studies by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity. AMP

Isaiah 61:3 To grant consolation and joy to those who mourn in Zion—to give them an ornament a garland or diadem of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment expressive of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—that they may be called oaks of righteousness lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. AMP

Colossians 2:7 Have the roots of your being firmly and deeply planted in Him, fixed and founded in Him, being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. AMP

No matter the season, I am firmly rooted and grounded in the King of Kings!