January 23, 2022

The Lone Tree by Joylene M Bailey

 

Photo by jplenio of Pixabay

What will you do in the mundane days of faithfulness?
Martin Luther


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There is a tree on Highway 4 just north of Swift Current, Saskatchewan that locals call The Lone Tree. It was planted as part of a windbreak in the early 1900's by a bachelor Norwegian homesteader named Knut Mjolid. When it came time to sell the property, a gentleman's agreement was made between Knut and the new owners that if ever they were to take down the windbreak, they would leave at least one tree. That gentleman's agreement was honoured and thus, to this day we have The Lone Tree.

I think of that tree off and on, and wonder at its survival. Standing alone by a moderately quiet highway, unsheltered, braving bone-dry summers, or biting winter winds and everything in between, it has fulfilled its purpose for over 100 years. It has planted its roots deep and raises its limbs to the sky.

I'm told it is tradition to honk your horn when you drive past The Lone Tree. Other than those honks and the odd photographer wandering nearby, the tree spends most of its time being faithful to its calling, with no one watching but God.

~~~~~ 

Faithfulness is not doing something right once but doing something right over and over and over and over.
Joyce Meyer

~~~~~

These past two years have been hard. After the initial shock we thought, okay we can do this for a few weeks. But then the weeks turned into months, and the months turned into years, and the world got incomprehensibly chaotic.

People are weary. I see it in the irritable words spoken by customarily kind people. I see it in the inability to handle seemingly simple setbacks. I see it in panic, fearfulness, mistrust, and impatience. There is a palpable rising level of anxiety in the world generally. More and more prayer requests flood my inbox, making even the privilege of prayer heavy.

And what can I do? What can I do?

I think of The Lone Tree, doing nothing other than to be faithful to its calling.

It is not my job to heal every heart (or even one heart). It is not my job to fix the wrongs in the world. It is my job to be faithful. To carry on; to put one foot in front of the other; to look for opportunities to share love and kindness; to write one word after another after another; to sit in that chair in my study and do the work. 

And to remember that He is faithful. 

Always.

~~~~~  

photo by Hans of pixabay

~~~~~ 

Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's faithful love we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
Lamentations 3:21-23

~~~~~ 


Joy has driven by The Lone Tree on several occasions, when visiting relatives in the Swift Current area and when traveling to Briercrest Bible College (when it was still Briercrest Bible Institute). She writes from Edmonton, where she lives with her soon-to-be-retired Cowboy. Find her Joy-infused view of the world at Scraps of Joy.

17 comments:

  1. Joy, I so loved your post! Enjoyed hearing about The Lone Tree. What a splendid metaphor for faithfulness.

    How often I have asked the question just as you have done: What can I do? What can I do?

    I've come to see that simply being faithful to the work we have been given: being kind, staying compassionate, continuing to create what brings beauty and hope into this careening, tilting world of ours.

    So often, I whisper those words from Lamentations: His mercies are new every morning.

    Thank God for His great faithfulness to us. And thank you, Joy, for this inspiring post. xo

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    1. Thank you, Brenda. Yes, "continuing to create what brings beauty and hope into this careening, tilting world of ours." So very well said.

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    2. So true, Joy. We just keep on keeping on. We do get weary but we keep trudging onward. Let's lot give up hope like Elijah.

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  2. What a beautifully inspiring post, dear Joylene. I adore trees and have even shed tears when we lost special ones. In the 80's my husband and I attended an event at Briercrest with a friend. No doubt I would have noticed the lone tree and wondered about it. Though I don't remember. I do remember photographing wildflowers.

    Besides enjoying and obeying God, our job is to pray. We pray. He saves.

    Blessings for 2022 ~ Wendy Mac

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    1. Thank you, Wendy. I love trees too. Of late, I've found myself talking to them, like Anne of Green Gables did. They are wonderful friends and good reminders of faithfulness. :)

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  3. Joy, your post explores a facet of trees as metaphors for life. The "lone tree" phenomenon is peculiar to the prairies, so I discovered when I moved to Manitoba 20 years ago. We have them here too. The faithfulness of the lone tree speaks to my heart about remaining so, even when no one sees except God. Thanks for the reminder. (Stay tuned for tomorrow's post by yours truly, for more "tree wisdom")

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    1. Oh I'm looking forward to your post tomorrow, Valerie. Thank you for your comment.

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  4. Oh my word, Joy, you are a gifted storyteller. I always enjoy your messages. Wow, this is a heart hugging story. I am going to remember this post. There is a tree not far from where I live and I love it so much. Now I love it even more. Blessings to you and your family.

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    1. Thank you for this wonderful comment, Alan! Isn't it amazing what trees can teach us?

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    2. I identify with lone trees. It's how I feel about myself in this wicked world.

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  5. Joy!!! I love this post! The example of the lone tree is such a powerful one in these times. Also, this made me smile and think of my own upbringing. I am from arid southern Saskatchewan where trees do not grow unless planted. Outside of town, teens and young adults gathered at a 'party spot' known as 'the trees'. Yes, there were so few trees around that weren't in someone's yard that when you said, 'the trees' everyone knew exactly what you meant. Thanks for both the smile and the pondering after reading.

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    1. Thank you, Tracy. It doesn't surprise me in the least, that your party spot was known as 'the trees.' Only we prairie people can relate to something like that. :)

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    2. There used to be a lone tree behind Northtown Mall in Edmonton. Some teens gathered around it so the mall owners cut it down. I missed that tree. It looked and smelled wonderful.

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  6. What a beautiful metaphor of remaining faithful and "blooming where you're planted"! Thanks, Joy!

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  7. Hi Joy. I might have to try to find the Lone Tree on one of my trips to Swift Current. Thank you for the history. I love trees in general and coming from Ontario I miss them. I enjoyed what you had to share about faithfulness too. So true.

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  8. These months and years have been difficult for so many, and like you, I sense the weariness and worry in society. Your tree metaphor is such a good reminder that our rootedness in Christ helps us to thrive in spite of the vagaries we all experience.
    Thank you, Joy.

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  9. What a terrific post. It reminded me of a similar tree on highway 1 west of Winnipeg. Not long ago the highways department wanted to cut it down and they were met with resistance and decided to leave the tree alone. It obviously is also an inspiration to people. I love the way you clarify ‘your job.’ It can be overwhelming to take on burdens that do not belong to us. Many thanks.

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