Tuesday, March 7

 For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, it will sprout again. And its shoots will not fail.

 Job 14:7

As I look out the frosted window at the frozen backyard on this January morning with a temperature of 2 degrees, my attention is immediately drawn to the many branches of the trees silhouetted against the clear blue sky. There seem to be hundreds, and I know there are just as many roots beneath the snow covered ground. Just waiting ... waiting for the warmth of Spring when they will burst forth and bloom again.

We had an overgrown honeysuckle bush which we trimmed down to within two feet of the ground. It couldn't bloom, and the weight of many overgrown branches had caused severe damage. Within weeks after the pruning it just took off and new healthy growth appeared. Now I look at it all frozen and try to imagine it when with the sun's warmth in Spring it will bloom.

Having been transferred 15 times within 35 years of marriage I, too, often felt "cut down.” Just when I would get my sons settled in a new school, new community, new church, we would move again. It didn't seem like we had time to "put down roots.” Combined with all the stress incurred with these moves, life continued on constantly presenting us with new problems, situations and choices. So many changes. I often would look “out the window” to gain some perspective after praying for maybe a "sign.” And always there would be a tree. Once a tree was used for a terrible purpose, the Crucifixion of Jesus. Some say it was a dogwood, and if you look at the blossoms closely, you can see why.

I hope that my faith has deep, deep roots which will keep growing so that I may bloom and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord, so that if I believe in him, I will have everlasting life.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

Wilma Sommer, 1996