Putting down roots

I got a new tree today. Isn't it nice? Compliments of the city; the mayor even came and helped chip away at the limestone to prepare the hole to put it in. I really think he was there for the photo op, since our neighborhood activist was there and she never has anything good to say about him. In any case, the hole was dug, the tree is in place and now the watering is up to me. The irony is that the city was supposed to send someone out to mark the utility lines first to make sure that the hole and subsequent root system don't interfere. In typical city fashion, the tree was planted at 10 AM and the utilities were marked around 1 PM. But it all lines up fine and things should be ok. It won't offer much shade for awhile, but in time, it will rival the old oaks that surround the neighborhood.

This reminds me of how we put down our spiritual roots as well. Sometimes the ground is really rocky and the roots won't be able to take hold, causing us to topple over in a storm. Sometimes we need help getting the rocks out of the way and the roots in place. Sometimes our "helpers" may have a more self-serving purpose for their actions, but in any case, their help allows us to reach our goal. Sometimes the clear path is marked AFTER we start to put down our roots, but as long as we can see the direction we are headed, I guess it doesn't matter. The most important thing is that we keep weeding and watering and eventually, we'll be as strong as those who've been around for years. Just pray that any storms that come aren't strong enough to topple me!