My "Sunshine" Tree

We are blessed with an abundance of wonderful shade in our yard during the hot summer months. In the fall, this becomes a double blessing as the leaves turn colors. This tree in our front yard literally stopped me in my tracks the other day as I pulled out of the driveway. The brilliance of the yellows and lime greens brought me to tears at the creativity of our God. It was one of those moments where I felt like He "painted" this tree into my front yard just for me--to bless me with a view of His awesome lovingkindness "just because". As the days have passed, the colors mellowed into an abundance of deep yellows and oranges. I couldn't help but take another shot of it. It seemed to fill the whole house with its yellow glow (we're also blessed with a couple big windows in the front too!).

Yesterday it rained. I knew it was coming. The leaves were falling fast and hard. In fact, this was the last of the trees to hang onto its leaves. The rain continued throughout the night and I awoke to a sad sight this morning--a bare tree, its stark and empty branches stretching heavenward, a thick carpet of yellow covering our front yard. Tonight, the leaves are all bagged up awaiting the trash truck. And my house no longer glows with yellow...

But the lessons remain in my heart. God can take something that is dying and make it so beautiful. But it's never for our glory--only His. Just when we begin to think there's something special in us, He strips it even further, just to be sure that underneath we are stretching and growing heavenward. Pointing to our Creator, pressing on to know our Lord, despite our emptiness. Spring will come with its "times of refreshing". But for now, I will raise my empty, barren branches to my Father, clinging to Him, worshipping Him, waiting on His perfect timing and full restoration.