Strange Trees

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treeI saw a tree today.  It was such an odd looking tree, yet looking at it, I learned a little lesson.

As I drove toward this strange tree, it looked like it was split in half.  Looking closer I saw it was near an electric line.

It looked like someone had been trimming back this tree for years.  The trunk and main part of the tree was on one side of power lines and another big section of the branches was on the other side, under the power lines and fanning out over the road.

No part of the tree was touching the lines, it looked like everything was all under control.

As I  looked close though,  I saw a little more than what met the eye at first glance.  The tree seemed to be struggling.  It didn’t have many leaves on it. It looked brown compared to the other trees in the area.  With a second look, it looked like the many trimmings it had to go through to avoid the power lines had begun to take its toil on the large tree.  It had tried to move out and spread it self parallel to the road, rather then being able to fill in the area in the center near the power lines.  It had spread its’ self too thin.  And now it looked like it was dying.

At first glance it looked like everything was under control, yet it was spread too thin and becoming useless.

How many times do I spread myself too thin and become useless to those around me? 

How many times does it look like everything is under control in my life, I’m no where near the power lines, yet I am spread to thin?

Too often.

Too often.  I spread myself between too many things.  I get too many irons in the fire.  I have myself too many ‘yes’ on my calendar.  Too many ‘yes’s’ on my to-do list. 

I think I’m doing better.  Better than how I used to be,  I’ve said ‘no’ more than ever.

Yet here I am not getting this balance thing right again.  Here it is, me living the very thing I’m writing about.  These past few weeks I feel like I have been spread too thin.  I have things I want to be involved in, things I want to do, still other things I have been called to do.  I have been taking a inventory, taking a self-examination time.  Taking a ‘listen to Jesus’ voice’ time.

And fighting.

I’ve been fighting some thoughts,  I’ve been fighting the fact that my tree is being split in two, fighting the fact that I am getting spread too thin.

And fighting what the Spirit has been telling me to do.

See here; I am the kind of gal that when she says she’s going to do something, I finish it.  So here is one of the things I’m fighting with.  I told myself, and you, that I was going to be posting twice a week, and also getting a Ebook out to you this year. 

That was right for then, yet things have changed.  I can’t always see what God has in store for me.  I can’t always see what assignments He has for my future.  That is the case now.  At the beginning of March, He led me to start a Bible Study website— www.GirlsInGodsWord.com.  At the end of March, found us planning a Women’s Conference.

Both these things are taking time.  The third study is starting in three weeks and another conference is being planned for October.

I didn’t see this coming.  This wasn’t what I had planned for my writing career.  This wasn’t on my agenda. YET it is on God’s.

So rather than to continue this crazy spreading myself too thin, I’ve been really praying about what to set aside.

Sniff, sniff, my goal of two posts a week on Learning Little Lessons is what He keeps telling me to give up.

Did I mention I’m fighting this?  Did I mention I am the kind of gal that wants to do what she says she’s gonna do, no matter the cost??  Have I ever told you I love to write? 

Sigh.  Anyways, I am letting go of my two post a week goal.  I have a writing class I feel called to invest time in, the Bible Study Website, the October Women’s Conference planning. . . and people.  I want to have time to invest in people.  ((Besides by summer and having homeschool prep and extremely fun and amazing memories to make!!!)))

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Do you feel yourself getting spread too thin? 

Do you find the stress rising and the realize you have too much on your plate? 

Is your tree ever unhealthy because your branches are reaching out too far?

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We have to be sure our ‘tree’ is healthy.  We need to be sure we are not being spread too thin. Our roots need to be well grounded, our branches close to the trunk and well attached,  so they can receive as much nourishment as possible, from being ‘tapped’ into the trunk.

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So I’m off to do some tree care — I’m off to TAP into God — I’m off to evaluate my tree and see what needs pruned out of my life — I’m off to grow thick branches and green leaves in the spots where He wants me — All with His help!

I don’t know what this will look like, yet for now friends, you will see me as He wants me to post here, rather than what ‘MY’ schedule wanted me to post. 🙂

*(I started this post weeks and weeks ago, and now here it is– back to teach me a lesson lol)

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