Walking on through

Just came home
from taking a much needed

walk out in nature!  

(the old covered bridge is on my walking path by the river) 

The trees provided wonderful shade

as I walked the pretty and peaceful  path through them.

“Trees are the earth's endless effort

 to speak to the listening heaven.” 

Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

Have you ever thought about how

much we are like trees?  

Like the way we have to go through seasons

in our lives along with

 having to give up or let go of our leaves,

(things that we are comfortable with or love)

so to make room for new growth when

the new season arrives.

Sometimes I think it takes a 

mighty strong wind 

to loosen 

those leaves before they will drop.

Just like when God has too bring along

something strong to get us to loosen our grip.

I could go on and on about the many 

times it took a very strong wind 

to loosen my leaves.

I guess I hold on a little too tight sometimes!

"All good things on earth

are to be enjoyed, but holding

them loosely works best-

for where your treasure is,

there your heart

will be also."

Kay Rader

One of those windy seasons

( yes, I have many more than one)

was the beginning of the empty nest time for me.

That was about 7 years ago,

so I'm through it now,

but at the time, I felt like my trunk had just been hit

with a tornado!!! 

God had so much more planned for me, 

but I had to let go

to find what new step, what new song,

he had planned ahead.
And an even greater thing to look forward too is
the BEST is yet to come!

How about you? 

Do you hold on extra tightly to anything?

"Blessed are those who trust in the Lord.

They are like trees planted along a 

riverbank, with roots that reach deep into

the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the 

heat or worried by long months of drought.

There leaves stay green, and they go right on 

producing delicious fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)

I have had a special

love for trees ever since I was a  little girl.

I was in 6th grade

when my siblings and I went to live

with our grandparents.

They had just built a beautiful brick ranch home that

sat in the middle of many old and very tall oak trees.

I remember being so thankful every morning,

for a secure and happy place to live,

as I looked out

of my bedroom window and saw 

the
beautiful tall trees blowing in the wind. 
They were always there, through the storms, in
all of the changes through the seasons.
They remained secure and growing 
as they reached up to the top of the
sky to see the sun (SON).
Just as I learned to do at that age,
as I followed their example
and looked to the SON, my Savior, my creator
and loving Heavenly Father.

To this day, walking through the trees
makes me feel as though
I could touch God as if he were right there painting
a masterpiece and a word picture just for me.

If you are right in the middle of having to
loosen your  grip and let go
of something, or fearing the possibility 
of having to let go in the future, 
remember you are not alone. 
God has a new song, a new season planned
just for you... It may be scary now, not knowing 
what is ahead, but you can trust that 
His plans for you are good. 
 We will never know His Best if we don't let go.

You are always invited to come over and 
sit under the shade tree with me. 

I'll even make some sweet tea we can share.

I'm a much braver girl when I have 
a friend beside me.

Hugs,

Some wonderful words that encouraged me from
Brenda Waggoner 
author of  the book, "Fairy Tale Faith"

"Perhaps it takes some years of walking with 

God to learn to relax in his presence,

to realize that he's there even when

he seems absent and that he's not put off 

when we get distracted from him or go

to sleep in his lap. 

He isn't even shocked at our worst

foibles and follies, though we often are."