The Giving Tree

Have you made a study of trees?  I think trees are one of the most interesting plants on the planet.  There are so many of them and they each seem to have their own personality.  I have fun looking for faces and animals in the shape of the trunks of my own trees. 

My neighbor has a tree in his yard that I have always admired.  I think of it as a giving tree, though it’s really a Mountain-ash.  Fall and winter the tree gives shelter and berries to many birds in the neighborhood.  I’ve seen it shelter hawks on cold winter days.  In the spring it provides sap for the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  I’ve seen that giving tree give insects and sap to Ruby-throats and Yellow-rumped warblers, too.  Eventually this tree will die. It will give too much to the sap-sucker and be invaded by insects and disease. 

Here he is the master hole-driller.  The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker makes neat row after
row of small holes to allow sap to run out of the tree. They come back later to lick the sap
and insects attracted to it.

Birch, Maple and Mountain Ash seem to be the preferred sap of these sap suckers.

I’d like to be like this tree.  I want to give my life to those around me.  I would like to provide nourishment for the soul through encouragement and pointing people to the hope in the Gospel.  I want to be a shelter for my family and friends in life’s winter storms.  I don’t ever want to retire from a life of service to others…I want to keep on giving until I have nothing left to give and then be given the best gift of all.  One day I will receive eternal life with God because of what Jesus did on a tree for me.  He gave until there was nothing left to give when He laid down His life for me.  

I'd rather be birding!

Jenny