|
3-31-04 I went out to look at the meyer lemon tree we planted. It was healthy, had blooms, tons of leaves, little lemons on it. We planted it, and it lost ALL it's leaves, except one. They all dried up and when I knocked the tree they fell off. Most of the blooms did too. The little lemons turned yellow and fell off, except two. So two yellowed lemon buds and one semi-dry leaf. We put cheesecloth around it, to protect it from the sun. hopefully. Took it off a few days later. We figured it wasn't doing any good. Steve watered it. Except he left the water on all nite long and it wasn't a trickle, it was a gusher. The whole back yard was a huge puddle in the morning. I was upset. I was out there making ditches with wet, heavy, clay mud, so the water would run off the area near the tree to other spots. I was shoveling mud and water and flinging it to the side, so the tree wouldn't be in standing water all day. The nursery guy said they DON"T like sitting in water. Later, we gave the tree root stimulator. Now the tree has little tiny leaves on it. Some of the buds that didn't fall off, bloomed. I went out there and there was a web with a little worm hanging there, I cut the worm in half and destroyed the web. I knocked the tree and hundreds of new and old buds and blooms dropped off the tree, AGAIN. I was thinking of the locusts destroying things. I prayed and prayed this tree would make it. Later, the tree started budding again. I looked at the semi-dry leaf and it was barely hanging on the tree. I touched it and it came off in my hand. I made a ceremony of crushing it, but it wasn't completely dry. It bent and broke, but didn't crush. I thought that leaf represented my life here, as did the tree. And with this leaf that had valiantly hung on til the rest of the tree was established, I felt that was me. And that I would flourish here too. I just had to be able to get new roots, new leaves, new fruit...a new foundation. Just like this tree, I had been uprooted and planted in soil that was not my choosing and was a very hard and difficult soil to adjust too. The sunlight was different, it shines here almost all the time. The heat was different, it's hotter here in this furnace and drier, so the moisture gets sucked right out of the body, or the plant. It has taken 4 summers and I think I am finally used to living here, even enjoying sunshine 364 days of the year! To water here, one must have a long, constant drip, not the sprinklers of elsewhere. For me this means a closer, deeper relationship with the Lord, one that is acquired through a slow accumulation of rest, patience and FAITH. And we are still learning how much plants and trees must be watered here. It's not a once a week thing, it's several times a week in the summer, or else the plant will dry out. The lemon tree has many hundreds of leaves on it now. The trunk is thicker, it's healthy. No lemons will be had in the coming season, but the tree is going to make it. I see God moving people here to get a deeper relationship with him, closer, a relationship that is forged in the furnace of the desert. Not just figuratively, but also literally. In other States, one can escape the heat, by driving to the mountains, or going somewhere to play. When God moves people to Arizona, they all seem to go through severe dry spells, spiritually, physically, financially, mentally, in every way. But every single person I've spoken with about this, has come out victorious and stronger in the Lord and in their faith. When it's time, with the right amount of watering, the right amount of resting, the right amount of prayer and care, I will be stronger too. My roots will be firmly established, my buds will grow and I will be in full bloom, bearing fruit. And this is not the fruit of other seasons, other places, this is the fruit that God has grown on my branches. This is lasting, sweet fruit. Someone prayed for me a couple years ago and prayed that when I see things growing here, in my garden, that I will be encouraged and know I will bloom here too. I believe this is the answer to that prayer. The Hook's said God moves people here to get their BD Degree. Back Side of the Desert Degree. :)) I'm believe I'm graduating soon!!! Back |