The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—
trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. Genesis 2:9
I was sitting in our living room enjoying a time of solitude and silence when I was disturbed by the sound of a chainsaw. I looked outside and saw a man cutting down some branches from a laurel bush so I suspected our neighbor was finally trimming his overgrown shrub.
Minutes later I heard the sound of the chainsaw again this time followed by a snap and then a boom. It was the all too familiar sound of an evergreen tree getting limbed.
Then I took a look outside our picture window to see a lumberjack scurrying like a squirrel up a 100 foot tall evergreen. You can see an outline of his figure just below the branches in the picture above.
I watched him swiftly proceed to move up and around the tree methodically taking down each branch. That’s when I realized he wasn’t just going to limb the tree he was taking it down.
At that moment of realization, I found myself moved and emotional about the last old growth tree in our neighborhood, the tallest tree on our block and the tree I gazed at everyday from my window. When it was fully limbed and finally topped, it still stood strong and tall with no bow or sway in the wind. I found myself praying and thanking God…
Thank you, God, for this tree of life.
As it soars high in the sky,
it has been a symbol of beauty and strength.
Thank you, God, for this tree of life,
a tall shelter and steady refuge.
Thank you, God, for this tree of life,
always a source of nourishment through its life.
Thank you, God, for you “made
all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—
trees that were pleasing
to the eye and good for food.”
Thank you, God, for this tree of life,
through this marvelous tree I see you, God,
and your amazing handiwork, love and grace.
