Have You Ever Noticed Nature's Lessons?

In the waning days of January northern Arkansas was devastated by a 100-year ice storm.

All exposed surfaces, whether structure, service line or tree were covered with one inch of ice. Most utility services were severed.

We spent 9-10 days without these services. We coped and found, even in our 70s, we could adapt to the conditions in which we find ourselves, including living in one room, cooking on a camp stove, heating with a butane bottle, without TV, computers, radios, etc. We did have a somewhat compromised cell service. Luckie, of course, thought it fun to capture our full attention, even if it didn't last.

I timidly stepped out my front door to make pictures of the winter wonderland. Trees were snapping and popping under the weight of ice. The noise sounded like snipers on a battlefield. (see photo at upper left and right).

We lost and paid for removal of seven beautiful trees and severely topped or pruned seven others. We hired a tree service as some red oaks were more than 75' tall.

Our communities are slowly recovering. So it is with Nature, particularly the trees. Spring has arrived. The ugliness of bare, tall, naked, standing tree trunks, looking like severely elongated fence posts, is slowly changing with sprouting new growth. The severe ice damage will be well hidden on some trees; others will be moderately recovering. Some may never recover.

What amazes me is how the Great Creater and Designer of the Universe built in this capacity of recovery into all nature and ourselves.

No matter how damaged our Spirit, often due to our own destructive shortcomings, the Grace of the Great Creater and Designer of the Universe covers us and lifts us up beautifully refreshed and redressed!

The tree photos in this blog were all pruned or topped at the wrong time, so recovery will be more difficult.

There is an area of hills not far from us, where, reportably, Agent Orange, a defoliating and dangerous chemical was applied. Thirty years ago it was barren. It has recovered and today is covered with new vegetative growth and young trees. I have drawn many metaphors from watching this happen.

The Great Creator and Designer's plan has taken longer to recover from human destructive acts, but it has.

So it is with us. Sometimes it takes longer for the Great Creator and Designer to fix us, but everything is possible in its own time, if our time does not run out......

Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. Psalm 33.8