Maple Tree

Maple Tree

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is Maple Tree from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

Maple Tree

Written by Luz Leigh - 02 May 2009

A silver leaf maple. That is what I see when I look out of my east window. I had never given much thought to such a tree until a few years ago when a cousin sent a picture of the one in their yard. I fell in love with the looks of that tree. Don lives in Kansas where they have lots of cold, icy weather, but warm summers. We on the other hand, live in the east Texas area where we seldom have ice or snow, not many days of below freezing temperatures, but lots of hot summer days. Would a silver leaf maple grow in our climate?

My son purchased and planted one as a Mother's Day gift three years ago. It seemed to do well through the summer, fall, winter then spring. It was growing and I was happy. Then one day I discovered my much loved tree was shedding its leaves much too early. Upon closer inspection I found that fire ants had built a huge nest around the base of the tree and killed it. I was saddened.

The following Mother's Day number one son was at it again. He planted another maple tree for me ... in the same spot. I chose the spot because when it is grown it will give shade to the east side of my home, but more than that, when I want a break from the computer screen, I only have to look to my left. There giving me encouragement is my tree.

"Encouragement?" you ask. Yes, the tree reminds me that my son did not give up when the first tree died. He chose another one, almost the same size, planted it in the same spot and smiled because he knew he was bringing joy to his mom.

I feel encouraged also when I see the way the tree grows, responding to the care we give it; fertilizing and watering as necessary. The Lord provides the sun and the rain as needed. The maple tree shows me that it knows to grow upward and outward, toward the Master Gardner. We as Christians need to be "maples." Tune our thoughts and hearts into God's message for us; reach for His presence (upward) and reach for those around us who are in need (outward).

Recently I read some words prepared by a man who gave these very instructions as he was teaching us to be pacesetters for the Lord. Not only do we reach for the Lord in our lives, but we must reach to those around us, be it family, friends or total strangers. None are strangers to HIM, so it is our responsibility to let all with whom we have contact know that the Lord loves and cares for them. How do they know that? Simply by our actions toward them.

If they are hungry, we feed them. And that does not mean simply providing for their physical hunger, but their spiritual needs as well. Help them find shelter, including shelter in one of the Lord's houses (churches). When there is a need for clothing for their bodies, we take them to Walmart, Goodwill, or our own closets and find proper clothes to cover their physical bodies. Then we clothe them with HIS Word.

We all know that it is hard to minister to the spiritual needs of a person if she is hungry, homeless or lacking proper clothes. We follow Jesus' example; He fed the 5,000 people with bread and fish; then he filled their hearts with His words. Can we do any less?

Each day my maple tree reminds me of His goodness. When I look at those leaves rippling in the soft breeze, I think of the love shown to me by my child who wants to please his mother as well as pleasing his Lord. I am so blessed.

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