Feeling Defeated!?

A couple weeks ago the wind took half of our tree in the front yard. Our plan has been to replace it this week. It was a good plan. We have been told that this is a great time of year to plant trees. While I was in Australia Kathi went to Al's and bought a Sun Valley Maple. We wanted something with good color in the Fall and nice shade in the Spring and Summer. This tree should do nicely.

The key to any tree is getting it in the ground. The problem I have right now is the stump from the old tree that is in the way of the new tree. I had a plan. A good plan. The plan was to dig around the old tree, uncover the roots, and cut them. With that done the stump should easily come out... right? Wrong. This is one stubborn tree.

After a few hours of digging, scraping, cutting, pushing, praying, pulling, twisting, cussing, shoving, spraying, asking the tree nicely to cooperate, more cutting, more digging... the stump is still there. Darn tree. I just want our new one in so it can start planting its roots. I don't think the tree knows that I am going to win... I must win. Tomorrow we will be contacting a tree service and get some prices on having the stump ground out. That'll show that tree.

Speaking of roots...

As Christians should have roots that are this stubborn. Roots so ground in the Word that when situations, temptations, trials, and tests come along we are so firmly grounded we do not fall.

The first Psalm paints a beautiful picture of this:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand
in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates
day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in
season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the
assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the
wicked will perish.
(emphasis mine)

This is my goal with my morning schedule. As much as I don't like mornings I know that being in the Word first thing is important for the day. It gives me that needed reminder of what is truly important for the day ahead. It also provides food for thought that I can think about and meditate on as I move along throughout the day.

I long to be solidly grounded. I long for a root system that helps to keep me from falling into old patterns and temptations. This I pray.