Concerning Trees

To lie by day in thy green shade,
And in thy hollow rest at night;
And through the open doorway see
The stars turn over leaves of light.

- W.H. Davies

I cannot help my love and appreciation for God's creative nature. Something in me draws me to the beauty and my soul longs for it. We tend to not pay attention to nature or trees as we go about our days. I find that when I pay attention to nature, I am calmer, more at peace, more thoughtful, and more focused.

Even if I do not have a real garden to tend I can enjoy the yard, appreciate the camphor trees in it, and I can have pots of plants along the stairs of my home, and all the sights and sounds of nature are always there. I can bring nature inside my home with plants and care for my fiddle leaf fig tree that is in my kitchen. These touches of greenery are a joy.

I admire the trees that provide shade and life-giving oxygen every moment. God's amazing creation placed us in a state of needing nature to nourish us. We need the trees to flourish if we want to breathe. The trees do not need us, but we need them.

So love the trees. They give us breath.

A couple books I recently read:

1. The Glorious Life of the Oak by John Lewis-Stempel

A beautiful telling of the oaks of Britain, which I think translates to all the world. Britain just has the most ancient of oaks (from the 900s). I am fascinated by trees, and learning about things of the woods. John writes beautifully, with sketches of a wood and its environs. I really enjoy good, poetic nature writing. I think I shall be reading much more of it.

An old oak is a character, which is why so many are named, and even visited by admirers, celebrated in song, portrayed in legend.

2. Reforesting Faith by Matthew Sleeth, MD

I will always forever now notice all the trees, branches, and fruit mentioned throughout Scripture. Matthew points out how all the significant characters and events throughout the Bible mention a tree (or part of a tree such as a branch) and there is meaning there. From the tree of life in the very beginning, to the cross that Jesus was crucified upon, to the trees of life bearing fruits all twelve months of the year on either side of the river of life in New Creation,  it is all there, right in front of us to see how important trees are to our life and beyond.

Trees have a way of bridging generations, connecting us with the past and inviting us to dream of the future. When we plant and tend trees, we imitate God.