Recently we were traveling through a southern historic town a bit tired from the days activities. The sites were interesting to me with homes that spoke of years gone by. Landscape of old and new tress and foliage that spoke words I could understand clearly from having viewed these over the years. “Enjoy the green lush views for soon I will be yellow, orange and brown while falling to the ground.”
“Behold, my beauty”, spoke the undressed tree that had no foliage to offer me now or leaves that even had a potential of falling to the grown while causing minds to ignite with words of wonder as Autumn seems about to approach.
“Yes, I replied”, while asking my husband to pull off the road and pause for me to take a photo of this tree standing tall and stately in my mind and view.
I don’t know the history or future of this tree that caught my attention. I know it’s standing and nodded for me to acknowledge it.
I pondered over the night in my waking moments. “Acknowledge me…” I begin to recall words that have great healing components when we move into the action of “Acknowledge”. WOW! Let us “Acknowledge” together;
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
—Psalm 100:3 (NLT)
Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. ..” Exodus 14:13
thedailylily.com 
Sara, as I read this and looked at the picture, I thought how you have given us some valuable lessons. Even though you were tired and probably wanting to reach your destination, you were observant of your surroundings and took the time to stop and behold when the tree “asked” you to. And you knew there was a reason and purpose behind it. And then you have shared it.
Wanting to make sure I understood something of the definition of acknowledge, I found this one meaning: “accept or admit the existence or truth of; recognize the fact or importance or quality of”. Since the tree “told you” to ““Behold, my beauty”, it knew it had beauty and value in its present state.
Maybe its wood is valuable. Or its branches and trunk for birds, other creatures and insects for their life cycle and survival. Or maybe the roots are nurturing the hidden, underground eco system. Perhaps it is signaling that there is a problem in the area that needs attending to or correcting. So many things to wonder about its story…
It surely does serve as an illustration and example for your two scriptures. It looks like it has been through a battle, but I love what you wrote, “this tree standing tall and stately”. What an encouragement.
Response by YM, artist from Chevy Chase Md
Love Standing …
All plants, as living things in this world, are created with Love and they bond with us through all the ways they share this special Love. Among all the plants, the Trees – from the delicate Japanese Maple to the mighty Redwoods, are the ones that speak to me and I speak back to them – as such, we “acknowledge ” each other with the understanding that we all are blessed by the same Creator🙏🏼. The painting/collage I gave you was inspired by the “Silver Trees” I saw in Seattle — these trees endured a forest fire and still stood erect wearing a silvery coat that gave me such an overwhelming feeling of spiritual strength, sensing that we are all Survivors, protected and loved. Forest Bathing is special to all of us who have bonded with Trees! ❤️
I love reading what YM wrote, and the understanding and explanation of how this artist and trees acknowledge each other and bond. To me, how she writes displays a deep and reverent appreciation of the Creator and His creation. Beautiful!
Another response came from a lovely, deed maker, compassion lady….” What a beautiful lesson💚 I hope that tree knows you gave it a purpose today with reminding us to acknowledge… and allowing many to view it’s beauty…🌳”
Her response got me thinking what lesson might I learn and apply from “The Standing Tree.”? “What a beautiful lesson💚 I hope that tree knows you gave it a purpose today with reminding us to acknowledge… and allowing many to view it’s beauty…🌳
Then I remember the question Jesus asked us; what lesson was He teaching, a tree?
Jesus] said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
—Luke 13:18-19 (NRSV)
Debi, yes, her writings are a mini snapshot of the life of compassion, mercy and love for ALL of God’s children and His creation that she has. I have known this love for many years!
Her art as she mentioned above of the, “Silver Trees” I saw in Seattle — these trees endured a forest fire and still stood erect wearing a silvery coat that gave me such an overwhelming feeling of spiritual strength, sensing that we are all Survivors, protected and loved.”
This sounds like one of the lessons to be learned for some of us as mentioned by the last writer… “What a beautiful lesson💚 I hope that tree knows you gave it a purpose today with reminding us to acknowledge… and allowing many to view it’s beauty…🌳
Yes, Acknowledge…. Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
—Psalm 100:3 (NLT)
I appreciate reading the insightful response from the “lovely, deed maker, compassion lady” writer above as well! As she pointed out, “I hope that tree knows you gave it a purpose today“…
Maybe that tree is happy, rejoicing and clapping its hands (Isaiah 55:12) from the acknowledgements and “beautiful lesson(s)’”.
As I looked at the beautiful picture above, the tree seems to stand alone, yet stands out? It is different then it’s surroundings? I was reminded that we have talked about shining our lights for Christ, here on thedailylily. Sometimes in life, we may feel/be like this tree?….different, standing alone, but our light for Christ will always light the way toward Him. 🙏🙏🙏🌳💡✝️
Tammy, your heartfelt feelings you have graciously shared connects a vast amount of Kindom dwellers without knowing just how strong their “stand alone” is! Stories reveal the heart in many ways. There was a prophet named Elijah. Recorded in I Kings 18:22 that ask the question, “am I the only one left standing? He was referring to God’s Kingdom!
Later in time Jesus told another story about a small seed producing a tree! A stand alone tree!
“Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.””
Matthew 13:31-32 NLT
So often we (or I should say I/me) miss “The Kingdom of Heaven” because we fail to understand the teachings of Jesus. He used, trees, seeds, weeds, yeast, pearls, water, wind, birds and much more. I might have mind fog, blocks, sluggish, doubts and fears. Why? Because if it’s not written in the church bulletin while I read sitting on a church pew it might come under Jesus being a suspect. Hum! Seems like he stood alone all too often!
Yet, by faith we are root connected and the crowing of a tree as he wore a crown of thorns yet He is Priest, Prophet and King!
As one commented, lessons to learn in out tree story! I took her as I do all our comments to heart as I believe Jesus, was/is a great teacher and I need to search out understanding of the many natural resources used to tell our kingdom story.
Would that be why I pray, Jesus, your Kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven???
Recently the news has driven me to look outside my devices of hearing about a few men and women that often my mind wants to think will determine our destiny
It has caused me to find a tree, a mountain or maybe a rose and listen for a gentle whisper. It’s there if we just still the noise to hear the whisper. Wonder how many trees were in that mountain? Or, we’re there any trees? Was it a fire like the fire burning now in Canada and send smoke my way on appt wind ays?
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
—1 Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, “…
Sara, I think your account of Elijah here takes us full circle back to the story of the day the tree spoke to you. I looked at the picture again. I did not see an indication that the wind was blowing hard, that there was or had been an earthquake or a fire was burning. It looked like a calm sunny day when the whisper came: “Behold, my beauty”, spoke the undressed tree”.
It must have been the Lord’s whisper to you. It didn’t sound from your story above that it was loud or that others heard it. But, because you heard and responded, we have benefitted from the lessons and teachings of Jesus here on the blog.
Yes Debi, I Believe, “Behold the beauty of the Lord.”
“One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4
🙏🙏🙏✝️
“One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4
As I read and thought about this verse that Sara posted, one of my favorite hymns started to play within/come to mind, “Be Thou My Vision”. Some of the words seem to echo what is written in Psalm 27:4 as the author of the hymn expresses desire for the Lord, light from the Lord (as Tammy mentioned, being a light for Christ above), wisdom from the Lord, and to be able to see/behold with the ‘vision’ that comes from the Lord.
“1. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
2. Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word…”
We sang this Hymn in church this past Sunday Debi. Thanks for sharing here.🙏
That’s what some of us refer to as a God Wink. Just so encouraging God is with us! His people! Beautiful! And, most beautiful that both Debi and Tammy shared!