A Lesson From the Trees

Yesterday I was able to go for a walk by myself. It was much needed as I was feeling very tired and grumpy.
I had a pretty bad attitude.
In my complaining I began to compare myself to no one in particular, just whatever I wasn't.
"If only I could get it together and do _____".
"Why can't I be more like______?"
"Why do they get to do ______ and not me?"
"What is wrong with me?"

I knew I was complaining to the One who could take all my complaints. The One who could take me to the next step.

I decided to be thankful.
"Thank you for the rain." "Thank you for our dry house".
It sounded my like the prayers of my 2 year old.


Then God caused me to look at the trees.

 

As I walked through the rain I began to notice all the different types of trees, surprising for the middle of the city! God asked me "what would your walk look like if every tree was the same?" 

What if they all bloomed at the same time? Produced the same fruit?







God made a variety of trees.
For a reason.















They each have a purpose.




Much like us.













We each have a different purpose.


















A different look.
















A different story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It reminded me of a story I have read to the kids about a king who went into his beautiful garden to find all of his plants drooping and fading. Each plant was finding fault with itself.

The vine was sad it was not tall like a pine; the pine was sad it had no fruit like the apple tree; the apple tree disappointed that its flowers were not like the roses. None of them wanted to go on.

But the king came to a pansy who was bright and glad and sweet. When questioned by the king as to why It was happy the pansy responded, "I am happy, because I know that when you planted the seed out of which I grew, you didn't want a pine, or an apple tree, or a vine or a rose. You just wanted a little pansy. So to please you, I am going to be the best little pansy that I can be."

 

 

 

God, thank you for the trees. Thank you for Your creativity and Your great plan.

Write Your story in me.

Help me to be the best me that You made me to be.