About Trees, Tierra and Trust

Last Saturday, we had our bonding time with some of our kids church volunteers. We did tree planting and then had our lunch and some games after. :) It was my first time to experience tree planting somewhere in the mountain haha!

We have people from the government who went with us (they are from the DENR- Department of Environment and Natural Resuorces) and they are the ones who guided us all throughout. I had a short conversation with one of them and I think he's been working in the DENR for a very long time and told us some stuff about trees. :)

He told us that you can't just plant trees every where since there are different types of trees. Well I know that there are trees that can only grow in a tropical country, and there are trees that can flourish in countries that have four seasons. He didn't told us that but what he said is more of like a "tree's behavior" and its different functions.

Image from www.typesofeverything.com

Say there are trees that suck up more water than the usual, then there are trees that gives out water. There are trees that are fit to be planted in the mountains for their roots are perfect in supporting or holding the soil together. There are trees that are good to be planted in urban areas but there are trees that are dangerous to be planted in there. Example is the Acacia tree. It is kind of dangerous because on the outside it may look sturdy, but on the inside it can be hallow. Sooo... there's a big chance that it can be uprooted or be cut down by itself. He also mentioned that if the place is endemic with birds, then Mahogany trees are not the best trees to be planted there. He told us that the Mahogany trees tastes bitter to the birds so they don't opt to live there (Ooooooohhh.. (: )

Then I got this "God moment" while I was planting the tree seedlings that I have. God puts us (or plants us) in a place where He knows we will bloom. He created us, and so it is just right that He perfectly knows us... Our behavior, weaknesses and strengths. Or He can put us in a place where He knows our hidden skills or talents can surface. Sure there can be times when we doubt God's ways, we think in ourselves if this place where He is leading us is a place where we can bloom. But then He is God, and He knows waaaaay more than what we know. If we surrender our lives to Him and trust on His leading, then wherever He plants us, that will be a place where we can bloom. :)

"Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
    Nor stands in the path of sinners,
    Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper." -Psalm 1:1-3

The Clingy Ruth

I've been recently reading the book of Ruth. Several times I've read this whole book in the Bible (it's only 4 chapters short), and it's always an inspiring story of hope, redemption and love.

While reading this book, these verses somewhat struck me again,

"But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”  -Ruth 1:16-17

This was the time when Naomi decided to go back to her hometown in Israel after her husband and years later, her two sons died. Her sons were married to Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Orpah stayed in Moab but Ruth clung to her and said this strong declaration that she will not leave Naomi... ever. (She's one very clingy daughter-in-law!)

Illustration from distantshores.com

The story of Ruth is also known in the realm of love-- the Boaz and Ruth couple. From them came the lineage of David and so of Jesus. But this will not came to be have not Ruth stayed with Naomi from the start of the story. It's very obvious that Ruth loved her mother-in-law so much that she's very willing to leave everything behind just to be with her, wherever she goes--may it be in her hometown or anywhere else I believe.

In this time of the year, we always have a series of preaching in our church that is focused in world missions. I somewhat had it connected, the statement of Ruth to Naomi, in world missions.

I've been to short mission trips before, and they were really life-changing and fulfilling. Whenever I am asked if I'm going to go someday for long-term missions, I usually say I don't know or I am open with the idea. I sometimes think that I can just marry a missionary so to be in a long-term missions haha! But yeah, that was just a crazy idea that crosses my mind sometimes about going long-term. :)

But the real question is... Can I say and do what Ruth did? Say when the time comes, will I be able to say and do it like she did? Going where God told me to go? In this I was reminded of these verses that I believe God had given to me during our annual prayer and fasting by the start of this year...

"From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live. God did this so that people would seek him. Then perhaps they would reach out for him and find him. They would find him even though he is not far from any of us." -Acts 17:26-27 (NIRV)

So wherever God will be placing me (or you my dear reader (: ), it is something that is already been planned even before we became humans. And when He calls, He gives grace. :) It is just a matter of seeking God for His will for our lives and trusting Him as we obey. :)