Tree

I had a friend who lived in the outskirts of Eindhoven in a village called Valkenswaard. There were huge fields behind their house and her parents owned a plot shared with other people to garden and grow produce.I think like a small square, like allotments. On my way back once , we passed through this field which captivated me. One big flat green field with this huge tree heavy with growth, like a cloud. For a few seconds thats all I saw , and that image stuck. We would pass through that field many times more, after that and I would stop talking and savor the moment.

These past two weeks have been rough in many ways and accumulated to a pressure cooker moment and let off steam yesterday. A whiplash from a silly accident. Cant imagine how two stationary cars at a red light can cause an annoying whiplash. A foot slips and the car behind me bumps into mine. I have excellent knifes, thanks to my Mums and Tots Bible study group as a housewarming gift, and twice in the span of two week, I cut my finger. Deep. And you can't find a band aid at that moment. Even Sesame Street band aids. Falling off the stairs on our newly renovated ,painted, smooth stairs caused bumps and bruises. One time that I was thankful for being a not so slim person.

Being the month of November, with its fair share of Christmas events and fairs to bake for, preparing for our trip to India to celebrate my brothers wedding, seems all exciting. These are things I have been waiting for all year. Dreaming about the family events ,fun and family times at the wedding of the year.  To bake Christmas cakes and decorate them. And it all seems too much suddenly.Even though I only work 13 hours a week, its quite intensive working with kids with special needs. And the driving within the Eindhoven ring to drop the kids off school and to the daycare at two ends of Eindhoven, at peak hours is quite straining .I imagine viewing satellite images , and the government suspecting, why this sky blue Ford Fiesta  goes round the ring road constantly. I remember a certain person saying,"Don't burn both sides of the candle". Well, I haven't quite reached there, but close.

And thats when, after reading the word of the day, "TREE"  sparked the image of that tree immediately. A place of solitude and rest for the body,mind and soul.The study I did long ago,"A passionate life" says," We need to learn when it is our pruning time. Pruning is not automatic for the branch. Left on its own, the branch would continue to grow, increasing in size , but decreasing in strength, endurance , and health until it would be  unable to hold the fruit it is intended to bear. From abiding we grow. From growing we bear fruit. From bearing fruit we are cut back.  Healthy growth must be cut off in order to make more for future growth.

I haven't gone to that tree in years, but I got my share of that view at Cell group yesterday.

I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother.....
                                                                                             Psalm 131:2


I am joining Lisa Jo Baker and hundreds of other women, on the weekly Five minute Fridays. A word uttered by Lisa Jo and women write their share of unedited five minute worth in this space.