Thursday, November 30, 2006

Story: Acorns and Oak trees...

Acorns and Oak trees...

Creak, squeak...
Creak, squeak...

The rusty bench swing creaked and squeaked, as the silver haired couple sat together holding hands. There was a faint golden glow, on their faces, all over them in fact. The sun was setting after a warm autumn day.

"It's beautiful isn't it." stated the elderly patriarch.
"Yes, it is." replied his wife, partner, and friend of many years.

The wispy clouds were like bronze...and copper...and gold 'gashes' in the faint blue sky. The golden orb was sinking below the undulating ridge in the distance.
The old man looked down at his hand gently holding that of his spouse. He noticed again the lines, the almost translucent skin, and the liver spots - 'Signs of autumn', he thought.

"Do you think we've done enough?" he asked, squinting into the twilight.
"Look at what you have done. See that grove of oak trees?" she asked.
"Yup."
"When you planted that grove 40 years ago, were you planting acorns or oak trees?"
"Oak trees." came the reply.
"You had the vision to plant oak trees - not just acorns - to leave a legacy that would outlive you."

The man smiled as he looked at the the wooden rungs nailed to the the trunk of one of the bigger oaks. They led up into the boughs to the tree house which his son, his grandson and granddaughter had helped him build. Boy, had they had fun! It was the time he taught his grandson to shout "Hallelujah!", when he hit his finger with the hammer; and how, as the tears streamed down his face creating dark streaks on his dusty cheeks, he told his father that the pain was gone. 'My, how the time has flown.' he mused. He closed his eyes. He could almost hear all the grandchildren laugh and scream, as he chased them through the trees with the watering can. As he ran, he looked to the porch where he could see, with a lump in his throat and burning eyes, his son and daughter standing in the summer sun, with their arms on each others shoulders laughing at the "Old man" chasing their offspring. He felt so happy - and proud!

"Isn't it strange that these oak trees only produce acorns after 20 years? That's a generation!" the man thought aloud.
"Yes, it is the Lord's way of allowing the tree to be strong, and mature with deep roots, before it bears fruit."
"Mmmnn...both Gabriel and Michaela took acorns from those trees, to plant in their gardens. Do you know that those oaks are bearing acorns now, twenty years later?" he chuckled shaking his head.

His wife turned with a sparkle in her eyes, and looked at him lovingly, "You planted oak trees, so that your children could plant oak trees - that is the legacy that you have left for the generations to follow. You have shown your children and grandchildren your purpose and vision. You have brought your children up in the ways of the Lord, and they are raising theirs' the same way. They will continue to grow, and bear fruit because of the seeds you have planted, and by the deep roots of Christ you have nurtured."
"Mmmnnn...", he smiled.
His spouse turned again to face the sliver of sun slowly descending into the folds of night. They moved a little closer, and he rested his head on hers.
"Tomorrow I'm going to plant some oak trees." he said.
"Good idea, our great grandchildren will soon need some to plant in their gardens".

Creak, squeak...
Creak, squeak...


Matthew 13: 23
"And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

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