The little tree that could

Yes, one more story about the tree.

I can't help but tell you this.

Sometime around Christmas time, it was cold outside - freezing - which is unsually around here. Most of the time it's the beginning of February before the cold weather sets in.

But at any rate, it was supposed to freeze that night, and I was worried my tree wouldn't make it in the cold. Sheesh, I love that tree too much.

So I lugged it inside. Sliding it across the floor, because I was sure I would end up with a hernia if I even tried to pick it up on my own. I set in next to our fake fireplace and stuck a towel underneath to keep the floor from getting wet. But the most important thing, I forgot to do.

So I went to bed and when I woke up, I meandered down the hall. I rubbed my eyes and as my sight adjusted, my eyes rested on one big old Murphy (our cat) chewing the tiny (less than  pinky size) bark of the tree. While I was busy protecting it from the cold, it never occurred to me that the real danger was in our house. I swatted her away and knelt down beside it to carefully examine it.

It didn't look so good. I could see her teeth marks had nearly cut through it, but it was still holding on.

Thank goodness.

I brought it back outside and hoped for the best. That's all you can do anyway.

A few weeks later, as we were sleeping one night, some bad weather hit. The wind blew like crazy, tipping my potted plants over and sending my neighbor's Mardi Gras decorations onto my porch. The next morning, as I bent down to scoop up her wreath, my eyes caught my little tree bent in half. I knew it  would happen at some point. Not to be a half empty glass person. But it was the reality of it. Who can grow an orchid tree in a pot anyway. Especially one that was half-eaten by a cat.

So as bummed as I was about it, I remembered the seeds Bob had given me and decided in the Springtime I would try to plant a new tree.

For weeks I ignored my pitiful little broken tree stump. At some point, I even considered using the pot for something else while I waited to plant a new tree.

But, while I had so easliy given up on the tree, God had not.

He must have known what the tree really meant to me.

Because one day as I carried groceries up the stairs to our porch, I saw something I did not expect at all.

It was so unreal I dropped my groceries down to get a closer look.

And this is what I saw.

The tiniest hint of hope.

Just when I had moved on from, God had started his new plan for the tree, one that I didn't think was possible.

And the stump that was surely a goner, became a thriving tree again.

And that's fine by me, because I look forward to the Spring time days when this tree will bloom flowers like this: