We have a massive River Birch tree in our front yard. It is gorgeous, provides much needed shade, and has been home to many precious families of birds over the years. Unfortunately, it grows so rapidly and wildly that it is taking over our yard and our home. It was planted too close to our home by the builders when they built our home 15 years ago. It has grown so quickly that it is taller than our two story home and almost half as wide as our home and attached garage.

We love that old tree. It is majestic and beautiful. Our children don’t want us to do anything about the tree. They want us to leave it right where it is and let it be. I understand their reasoning and love for the tree, but we can’t just let it continue to grow wildly. It is growing dangerously towards our roof, porch, and putting the safety of our home and family in jeopardy.

I feel like we’ve waiting too long to do anything about it overtaking our yard and home. Short of paying an astronomical amount of money to have it removed by a tree company, I’m not sure what to do. I guess the only thing we can do for now is try our best to keep its branches pruned away from the roof and keep the roots from reaching our porch, guiding its growth to a better direction. By doing this we keep our home and family safe as well as hopefully protect the life of our beloved tree.

It’s sad to see the lengths we have to go to in order to keep our River Birch. Our children detest the pruning process, but we gently remind them we’d rather see limbs lying on the ground and some missing branches on the tree trunk than experience damage to our home or family by the recklessly growing tree.

I’m so thankful God prunes us in that same way. As we try to wind and grow wildly, sometimes outside of His will, He gently and sometimes not-so-gently, prunes, cuts, and trims those areas of our life that are detrimental to ourselves and others. The pruning process isn’t pleasant to do or go through at the time, but in the long run it is what is best for everyone. If He didn’t prune us, how overrun, overwhelmed, and lost would we be?

Thank you, Father, for caring enough to take the time to prune our untamed branches. Thank you for guiding us into a safer direction for our spiritual growth and the benefit of others. May we always be willing to be pruned by our Creator so that we can grow farther away from darkness and closer to Him.

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2

“For before the harvest, as soon as the bud blossoms And the flower becomes a ripening grape, Then He will cut off the sprigs with pruning knives And remove and cut away the spreading branches.” Isaiah 18:5

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Hebrews 12:5-6