Thanks to Trees

1.  Thanks to Trees -- Found this book thrift shopping this last weekend. Didn't know so many products came from trees-a renewable resource. As we set out to do our weekly errands, I noticed that the trees in our neighborhood were beginning to turn to their glorious fall colors of red and gold.  I have a photo of one such tree on this blog -- click on the label "Tree" below this post.  Did you know that God created trees in the beginning of the world and set two in the center of the Garden of Eden? 

"Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground -- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." ~ Genesis 2:8-9. 

2. I'm thankful that God lovingly created the family with one man (Adam), one woman (Eve) and their children (Cain, Abel, Seth & others)! And from a descending family came our Lord and Savior who died on a cross made from wood. The Tree of Life had a part in the story of Salvation from the very beginning. 

"The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead -- whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree." ~ Acts 5: 30.

3. Thanks be to God for his gift of life -- did you know that we will be able to eat from the Tree of Life in the paradise of God someday? I pray that I shall be one of the overcomers! 

"On each side of the river [of life] stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. . . No longer will there be any curse." (Rev. 22:2b, 3a); "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." (Gal. 3:13); "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness." (1 Peter 2:24); "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God." (Rev. 2:7)

4. Thanks to God for shepherds (ancient tool -- wooden staffs) -- When was the last time you told your pastor how much you appreciate his faithful service to you and your family? Send him a card before the end of this month as October is Pastor Appreciation Month!

"The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching." ~ 1 Timothy 5:17.

5. Thanks for the comforting lap of Jesus -- ADD people sometimes have non-stop creative brainstorms. I think all day long and sometimes pass along what I think are good ideas to others, however, I must guard against becoming conceited. Thanks be to God that he understands my heart when others get the credit for those ideas, comforts me, and then reminds me that I'm only a vessel of the ideas that really come from him. Lord, help me let my prideful hurt go. 

"What, after all is Apollo? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe -- as the Lord assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7); "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, do that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 5:2-4); "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:14-16). 

ADD/Depressives have a hard time letting go of the inconsequential, because our thinking caps are stuck on "go." That's why we need a good prayer team gathered around us, ready and willing to pray for us and I do, thanks be to God.