The thought crossed my mind to
find out what the oldest tree in the world is…and now you’re probably wondering
what it is, too. So, of course, I turned to the internet. The internet is
usually pretty reliable; not 100% accurate, but a good place to start. As I
starting typing “world’s oldest tree,” pictures of towering Redwoods came to
mind. You know, the huge trees big enough
to carve a tunnel through their trunk to fit a car.
Nope, not the Redwood.
Maybe, a majestic oak with its
hardwood trunk and branches; surely that could withstand the test of time.
Nope, not the oak either.
Finally, the internet showed the
results of the ‘world’s oldest tree”…the bristlecone pine. It wasn’t big and
bad like I was expecting; it was twisted and kind of messy looking. The name
alone didn’t sound very powerful. Bristlecone, the name seems more fitting for
a hair brush. Pine trees are typically a softer wood and don’t usually hold up
well to abuse.
However, there it is, the Bristlecone
Pine at almost 5,000 years old.
In order to survive tough times
in life, one usually thinks of needing to be big and strong, towering with
power and poise. That’s not always the case. Yes, there are times when physical
strength alone is beneficial. A few situations
that come to mind are dragging a whitetail deer out of the woods, canoeing to a
great fishing spot, or opening that jar of salsa. At the end of the day (or 5,000 years), sometimes we feel a little soft
on the inside, need to be a bit more flexible, and even though things look
messy at times, that’s where God wants us at the moment.
Matthew 5:7-8 Blessed are the
merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
will see God.
Wow, this is awesome! I am reminded of the roots that support this tree. It looks messy on the outside, but just like us, when our Faith is rooted in grounded in Christ, we may bend, we may sway, we may bow, but we won't break. Just like the tree planted by the rivers of water.......thank you for this strong and gentle reminder!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words Audrey! It means a lot to hear that Gods message is coming through the blog.
DeleteBryon, I love your blogs! They always give me a sense that everything will be okay. Your posts make me see things in a different light and remind me of God's wonders and how he has a plan for all of us. For this, I thank you my friend!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Lisa!!! It is humbling to hear how the blog affects people.
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