The Deeper Meaning of Trees

Do you ever wonder why sometimes, God uses something simple in your life, something that's always "been" and uses it to reveal a deeper meaning? It's as if instead of hitting you sharply over the head with an idea, He subtly reveals something that reminds you of how small you are, and how He's got such a bigger perspective on our little lives than we could begin to imagine.

For instance, I've always been drawn to trees. As long as I can remember, I've loved to look at them, lay under them and especially draw them. I have countless numbers of sketches and artwork based on trees. The first trees I remember admiring were the large trees in front of my grandparent's home. I rubbed my fingers across the cracky texture of the huge trunks and recall the gazillions of brown oblong leaves they left sprinkled all over the driveway during the fall. When Brian and I first moved to the Woodlands, I looked forward to my quiet time as I peeked out my bathroom window while laying in the bathtub to see a canopy of large trees, swaying above me in the breeze. My first official mural was of a tree in our home there. I also painted a forest of trees in Ella's nursery. I re-painted my tree again in the entryway of our house here in Conroe.

Ok, Dusti, so you like trees. Big whoop. Maybe, but it wasn't until tonight that I realized why it's important to surround myself with trees, or why I might be drawn to them.

This weekend has been especially hard on my spirit. I feel down. I feel tired. Every Sunday night is rough for me. It takes all the energy I have to make it through the week. I spend a lot of time alone with the kids during the weeknights when Brian teaches lessons and I do my best just to come home, get ready for another day and not lose my patience with my kids. I feel guilty because by the end of the week, the house is a wreck and the laundry and dishes are out of control. By Thursday, I'm spent and kind of coast through Friday. I get anxious thinking about starting it all over again Sunday night. I was just sitting here, praying for some sort of comfort, some sort of promise from God's word to help me through, and this is what I got:

Jeremiah 17:7-8

But Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.

who's confidence is in Him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when the heat comes;

it's leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.

Could there be a better verse for someone who fears they'll "dry out" when the going gets tough? I love that there's a huge tree painted by my front door. When things get hectic and I'm running in and out of the house with 3 kids running in 3 different directions, backpacks, lunch kits, etc., I'll look at it and remember as long as I trust in the Lord and plant my roots by the "stream," I'll never dry out.