the murder.

Today I woke up to the sorry state of my street. The council had to unfortunately chop down many trees that lined our sweet entrance street. There were about ten in total. Inside the trees lived fruit bats- about twenty. And countless birds that would wake me up with singing or squealing. Tonight I found a lonely locust on my outside wall, I imagined that he lost his home too. The trees held a magical suspicion about them, they gave us shelter when walking the extreme summer heat, they covered your car when the hail storm hit with golf ball pellets. They kept the traffic from entering my bedroom. They kept me safe, gave me shelter and they were part of my home. They were so much more than that. Sometimes I would imagine how magical it would be if our street got together and closed the road- put up fairy lights and had a big dinner on a huge long table that was covered with food, red and white gingham table cloths and with everyone finding our home with one another, the connectedness that meets us at our doorsteps- yet we miss every day. The trees made 'our' street what it was and is no longer. It separated us from the rest of the community in a good way, we are the entrance into the busy suburb and the trees would always be there when you drove to work, and there again they would be welcoming you home to your family. They made the best parts of the day even greater. I am blessed enough to still have a beautiful tree outside my window, but I notice the difference when I walk outside. I see the locust and cricket missing a home. I wonder where the bats have gone. I wonder where the leaf spiders will hide to? I am listening to a song from Jason Upton called "chop down the tree". It seems pretty applicable right now. When I talked with the men chopping down the trees they told me the reasons why. It was not for pain sake, but because the trees had in their majestic beauty to power to damage our homes and our drains. They plan to plant new trees that will not have roots to destruct the road. It is a shame, however in this song I find a little rest in knowing that death is just another stage of life. Painful, but truthful.

How great are Gods sights

Mighty are his wonders

His kingdom has no end

Through all generations

Tree so tall

It was visible to all

Fruits of abundance

The bats and beasts lived under them

And a holy one said, Yes a holy one said

A holy one said

A holy one said

Chop down the tree

Strip off and scatter all the fruit

Let the birds and the beasts leave

For I am God

No kingdom comes above me

Yahweh

For as the rain comes down, from the skies

From the snows that come from the heaven above

They do not return there

But they water this earth, they water the earth

And they make it bring forth from them buds and the grass that grows

So shall my word that goes forth from my mouth, for it shall not return to me void

Just as the rain, just as the snow cleanses this earth- so does the word of God

It will cleanse us and keep us from sin

It revives us, it strengthens us, it saves us

Let the rain come down, let the snow come down, let it water the earth

Cleanse us. Revive us. Strengthen us. save us.

This is the truth, this is the truth that sets us free, that sets us free.

Truth. This is the truth.