Like a Tree

1. Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
    Nor stands in the path of sinners,
    Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;  

2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.  

3. He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 1:1-3 

My neighborhood here in southern California has a vast variety of trees; Palms, Pine, Magnolia, Citrus, Eucalyptus and many others can be seen over the course of a very short walk.  Most of these have been planted in our neighborhood and nearby parks, and are not necessarily native to our semi-arid climate, but do well from the irrigation they receive. 

Today as I enjoyed my morning walk, the trees just struck me, drawing my eyes upward to the cloudless blue skies. Now I have always enjoyed trees - the incredible variety of textures in their bark, their towering height and varied foliage. In college, back in the late seventies, I studied art and photography, and trees were often the subject I chose for my images. I enjoyed the process of the pre-digital era, when the image was framed in a viewfinder and captured on film, which then needed to be processed, printed and edited in a darkroom. 

The assignment that was the most challenging for me in my college courses, was the "self-portrait". I much prefer to be on the back of the camera, taking the photo, to being a part of the subject. In our modern digital era, where everyone uses their smart phone to take pictures, one of the most commonly used features of the 'smart camera' is the ability to turn the camera to face the photographer, while still providing a preview of the image, enabling the photographer to take a "selfie", the modern term for a self portrait.

I reluctantly made the switch from a film camera, to digital, but now I solely use my phone as my camera. The portability and ease of access have finally won me over! The digital technology still provides opportunity to enhance the imagery through editing and apps, as I previously was able to do in the darkroom.  However, the self portrait, (oh I mean "selfie") is still difficult for me; I appreciate those who are able to get a nice looking "selfie". Personally, I mostly use this reversed lens technology to take photos of trees without having to strain my neck! So I suppose these images would be "tree selfies."

Today as I took tree selfies, I felt challenged with the thought, "Are you like a tree?" This question comes from an analogy in the book of Psalms, chapter 1 where the righteous (followers of the Lord) are likened to trees. As I reflected on the trees I saw today I pondered what qualities trees have, that I should be compared with them. Here are some questions to consider.

• Am I planted by the stream (God's Word) so I get watered each day? Only then can I flourish and grow tall.

• Am I content in who I am? Trees are not comparing themselves to others, some are tall, others short but they each are beautiful as they are.  Do I compare myself to other too much, or do I enjoy who I am?

• What season am I in, and am I being fruitful in that season?  Some of the trees I saw today were devoid of leaves, others pruned back and beginning to have new leaves, while a citrus tree was covered in fruit! Each tree was content in its own season, either resting, budding or bearing fruit. Am I jealous of those who are bearing fruit while I am in a season of resting or pruning, or am I rejoicing with them?
  
   

• Am I bowed over in a crisis and resting on other trees, or am I the one holding another up? There is a time for each! Do I let others help me when needed? Am I quick and willing to help another in their time of need?
  

What about you, dear reader? 
How are you "like a tree" today?

• Are you flourishing with a daily source of water?
• Are you content in who you are? 
• Do you feel pruned back, or is it a season to bear fruit?
• Are you in need of help, or are you helping someone else to be strong?

Let me know in the 
comments below! 
I would love to hear from you...