Training the Tree of Me

In the cover of winter, it’s remarkable the life of a tree is strengthening. While it appears nothing is happening to a tree during these cold, harsh days, it is a ruse. The tree is really quite alive right now, spending its energy in its root system by going deeper into the ground and preparing itself for the growth spurt of spring.

For many reasons this is fascinating to me. First, I love everything about a tree. It’s my quirk.  As a little girl, I would climb high into this old cedar tree in our backyard and perch in its branches for hours. I would watch the birds I shared the branches with, pretend I didn’t hear being called up for dinner and think about all the mystery a child’s mind has. Like, how could I grow as tall as the trees and how am I going to get out from eating my vegetables at dinner.  There is still tension between me and peas when they are on my plate.

Perhaps the most intriguing part to me about a tree though is their how they grow to such majestic heights.  Right now they are not nearly as attractive as they were a few months back in all their fall color glory.  But in the dreary days of winter, the trees most beneficial growth is going on. With the energy concentrated into to the roots, it is establishing itself to grow to greater heights. Concurrently at this time, it is at the peak opportunity for training and trimming its trees branches. The yin and yang of a tree growing draws me to reflect.

My father has this amazing apple orchard. He wisely and methodically planted each tree so the orchard, when mature, will produce a bountiful harvest of various apples. Nothing was overlooked as he designed this area. He calculated the fencing to keep deer from the trees and the sunlight position during the summer for what the trees need for a fruitful growth. He had selected a central leader training system for his apple trees and he ensured there was adequate space allowed for every tree. Even his selection of the apple tree types were thought out and yields them apples from early harvest through late harvest. It was very well done and looks incredible from any angle in his apple orchard.

There was just one problem. In the first winter, he did not trim the young apples trees and train the right branches so they could properly support their fruit they would grow. You do not see a problem in winter, but as the apples grew during the summer, the untrained & untrimmed branches were not strong enough to hold the apple weight.  When I was visiting one day, one of his Haralson apple trees was sagging lowly to the ground and in danger of splitting down the middle. This tree grew two central leaders and divided the tree pulling itself apart from the top. The tree can only support one leader or it will be split in half, as the case of my father’s tree. He had to make some cuts to right the wrong. It’s a tough decision to do during the summer when the energy of the tree is in its branches. Nonetheless, it had to be done for the good of the tree. We removed the fruit from its branches and clipped off one of the competing central leaders. Since this was not the correct time to be doing this, the tree went into a little shock and special care had to be taken to protect it from disease and insects. It was a lot more cumbersome and risky for the tree than necessary.

While correcting the tree, I realized how we are much the same.

A tree cannot train itself and neither can we. Much like us, when we are growing and going deeper in our faith we will have some branches that need to be trimmed and trained properly if we are to be healthy. If we are not allowing our Caretaker to trim what needs to be taken, we will be setting ourselves up for damage later.

Rather, when we are growing and our energy is focused in our roots, we are relieved when the weight of an unbridled branch is trimmed from us. There are times we have a branch that grows quickly and we do not notice the damage until it is stressing us. Those cuts still need to be made. Our Caretaker is careful with those wounds and puts His healing salve over us as we heal. When we allow ourselves to be trimmed at the right time, and done by one who knows what is best, will heal in the cover of our winter and become stronger and healthy after the allotted time.

The winter tree whispers to me now as I prune its branches. Following its lead, I allow my own energy to take me deeper into my faith, I can feel the wounds from of untrained branches being trimmed away. I was not intended to carry the weight of those and my Caretaker knows this and removes them and prunes others in order to stimulate my growth. This is what is best for me and my Caretaker is gentle with each snip. He desires nothing more than to have me flourish.

Grounded deeper and trained properly, each day brings new buds of hope. And when the season is right, those buds will grow to new heights taking me higher than the year before.

And just like my father’s Haralson tree, I will thrive under my Caretaker’s hand.

 

Psalms 1:3 NKJV “He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”