Cherry Tree

Several years ago DD#2 planted a cherry tree, okay her dad planted a cherry tree for her in our front yard. We carefully selected the spot, dug the hole, planted the tree, watered it. We watered it for the first year or two rather consistently. It seemed to be thriving. Then I noticed as I mowed around this stick in the ground that it produced buds but no leaves. The following year nothing. Then the next year 5 little leaves on a little branch. I left it in the ground another year. This year it obviously was not producing. I grew tired of mowing around this stick in the ground.



A few weeks ago, I took a shovel and began the process of digging up this sad little stick in the ground once called a cherry tree. Wow! I had dug up dead small trees in the past and it really wasn't much effort. This little thing had developed a decent sized root ball and had put down a tap root. It had thrived long enough to put down a long root deep into the ground. I widened my hole I was digging, went a little deeper. I tugged and pulled - - this tree wasn't giving up willingly.

Finally in the end, I went fetched a hand saw and cut off the root ball and tree from the tap root. Filled the hole with dirt and replaced the sod. The tree had been removed but the long tap root remains. I am certain that now it will begin to decay.

Sadly this strong root did not provide the nourishment to produce any fruit on our little tree. DD#2 is sad as she planted the tree at the tender age of 7. She had hoped to visit this tree in her older age. Her sister's Maple tree is growing so she is rightly disappointed. This fall or next spring we will help her obtain and plant a new tree.

This process gave me thoughts to ponder. I recently shared my thoughts with a group of wonderful friends and together we "fleshed" out the analogies a bit.

1. A person's walk with the Lord can be like this tree - - planted, watered, loved, thriving, put down roots in their Walk with the Lord. But then stop receiving nourishment and stop maturing ceasing to grow and produce fruit.

2. A person's walk with the Lord can be like this tree - - carefully planted, watered, loved, begin to thrive, put down a deep root system, be sturdy underground, where no-one sees, but look dead above. Rooted in the Lord but not maturing, growing, or producing fruit. Eventually the Gardener, our Heavenly Father, comes along and prunes the garden. Removed from the garden - although the roots remain, deep underground. Thankfully with our relationship with God, unlike my little tree, these roots be can revived and a new life begin to grow.

There are several analogies with this tree and it's root system. These are just two. I remember being overwhelmed with these "ponderings" as I dug away at the roots of this tree. I am so glad that I serve to a loving, merciful God.