The Queen of the Backyard

I live in a sweet older rental house in the center of my little town. My two favorite things about my house are its extra-large bathtub and the adorable fenced-in backyard with its massive tree. On my no-make-up-Monday’s-off, you’re most likely to find me in one of those two places.

Sure the tree has its disadvantages. Like all the leaves in the fall, and all the helicopters in the spring. It houses some insane squirrels who like to chatter-yell in their weird squirrel language at my cat every time she steps out in the backyard. Last winter some of its ice-coated branches pulled down some wires, and most recently, its giant roots got blamed for plumbing problems.

But other than that, it is the queen of the backyard. And I give her the respect due her--short of curtsying.  Its massive trunk split in three is the anchor of the yard. Its large branches spreading shade over most of the backyard makes sitting outside possible on even the hottest days.  

Last week, a group of sweaty men came to trim her, waking me up in the early morning with their truck-and-tools sounds. As I left for work, I was a little nervous leaving her in their hands but knew it was the right thing to do.  (Besides the fact that it’s not really my decision but my landlord’s decision : )  A section of her thick branches had died and was weighing her backside down. And the tree had grown so big that with every storm, branches fell not only all over my yard, but also in my neighbor’s yard.  But even knowing that, I said goodbye to her as if she was about to pass on her scepter and crown, and step down from her throne.

When I came home later that night, I was a little sad to see how trim and bare she was.  Limbless here, thinner there, constrained as if in a straight jacket. No more wild abandon! 

But then I lay down in my lounge chair on the back deck and looked up, totally surprised by the view.  I could see the twilight-sky and even a few stars of the summer sky.  I had never been able to see them before from that vantage point.  My own little slice of the heavens.  How awesome!

John 15 has always been one of my favorite passages, which is weird since I have no gardening, vineyard, or pruning experience at all!  But its imagery still speaks to me. In this passage, Jesus says,  I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 

 As I stared up at the leaner tree, I thought of the pruning process and its outcome. And I decided right then and there that I wanted the Lord to trim me. Sure, it may not be pretty, but it’s not all about me, and it’s not all about being pretty, is it?  It’s not about me being the queen (or princess) of my own little backyard of the world.  It’s not about me taking over and plunging my roots deep and far –to suck all of life’s goodness. Just so that I can keep pushing up and out. 

On good days I realize this. So on this good day, I realize and want and pray this prayer —God, not that you need my permission or blessing, but please cut off my dead and damaging and disturbing branches. Keep me from greed, pride, gluttony. Save me from my own big ego. Prune me so that I may continue to bear fruit, and even more fruit.  But also trim me, so that in other’s eyes, I may decrease and you may increase. Help me get out of the way so that others can see past my ridiculous self-imposed self-importance, and see instead your other-worldly, glorious, splendor and majesty, like the star-sprinkled galaxy above.