leaves
On another day during my evening walk there was a chill in the air. The temp wasn’t extreme, upper 40s, but the wind was on the breezy side, as wind sometimes is. Basically I was getting a bit chilly in my walking shorts and t-shirt. The ingress leg of the walk wasn’t too bad, in fact it was “wind aided” but the egress into the wind was a bit cold. The Spice was to join in the walking exercise shortly, so I rang her up by cell phone and asked her to bring me another shirt to knock off the chill.
She came out later and gave me the shirt as we passed like two ships in the night – except we weren’t ships and it wasn’t night – but we did pass in opposite directions. Then the problem was to put the shirt on without stopping the walk or the timing of it. With my staff in one hand and my recorder in the other, I proceeded to try to don the light outer vestment. I promptly dropped my recorder, the tape popped out and the battery cover was knocked askew. After putting the tape back in, adjusting the batteries and reinstalling the cover, it was found to work properly – it’s tough.
Catching back up with the Spice, she held my extra stuff for a moment – while still moving – long enough for me to put the shirt on and get back to my pace. The wind continued to be gusty, blustery and slightly tornadic and affected the leaves in many of those manners along the route. Could it be that the wind was trying to start a leaf uprising? Maybe instead they were just tumbling and some even appeared to be crawling to get away from this chilling force.
The pines were still clothed in green and my mind wondered whether or not they were needling the other trees because of their naked limbs. Maybe that was just my imagination and trees are not as competitive as people, at least not in the same way. But I do know that they will try to outgrow each other to get to the sunlight if they take root too close together – this makes for a group of trees that are tall and very skinny. This is serious competition because the loser dies and rots in place.
I have always been very impressed with leaves, in that while they live they use the sunlight to convert the nutrients passed along to them by the roots into food for all parts of the tree. Then as the season changes they die a beautiful death of many colors for all to see. They fall and insulate the roots of trees and other plants with the warm layer of material they make. Then as they deteriorate, the nutrients in them leach back into the soil for the future growth of other plants, possibly growing new trees from the seed of the tree from which they grew or even other types of plants.
The life cycle of leaves sounds a little like an illustration of what Christians should be like. Their lives should be useful by helping others, feeding and nourishing others while they live – whether in physical or spiritual ways. With Christ as savior they can also die a beautiful death, showing His keeping power to and even past the grave. The memory of their godly life can warm the lives of their family and friends and help keep them from the coldness of this world. Then their witness can be remembered and bring to Christ ones that knew them or heard of their lives and this witness can nourish these new ones into a strong life for Christ.
God is into recycling, especially when it comes to His Word and the humans He loves – everybody. ec
She came out later and gave me the shirt as we passed like two ships in the night – except we weren’t ships and it wasn’t night – but we did pass in opposite directions. Then the problem was to put the shirt on without stopping the walk or the timing of it. With my staff in one hand and my recorder in the other, I proceeded to try to don the light outer vestment. I promptly dropped my recorder, the tape popped out and the battery cover was knocked askew. After putting the tape back in, adjusting the batteries and reinstalling the cover, it was found to work properly – it’s tough.
Catching back up with the Spice, she held my extra stuff for a moment – while still moving – long enough for me to put the shirt on and get back to my pace. The wind continued to be gusty, blustery and slightly tornadic and affected the leaves in many of those manners along the route. Could it be that the wind was trying to start a leaf uprising? Maybe instead they were just tumbling and some even appeared to be crawling to get away from this chilling force.
The pines were still clothed in green and my mind wondered whether or not they were needling the other trees because of their naked limbs. Maybe that was just my imagination and trees are not as competitive as people, at least not in the same way. But I do know that they will try to outgrow each other to get to the sunlight if they take root too close together – this makes for a group of trees that are tall and very skinny. This is serious competition because the loser dies and rots in place.
I have always been very impressed with leaves, in that while they live they use the sunlight to convert the nutrients passed along to them by the roots into food for all parts of the tree. Then as the season changes they die a beautiful death of many colors for all to see. They fall and insulate the roots of trees and other plants with the warm layer of material they make. Then as they deteriorate, the nutrients in them leach back into the soil for the future growth of other plants, possibly growing new trees from the seed of the tree from which they grew or even other types of plants.
The life cycle of leaves sounds a little like an illustration of what Christians should be like. Their lives should be useful by helping others, feeding and nourishing others while they live – whether in physical or spiritual ways. With Christ as savior they can also die a beautiful death, showing His keeping power to and even past the grave. The memory of their godly life can warm the lives of their family and friends and help keep them from the coldness of this world. Then their witness can be remembered and bring to Christ ones that knew them or heard of their lives and this witness can nourish these new ones into a strong life for Christ.
God is into recycling, especially when it comes to His Word and the humans He loves – everybody. ec
posted by mreddie | 11:47 PM
6 Comments:
The serenity of your life, Mr. Eddie, is so tranquil that I feel calm whenever I read your blog. Thank you, my friend.tkjv
Hi Mr. Eddie ~~ I enjoyed your article about the leaves and God recycling.
Sorry, I don't know the name of the tree that was removed next-door. But I see a lot more sky now.
The Garth Brooks set is all his old songs as he doesn't seem to make any new ones. He said he would after his kids got through school. Pity, as he is a real showman. He could record while the kids were at school. Take care, Regards, Merle.
A great post and a good lesson.
Love your posts! You commented on my beach as looking so much like Myrtle. Actually mine is at the ocean at the foot of Bonner's Bridge on the Outer Banks. My picture was taken at the end of September.
Just stopped in to catch up with what's been going on in your life. It's calming and wonderful, as always.
Happy Monday!
SSN - Thanks - the source of my peace, my foundation of life and my eternal hope are all found in Christ alone.
merle - I also enjoy seeing the sky. Long ago I had all the pines cut down from around the house - I'm not against trees, just don't care for pines close to the house. In a rare ice storm they have been known to break off and come down through the roof like a spear.
kila - Thanks much, God's creations always amaze me.
ancient one - Your photo was made not too far to the north of Myrtle. The background is great.
brenda - Thanks - I am a bit behind myself from trying to do too many things in too short of a time. ec
Post a Comment
<< Home