Shade and Shelter

Settlers on the Great Plains had a special appreciation for trees, planting and caring for them so generations to come might enjoy them and have the benefits of shelter from the wind and sun, fruits and nuts, and beauty through the changing seasons. With our tradition of tree-planting in Nebraska, today's meditation (May 23) in Forward Day by Day may be especially meaningful to us. 

The author is writing on Isaiah 4:2-6:  "[The canopy] will serve as a pavilion, a shade by day from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain." She writes about the canopies of trees and some of the reasons we should care for trees, suggesting that they have such importance for us that they should take precedence over some other things that more often than not get our attention and our resources:

As we move to include stewardship of the earth and its resources as a mission of the church, we must begin by listening to the voices of the trees and the whisper of the leaves, and not to the voices of the corporations whose only goal is to grow their wealth.

Read the entire meditation here ; follow links for May 23 if necessary. And say a prayer of thanksgiving for a favorite tree!