Pastoral Ponderings—Rooted

We recently rented a trencher to dig a trench through our yard to take electric out to where we’re often “camping” by the pond, and where we’re putting a permanent pavilion out in that area. Since the yard is full of beautiful trees, we knew it would be full of roots, so rather than struggling with a simple shovel and pick, we rented this trencher that SHOULD have made the task easier.

I’ve seen these things being used—looks a lot like a giant chainsaw on a small tractor-like base for digging through the ground. Seeing how they worked, knowing the limited area of our trenches, and that it only had to be an 18” deep trench, I thought it would be a pretty easy 2 or 3 hours’ job. But it was an EXAUSTING, all day event, and with some of the roots and rocks the machine couldn’t get past, it’s still not done!

I wasn’t surprised at how MANY roots these trees have spread out even far from the tree trunk, but was surprised how even small roots, the diameter of pencils and nails, were giving that piece of heavy equipment such a hard time! Though each small root might have been easily cut through, even without heavy equipment, together, they form quite a durable source of rootedness that has helped these trees last through all the storms of life for almost 100 years. And other trees with great roots in other places make these trees look like babies. When we were visiting the Holy Land, it was common to see olive trees well over 1000 years old, some even old enough to have had Jesus walk in their shade!

So how rooted are you? It’s not just about having one great tap root, nor even the spread of the huge roots I was desperately trying to avoid on this project—it’s the abundance of tiny roots that both provide strength, and the source of sustenance for the trees. The same is also true for us.

It’s not just the handful of our most primary strengths, but the abundance of those Little Things that provides the strength and sustenance to make it through. Are you spreading your roots through all of life’s nooks and crannies, finding strength and sustenance from the abundance of bite-sized blessing God pours out on us each day? Staying deeply rooted in Jesus is certainly important—but it is in counting our small blessings and reflecting on our daily God Sightings that really bring our strength!

Stay rooted—Pastor Jim

Pastoral Ponderings- Houseplants

Have you ever heard your houseplants fussing at you, or begging for more water or fertilizer? I don’t recall ever hearing them, even when they’re dying of thirst (not that that happens TOO much…)—and I daresay that would be a memorable experience!

When we were in seminary, we had a lovely vining plant that we or I had had for several years—I think it was a philodendron. It seemed happy and healthy enough, hanging in the bright, sunny bathroom window. Then we left for the summer, and entrusted its care to a young neighbor. When we came back and went to pick it up—its growth had exploded, growing more in those three months than it had in the past three years, in the same kind of bathroom window facing the same sunny direction. It had grown so much, it was deeply entangled in the blinds in the girl’s bathroom.

Since we realized it obviously loved her more than us (though she said it was her heavy metal music tastes it responded so well to), and being so entangled, we just let her keep it! Though it grew so much better for her, we never heard a peep from the plant all the time we had it, saying it needed more this, that, or the other thing (or heavy metal music, for that matter).

Have you ever noticed that our lives of faith are in some ways like our houseplants? They bless us and others in their beauty, in their blossoms, often in their reproductive giving—anybody want any spider plant or aloe vera babies? Yet they—like our lives of faith—never fuss or complain, and are not vocal at all when we neglect them, even when they’re desperate for water or feeding. When we have eyes to see and pay attention, they show us signs of growth, as well as signs of need—and they usually respond joyfully to our care and attentions.

Have you been taking time to notice how you’re doing in your faith journey? Have you been intentional in the care and feeding of your relationship with God, or might it be quietly showing signs of needing care, like my aloe, or even desperation, like my Christmas cactus?

Your house plants and your faith can only be a blessing to you, to others, when you are intentional in caring for it, regular in watering it, and when you keep it bathed in the light of the Son. Keep on growing! –Pastor Jim