Cutting Trees

Years ago, when we were ready to move from our first house, we looked at many developments.
Searching for houses was usually something my husband and I did together.
I wanted to see a model house in a development that was yet to be built.
I went to see the model house by myself while my husband stayed home with our little girls.

I liked what I saw.
I liked the proposed neighborhood.
The house was in the school district that we wanted.
I left there thinking that this is the house for us.

Until I got home.
Our two little girls needed to be put to bed.
After baths and tucking them in for the night, I finally got to talk to my husband.
I showed him the proposed plans for the neighborhood.

I laid out the floor plans for the various houses.
I laid out the lot plans.
I liked one lot in particular since it was on a cul-de-sac.
I handed my husband all the information I received.

He looked it over without giving me any indication of what he thought.
Finally he said, This is not where we want to live.
I could not understand how he could make such a statement so quickly.
He could see that I looked disappointed.

Do you see this? He asked me pointing to something on the plans.
All I could see was a dotted line.
This is a gas pipeline, he said.
This pipeline would go right through the development, he said.

At that moment I wished that he was not an engineer.
Who else would have known that the dotted line on the plans designated a pipeline?
I don’t understand, I said confused.
This is part of the Texas Eastern Pipeline; they will always have to do maintenance on it.

The Texas Eastern Pipeline is a major natural gas pipeline which brings gas from the Gulf of Mexico coast in Texas and Louisiana up through Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to deliver gas to the New York City area. It is one of the largest pipeline systems in the United States.

That pipeline would be going through the lot I liked on the cul-de-sac.
We went back to searching for houses again.
We soon found a development that had a new section that was to be built.
We built a house, had the rest of our children there, and lived there for ten years.

All of this came to mind as I was driving over the past few weeks.
Periodically, sections of the pipeline need to be maintained just as my husband said.
There is always a disruption in the area as the work is being done.
The land is staked and power lines are clearly marked with brightly colored ribbons.

Equipment is brought in and the digging begins.
Every time I see that, I think how my husband was right.
All of this could have been right on our property.
I am glad that he had the knowledge and forethought to recognize a potential problem.

A section of the pipeline is being worked on along the route I take to go to church.
The drive to church is lovely.
I pass tree farms and farmland.
The bucolic setting is one I admit I take for granted at times.

As I was driving on the weekend, I saw it.
All along the road where a tree farm is located, healthy trees have been cut down.
The trees are just laying there on their side with a perfect cut through the trunk.
Beautiful trees that have been growing on the farm are now gone.

Evergreen trees a little further down are cut in the same way.
Trees on people’s property that happen to be in the path of the pipeline have been cut.
Miles of roadway have trees cut from their base and lying on their side.
It makes me terribly sad.

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:39-46)

After the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples left to go to the Mount of Olives.
This place, Gethsemane, was one that Jesus had been to before.
Gethsemane, which literally means olive press, was a grove of olive trees.
It was here that Jesus prayed to His Father; it was here that He wrestled with His will.

Here in this place of pressing the real victory was won.
Jesus could have gotten up at any time and walked away from the suffering to come.
Jesus wrestled so intensely that He suffered hematidrosis, or blood sweat.
Jesus laid down His will for the will of His Father.

The Romans were the ones that came up with the idea of crucifixion.
This barbaric form of torture was done over and over.
People who committed a capital offense were hung on the tree.
Christians in the early church were often crucified.

The Romans cut down tree after tree to satisfy their blood lust.
If they thought they could annihilate Christians by crucifying them, they were mistaken.
On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)
The trees were cut, yet the church of God continues to grow.

My heart hurts to see the trees cut at their base and laying on their sides.
However, during this Easter season it seems somewhat appropriate.
The trees are cut.
The Church of God will not be overcome.

Alleluia!