We have an abundance of oak trees on our land. This week I have been freeing many that were still surrounded by junipers. As I have worked next to them, I have been thinking about how strong they are. These trees have literally been smothered by a fast growing, invasive species that suck the water and nutrients from the land at a ferocious pace. But yet, after I cut away the invasion, there is a gorgeous tree still standing tall, spreading its leaves and almost audibly sighing.
I think we can learn some things from these oak trees, like all things in nature, if we just stop long enough to take a look. Here are some things that I have thought on this week.
Be Content
Seasons come and go, and there are times of beauty and nakedness, flourish and sleep. Let go and accept these seasons of life, enjoying the good and, when hard times come, have hope in the future to bring warmth and repair.
Never Stop Growing.
As seasons come and go, life’s mishaps will come-Don’t get stuck holding on to something ugly. Seek to leave bitterness and rest in beauty, grow over rot and reveal character, reach for the light and shy away from what’s dark. Keep your eyes towards the future, that’s always where hope resides.
Slow and Steady.
Don’t be in a hurry to see big changes. Enjoy life and all that it brings. Savor the seasons and rest in who you are. You are one of a kind, beautiful just the way you are.
Roots Make You Strong.
Know who you are and why, and believe it with all your heart. Make it an anchor, a root bed, a solid rock that will hold tight through any storm. For me, that anchor is God. I know who I am, because He defines me.
Simply Content Country Living 