As I sit here by the window sipping a cup of herbal tea and contemplating my future, my eyes are drawn to the cool beauty of the large plum tree that dominates our backyard. The branches, which are covered with a multitude of fragrant white blooms, sway playfully in the breeze. I smile, hoping that the appearance of so many flowers on the tree is a sign that there will be plenty of sweet juicy plums this year. Each time the breeze touches the branches, flower petals are released and they drift lazily to the ground. Something in the scene so moves me that I feel compelled to put down my cup and rush outside to stand beneath the tree.
As I stand there with face uplifted and arms raised to the heavens my senses seem so vibrantly alive, and I breathe in the fragrant Spring air, which is filled with the sound of birds singing in the trees all around. The gentle breeze caresses my skin and I am enveloped in a cloud of flower petals, which like a shimmering shower of white pearls, drift slowly to the ground. Suddenly my heart is filled with incredible joy, and I am so thankful to be alive at this time and in this place, so thankful that I am a much loved, much blessed child of God. As tears flow down my cheeks the words written at James 1:17 come to mind: "Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the celestial lights..."

As I stood there basking in the warmth of God's love, it occurred to me that my Heavenly Father is like a mighty tree whose presence dominates all else. I thought about how His many attributes, such of love, joy, peace, mercy, patience, kindness, graciousness, gentleness, forgiveness, comfort, healing, loyalty, justice, and strength, to name a few, are like branches extending out into the heavens. It came to me that the flowers on each branch are like blessings, or "good gifts" from above. The Tree watches over us, and at the times in our lives when the breezes of change rustle the branches, Good determines the type of blessing that we need. And like a shimmering shower of white pearls, His "good gifts" and "perfect presents" abundantly flow down from the heavens to enrich the lives of each one of us.

It also occurred to me that there are periods when trials and tribulations rage through our lives like a fierce winter storm, disturbing our peace and creating havoc in our spirit. At times like these our problems may cause us to question our faith and doubt whether God loves us or even hears our prayers for help. We may even come to feel that we are being tried, but as James 1:13 brings out, "When under trial, let no one say, "I am being tried by God. For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone."

Instead, we should view our tribulations in a far different light. God loves us and He not only hears, He also answers our prayers. But we cannot come to him with doubt in our hearts. We must BELIEVE that the Tree exists and that it is there for us in our times of distress. God allows tribulations to enter our lives not as punishment but to teach us lessons, and to refine our faith. We must BELIEVE that whenever and wherever and however we need the Tree, the Tree will lovingly spread its branches over us. Once we have endured our tribulations and the lessons have been learned by means of our faith, the fierce storm clouds of adversity will gradually subside. And as the darkness in our lives and in our hearts gives way to the glorious light, the Tree causes it's branches to rustle, and we are abundantly showered with blessings, flowing down from the heavens like soft shimmering pearls.

And all of this came to me on a beautiful Spring day as I stood beneath the Tree.

--Sally Y. Ross, March 1, 2001