Everyone needs a tree
I want to tell you a story
A friend sent me this lovely story, author unknown, that I thought worth sharing with you.
I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation.. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. “Oh, that’s my trouble tree,’ he replied ‘I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure, those troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again.’
‘Funny thing is,’ he smiled,’ when I come out in the morning to pick ’em up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.’
We need to talk
In times of trouble we do need someone to talk to so here are my suggestions:
- Start chatting away to God more than you have done in the past. Its quite easy really – simply talk to Him about what is on your mind and then wait quietly for His response. Conversation at its most rewarding is a two way thing.
- Phone/SMS/email/WhatsApp a friend. Try to include at least one positive thought in your conversation; not merely the latest frightening statistics you read about.
- Check out your Christmas card list. Who do you not normally speak to throughout the year? Choose one name and make their day by giving them a surprise call. Then repeat the exercise with another name the next day.
- Finally, you could always spend some time investigating people who are great examples of powerful pray-ers throughout history. They may have some surprising experiences for you to think about. Doing something like this once more occupies your mind and keeps your thoughts away from the current pandemic.
In my next blog I plan to talk about a very special tree that has a message of hope to the entire human race. A message so special that it helps us in this time of uncertainty and fear.
