ORANGE TREES
I appreciate the orange trees that live in my backyard. They have many purposes, the obvious one is the fruit that they both yield twice a year. But they also provide shade for the backyard as well as block traffic noise from a busy 56st that sits on the other side of my next door neighbor’s house.
If a person enjoys the fragrance and isn’t allergic to the pollen, come Spring and Fall, when the orange blossoms sprout, it’s an orchestra for your sense of smell. It’s worth the sneezes even if you are allergic.
And then of course there’s nothing quite like pulling a ripe orange from tree, peeling it, and enjoying a slice that is a slice of heaven this side of it. Or squeeze or juice them for a drink works pretty good too.
Those trees aren’t new. They’ve lived in my backyard for going on fifteen years. I planted them myself. I watered, fertilized, braced, and cared for those trees while I was building our house. They started as not much more than twigs.
And while I appreciate all that those orange trees provide, there’s not a season that has gone by that I don’t think about their downfalls. When I bought those trees I paid extra to make sure I got seedless navels. But after planting, watering, and caring for those trees, when they finally did yield the hoped for treasures, they had seeds… I didn’t get what I was sold or promised.
A fella with a cynical world view that has been self employed for going on thirty years can tend to jump to conclusions and fly off the handle. Then I get mad…
I had to make a decision after a year or two after I planted the orange trees. Should I dig ’em up and take ’em back, or live with what I had and had nurtured. You already know the end of the story.
I think about myself, and all of us really; we all tend to be a bit like those orange trees. There was a time when we were young and full of promise. We sold the best version of ourselves. We didn’t show the people that are still in our lives the warts or the seeds. We hid the side of us that would have caused the prospective buyers to put us back on the shelf.
Some folks do put others back on the shelf… and they miss the beauty of caring for the less than perfect that describe all of us. I receive grace from God and loved ones… and try to pass it on… I think of that when I see or think about my old orange trees. Seeds and all, they belong to me.
Diane Ronzino
Sunday, April 14, 2019 @ 5:14 pm
Perfect analogy, Floyd.
Betty J Draper
Sunday, April 14, 2019 @ 9:30 pm
Owning ourselves, warts and all is a path to freedom. I like how Paul said it, I am what I am by the grace of God. We have an orange tree in our rented back yard and last year we juiced tons of them. We did not plant it but we are reaping the blessing from someone labor. And yep, ours has seeds too, just like all of us. Good one brother, good one.
Pam
Monday, April 15, 2019 @ 3:37 am
Beautiful analogy, Floyd. So glad Jesus loves us just the way we are. Also glad that Dick loves me warts (literally) and all! Ha ha!
Martha J Orlando
Monday, April 15, 2019 @ 4:56 am
“Seeds and all, they belong to me . . .”
Perfectly describes how God loves us as His own, no matter what our defects.
Blessings, Floyd!
Cheryl
Monday, April 15, 2019 @ 12:07 pm
Love this analogy, brother. And, those oranges look so delicious, seeds and all! God bless you.
Hazel Moon
Monday, April 15, 2019 @ 2:47 pm
Some friends of mine are having second thoughts about celebrating their one year anniversary, and instead are opting for a divorce. A wife, or a husband is a gift from God, and although there are problems when you marry into a family and especially with children in the home, it can be frustrating. It seems the wife had doubts from the first go. Like plucking up your orange tree and taking it back after it is giving you fruit. That happened to Bob and me, when we purchased 20 mandarin seedless trees. They were full of seeds and we were not too happy. Later we lost them all in a big freeze, so we dug them up. After all the living there is to do, and after viewing lives making quick and not thinking through their decisions, I don’t believe I want to marry again. The oranges would probably have seeds.
Dolly at Soulstops
Monday, April 15, 2019 @ 5:13 pm
Floyd,
A wise analogy. I am so grateful for God’s grace in knowing all and still loving me. Blessings to you and yours this Holy Week.
bill (cycleguy)
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 @ 8:02 am
Young and full or promise. Yeah that was me. I messed that up. So now I am old and enjoying the “fruit” of God’s promises in me. Great analogy Floyd. Wish I could eat oranges. maybe fresh ones or fresh squeezed I could. Just handle the store ones.
Dikkon Eberhart
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 @ 5:48 am
One of your best, Floyd! And…it’s so nice to see a photo of your tree because it provides a glimpse of your garden. One more step in happily getting to know you.
Lisa notes
Thursday, April 18, 2019 @ 6:54 pm
When I see orange trees in California and other places, I am always amazed. It’s definitely not a tree we grow around here. I’m thankful God makes such a variety of both plants AND people. There’s only one of each of us! Hope you and your family have a blessed Easter, Floyd.