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- Feb 9, 2004
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Two Palm Trees - October 03, 2005
Recently I took a walk in my sisters' neighborhood in Boca Raton, Florida. I noticed that a variety of palm trees were used in the landscaping scenes, but the Royal Palm and Cabbage Palm were two of the most popular. The Royal Palm is a very stately and beautiful tree- graceful and majestic. The trunk of the tree is very smooth, without blemish or mar. The Cabbage Palm is in direct opposition in appearance. The trunk on this tree must be pruned to have the appearance of a tree, and trimming the lower fronds must be done regularly. The amazing thing is that when they are pruned, the pieces of the fronds, which are still attached to the tree, form an intricate chris-cross of lattice work; each piece meshing with the next. There is also a fibrous material which is entwined and is captured within the cut fronds. This fiber is difficult to remove because it is thick and tightly woven as an intricate part of the tree.
The Cabbage Palm is not attractive- not one that you would choose to be if you had a choice! But that is exactly the tree I would choose, because it reminds me of the body of Christ. We (the Church) are all interwoven and connected. We have small, strong fibers which remind me of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Our love for the Lord connects us and crisscrosses our paths. Our base is not so smooth and slick like the Royal Palm, and I am thankful, for on a smooth surface nothing with adhere. Love, compassion, and caring would just slide down and fall to the wayside. No! Christ's church is made of a body of believers who are a strongly meshed and interwoven group, able to invite others to join us. With God's help we will enfold and nurture new believers into the fiber of His Being.
Thank you God, once again, for the miracle of opening my spiritual eyes to see your truths. You always use different tools; today it was two Palm Trees.
Contributed by Marion Smith
Recently I took a walk in my sisters' neighborhood in Boca Raton, Florida. I noticed that a variety of palm trees were used in the landscaping scenes, but the Royal Palm and Cabbage Palm were two of the most popular. The Royal Palm is a very stately and beautiful tree- graceful and majestic. The trunk of the tree is very smooth, without blemish or mar. The Cabbage Palm is in direct opposition in appearance. The trunk on this tree must be pruned to have the appearance of a tree, and trimming the lower fronds must be done regularly. The amazing thing is that when they are pruned, the pieces of the fronds, which are still attached to the tree, form an intricate chris-cross of lattice work; each piece meshing with the next. There is also a fibrous material which is entwined and is captured within the cut fronds. This fiber is difficult to remove because it is thick and tightly woven as an intricate part of the tree.
The Cabbage Palm is not attractive- not one that you would choose to be if you had a choice! But that is exactly the tree I would choose, because it reminds me of the body of Christ. We (the Church) are all interwoven and connected. We have small, strong fibers which remind me of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Our love for the Lord connects us and crisscrosses our paths. Our base is not so smooth and slick like the Royal Palm, and I am thankful, for on a smooth surface nothing with adhere. Love, compassion, and caring would just slide down and fall to the wayside. No! Christ's church is made of a body of believers who are a strongly meshed and interwoven group, able to invite others to join us. With God's help we will enfold and nurture new believers into the fiber of His Being.
Thank you God, once again, for the miracle of opening my spiritual eyes to see your truths. You always use different tools; today it was two Palm Trees.
Contributed by Marion Smith
