The Mysterious Maple Tree

     While our daughter was recuperating from cancer surgery, Al and I flew to Michigan to help with her two young boys for a week. It took us both to do what Shanda normally does every day, in addition to her full-time job with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Al transported Nate (6) and Elliot (4) to day camp, shopped and took Shanda to appointments. I stayed at the house for the greater part of each day, cleaning, helping with meals and being a “grandma” nanny.

      The weather happened to be lovely the week we were there so I was able to take some nice walks with the boys. One afternoon, Nate asked if we could go to a park which was about four blocks away from their house. He put on his helmet and got out his bicycle, while Elliot chose the Big Wheels, in spite of the fact that part of the plastic front wheel was cracked and flattened out.    

    “Are you sure you want to ride that, Elliot?” I asked, thinking that it would be uncomfortable for him to bump along the sidewalk for such a long distance. It didn’t seem to bother him though, and slowed him down enough so that I could keep my eye on him as I walked along behind. Nate zoomed ahead of us, but would glance back over his shoulder occasionally and was good at stopping whenever he heard the command to “Halt!”

     We arrived at the park without any problem. I rested on a bench while they played in the sandbox with toys and shovels someone had provided. It was a pleasant place for children, with plenty of shade trees and green grass. Ahhh! The lush green summer foliage of Michigan was a great contrast to the brown of California this time of year.

     On the way back from the park, we stopped for a minute in front of a tall, two story brick house with a huge forked tree in the front yard. Nate observed that the tree was dead, wondering what might have happened to it. Was it killed by disease or some kind of insect? A lightning strike?

     Closer observation showed that one fork of the tree was still alive, its branches covered with leaves. “It’s a mystery,” said little Nate, as he hopped back on his bike.

    “You’ll have to tell Grandpa about it.” I replied. “He knows a lot about trees.”  

    The next morning, Al and I drove by the mystery tree, which turned out to be a maple. He commented that two trees had grown together when they were very young. One of them was still vibrant and green, while the other probably died of natural causes.

     Hmmm, the living and the dead side by side. God has given us the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, His son. We have a choice—life with Him forever or death, being separated from Him for eternity. Which will it be?

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock and there is no wickedness in him.’ ” Psalm 92:12-15 NIV