The Parable of the Citrus Trees . . . . or Just More of My Ramblings

I sometimes wonder if everyone have posts saved in their drafts like I do.  Sometimes I just have thoughts that I would like to share and they just never come together in a cohesive manner that would make sense to anyone else, but it was good for me, so that is good enough.

Today I just had to go outside and enjoy the fresh air and create a feeling of accomplishment in the middle of so much chaos.

I attacked our citrus trees.  No it isn't the right time of year, but I have some very thick bushes filled with curled, anemic looking leaves.  No air or sunlight can even think about getting through the jungle that is each of my trees.  This is a horrible job on citrus, especially the lemon tree.  Remember that old folk song?  It wasn't exaggerating a bit.

I usually start at one side, trim anything that it aiming down to the ground.  Fruit laying on the ground will often just lay there and rot, kind of like some people.  As I work my way into the green darkness, I search and identify the offending appendages that choking the life out of the tree and starving my fruit.  A nip here, a snip there.  Finally, I find the real villain in this attempted assassination of my poor little fruit bearers.  SUCKERS!  Hiding and lurking in the shadows of branches trying to contribute to the well being of me and mine.

These insidious tyrants are not the cute little offshoots that grow near the base of the trunks in the light.  Oh no, these legless reptiles bury themselves deep in the healthy growth and slither up through the middle.  Drawing the life out of the host plant, strangling the nutrients from the healthy growth.  Crowding out the healthy trunk that, at least up to this point, has been life giving.

So after shedding a bit of blood, mainly drawn by the "Lovely Lemon Tree",  my cute little "orchard" has sprung.  A lot of baby fruit is laying on the ground, lost for this year, but sacrificed for the good of the generations to come.

Of course it has made me think a lot about life.  How often we must bend to a loving Heavenly Father's will.  Why does it seem to be "His " will.  I made the covenants in the waters of baptism.  I made more covenants when I received my endowments in the temple.  I look at my good husband and re-covenant with him in my heart over and over.  Why do I feel like I must bend to His will.  Why isn't it my will by now?

I have been remembering the years of being guided, nurtured and loved by my parents, you know the ones when "they just didn't understand" or the were just being so unreasonable.  How often I felt like they were trying to force me into their mold.    Some memories of shame that I acted like these unruly, rebellious trees.  Determined to do what I wanted.  Sure that I knew what was best for myself.   Not always looking ahead as we are taught.  I am thankful for parents who did finally let me sink or swim, according to the consequences of my own choices.  I found out that I could swim after all.

As for the trees, they don't get the chance. They must grow to my will.  Now the responsibility is mine to continue to guide them to their source of good health and strength  that will hold up to the storms of life that they can not be protected from.

We on the other hand, have so many chances.  We can repent of our mistakes.  Hopefully, a little wiser each time we have to get back up.

A good day for Jon.  I told him not to worry, I just tweaked the trees a little.  Wonder how he will sleep tonight!?!?!?