Tall & Strong

Well it's been quite some time since I have posted a blog. I've been missing in action, the fog has cleared, well not exactly, I think I've just emerged at the other side. Let me tell you, it was a thick, dense fog, all consuming for way too long. You know the type, every which way you look...fog... seemingly no light just that haziness that causes you to strain your eyes. The storm that caused me to go M.I.A has since dissapated, rumblings still persist and thats definately a story for another time but as always there is a lesson learnt and wisdom gained thanks to " He makes all things work together for good " So heres my take on the little slice of wisdom recently added to my life journey. No doubt He's tried to teach me this on numerous occasions, but the pennies finally dropped.

Sixteen years ago when we moved into our house, there was not a tree to be seen in our subdivision. Along with the majority of other fellow home builders we embarked upon a tree planting frenzy in the hope of giving our suburban lifestyle a touch of  " country ". Our little corner of the world also backs onto wetlands teeming with birdlife, an oasis really.
 Amongst our green thumbed efforts was a small tubestock gum tree, I actually thought it was dead, but we planted it anyway in the hope that it might revive and grow tall and strong as its little tag of information indicated it should.
 At first it grew slowly and many of the other trees planted near by overtook it in height and it seemed to be dwarfed by their rapid growth. Many storms have passed through, destroying alot of our little gum trees fast growing neighbours. It too was tossed about, and more than once we thought we'd lost it as well. Each new season it sheds its old bark to reveal a new and stronger trunk.
 Now, standing tall and strong at the bottom of our yard is our gum tree. Its leaves are glossy and profuse, birds anually nest and take haven in its sturdy branches, when the storms pass through  it is steadfast because our little gum tree has tapped into the source......its roots have grounded deep into the water it was planted by.
 Little gum trees progress has been slow and often seemingly not at all, but when its roots finally connected to the life source,it grew and grew and continues to grow, storm and drought no longer a threat, it can withstand the elements because its planted firm and strong. 

 I'm alot like little gum tree. My progress has been slow and arduous, I've been tossed about by the storms of life, at times getting lost at sea. I 've been planted by the water but I haven't allowed my roots to really go deep enough to withstand the storm.... until now. The old trust issue and casting of burdens rears its ugly head.  Do I have faith enough to trust Him with my stuff, the really hard stuff? Well I'm still alive, I've survived the recent onslaught and it wasn't in my strength but His. He is faithful and I'm finally one believing to be one of  "they ".
Lxx
     " They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. "  Jeremiah 17:8 NIV