"A Promise Of A New Season..."

Our home here in St. Petersburg is on an avenue that is lined with Magnolia trees to proudly designate and identify the section of the city in which we reside, Magnolia Heights. The city planted two of these beautiful trees in the front of our home and both were thriving in the early part of this spring. But one day Judi and I both noted that the smaller of the two trees was losing all of its leaves, having been infested with a plague of grasshoppers that was consuming every morsel of green vegetation until not one single leaf remained on any of its branches. Even though I eradicated the infestation, we feared that it would never recover. What was once a beautiful thing of God's beauty, we were sure was gone forever. Then one day a few weeks ago I detected a couple of buds sprouting forth in a few places along its barren limbs, then more and more each and every following day until soon the buds began to transform into new leaves, and it has seemed almost over night that our little Magnolia tree was festooned with dozens and dozens of new leaves. It had stubbornly survived and is now even more a thing of beauty than before.

Tonight, as I was standing beside it contemplating all that I had heard and learned earlier today from the physician who will be performing my heart surgery, I noticed at almost the apex of the tree that soon to come flourishing forth shall be a magnificent Magnolia blossom. Our little tree has never previously put forth a single flower, but now it is only a few days away from proclaiming gloriously, "Look at me! I'm back and I'm better than ever!"

I am taking great comfort in that simple perceived message, for on August 4th I will undergo by-pass surgery on my heart and am fully expecting to lay claim to what my doctor has promised that when I fully recover in six to eight weeks I will "feel and act like a totally new man." I ain't dead yet. It is going to be a slow and initially painful process...but I've got roads still to travel that God shall direct me along His intended path. "Once lost, now I am found." God willing, our little Magnolia tree and I will welcome many a new blossom in years yet to dawn. I'm looking forward to it.