Nothing left except the trunk and the mulch!

Just a portion of the trunk and a pile of branches left.

more branches gone

missing a few branches, butstill standing strong!

This tree has been standing here growing bigger and stronger for approximately 46 years and within a few short hours it was totally gone. All that is left is a few stumps that will be burned for firewood and some mulch wich can be used for some good in a garden. This got me to thinking about Reputation. We can work all of our life to build a good reputation,, one of character, and in a moment of temptation or anger or whatever, it can be stripped away and we are left with just a few stumps and some mulch. We are ground down to nothing! Gaurd your reputation. It is worth everything! You worked too hard and long to let it be stripped away from you in a moment. Your reputations defines who you are. It dictates where you are going and where you will end up! It is the very essence of 'you"!

Some have had their reputations smirched by the lies of others. Just like the tree, through no fault of it's own, but by my will it was destroyed. ( I do feel bad about it, but in my mind it stood in the way of progress. Hmmm that could be a blog in itself) In this case, you just need to keep doing right and God will pick you up again and make you flourish.

If you have ruined your reputation by some bad decisions, you too can learn a lesson from this tree's demise. Remember that the firewood is still there and that can bring some comfort to someone, but also the mulch can be used to bring new life if used properly. Pick up your broken pieces and bring them to the master gardener who knows how to make them beautiful and useful in his garden. Also keep in mind that the cut and broken tree puts forth a sweet, refreshing odor. Let your life bring forth a sweetness, fight against the bitterness.

Wether you are standing strong, or if you have been cut and broken through your own actions, or through the actions and words of others, take what you have and use it to grow and be beautiful.

If you are standing strong: Gaurd your reputation! Gaurd your doctrine! (the trunk that makes you strong)Gaurd your spirit( the beauty in your branches)

If you have been cut and wounded by others: Keep standing for what's right. Stay focused! It will come out right. You will stand strong again. Gaurd your spirit!! Keep your branches from wilting!

If you have been obliterated by bad choices: Pick up the pieces and start over. It is never to late to make good!

I thought this tree lesson was just going to be about reputation, but there are so many lessons to be learned just from a tree that got cut down! That is amazing, how the natural can so closely be correlated to the spiritual.
The other thing I am thinkng as I write this is that the tree seemed ugly to me. It was dispensable, but now that it is gone, so is the privacy it provided me, the shelter from the wind it provided is gone. I have lost some things in cutting it out of my life.
Be careful what and who you cut out of your life. They may just provide you with the protection you need. They may be the things you needed to stay on course. You may be cutting out a shoulder that would have been strong or an ear that would have listened when you need it. Don't discount anyone and think them dispensable. It could very well be your life line that you are cutting off.
Okay I'd better go, because my mind is going on and on all because of a tree!!!!! Love you all!