Thoughts from today’s walk…

The massive stump still showed the chainsaw marks. This tree had once been a great Red Oak tree, towering probably sixty feet above the lush forest floor. I had seen it. I had appreciated it. It was a beautiful, grand tree. Each year I make my pilgrimage to East Texas to see John and family. Since my first year I had noticed that tree. It was always back in the “jungle” of John’s property. It wasn’t ever out in the open field, groomed and on display. Last November when I was hear however, this great tree had toppled over, only recently at the time. It lay there, half buried in it’s own debris, already being reclaimed by the forest floor. Since then somebody must’ve cleaned the stump up, explaining the pseudo-clean chainsaw job I saw before me as I stood there, surrounded by the dense, lush flora of East Texas. What I believe brought that tree down was not a lightning strike, not a hurricane force wind, or even a Texas ice storm. I looked around at the smaller oaks and soft woods growing around; They were all laden with beautiful vines, crawling up the trunks and hanging heavily from their limbs. It was impressive, really, to see the canopy-like effect that was created by so many green things lacing from here to there and back. It was beautiful. But I know that is what caused this Red Oak to fall in the end. Those vines are weeds. Parasites. They choke the tree with their ever-tightening clutch, they starve the tree of water and sunlight alike, and the grow increasingly heavy on the outstretched limbs of the tree. Sure they are beautiful, but deadly. I couldn’t help but think how similar that is to our lives sometimes. Things that look good can take over, and eventually break us. That tree, had it been groomed and placed in a weed-free environment, presumably would’ve grown to be much, much larger. It’s main thing was being a tree, not a vinery and Poison Ivy display rack. Pretty as it can be, it eventually led to this tree’s downfall. Now the tree couldn’t do much about it. But we can. As Christians, our “main thing” is to further the kingdom of Jesus Christ, King of Kings. There are things that present themselves as important, that really have no impact on eternity. Now, there are necessities that have to be taken care of for our bodies obviously, but when we get to focused on material things, having fun, or even “non-issues” in the religious realm, we are contributing to the demise of our Christian selves (alienation from intimate fellowship with Christ and an ineffectiveness as a Christian). Things will build up. But we’ve got to “clean house” every once in a while. As often as possible for that matter! Keep the Main Thing the main thing!
On a slightly different note, I was looking at the tree rings of that great oak, and noticing how beautiful they are! I think it’s awesome how in nature, even death has it’s beautiful points. But anyway I was looking at the rings. I thought about counting them, but didn’t. Suffice it to say, that tree had been there for well over 150 years. I love looking at tree rings. It’s natures’ open history book, really. I saw the early years there, near the center. They looked rough. But then they got wider, then narrow. I guess it’s silly but I couldn’t help but think that during some of those years the tree must’ve really hated life. It looked rough. The lines were less than a millimeter apart I’d say. The bountiful years showed rings as far apart as 2 cm. But during those narrow years that tree must’ve hated life. But then it made it through, made it on to the bounty years. That tree showed 5 or 6 bouts of 8-25 year hard times. Droughts probably. Maybe it was times when it’s custodian let kudzu strangle it? Heh. Who knows. But it made it through. And looking on that tree was proof. Just like looking at a history book. We can apply that to our lives I think. I mean, as long as I am in God’s Will, I am invincible until He’s done with me. It’s a comforting thought. There may be times that life seemingly stinks. But push on and get through to the next bounty time, and Thank the Lord all the time!
Well. I’ve gotta run now. Later!

Gotta laugh to keep from crying :

Andy’s Backpacking Glossary:

Cloudburst: What starts approximately 5 minutes before you unroll your tent. (Note: normally these will last at least until you are completely soaked, and will cease about 1 ½ minutes after you finish setting up the tent.)

Lake: What forms underneath and around your tent as you are setting it up.

Perfect Campsite: The ideological pinnacle of outdoor recreation. A place shrouded in myth, with all the primitive allure of the famed Fountain of Youth. The drive to find said campsite is inevitably enough to drive a man to pass up perfectly good campsites, in search of the perfect campsite, until the Cloudburst forces him to accept a completely mediocre campsite.

Bedrock: What is directly beneath wherever you want to drive that stake. You are not the first to bend three stakes in a row, stubbornly thinking the next one will surely break through, whilst giving the steak the savage beating of the century with whatever hard object appears at hand.