The second tree in this series is the Giant Redwood or Sequioa – the largest tree in the world! (Not this one!) Apparently, they are an endangered species according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of nature) with fewer 80000 remaining in its native California.
So with 2 in our back garden, perhaps we are doing our part to save the planet!?
My husband planted the sequoia seeds nearly 20 years ago and now this tree is over 10 foot tall. Fortunately, he had the sense to plant these trees at the end of the garden in the hedgerow and as we have agricultural field behind us, no-one is going to be overshadowed.
One thing however is certain, providing nobody cuts it down, this tree will long outlive us. Theay live for over 500 years.
When I was a child, we used to visit Sherwood Forest and play in the “Major Oak” reportedly the tree that was around in Robin Hood’s day. There are also trees in Hatfield forest that are possibly around 1200 years old.
There are therefore trees that have been growing for many many years before us which will still be growing for centuries after we have left this earth.
We remember those men and women who have sown the seeds of faith generations before us, who have left a legacy firmly rooted in God’s Word.
And what legacy do we leave for generations to come?
One other thing about these great trees is that they don’t grow overnight, it takes time and patience. We may never see the fruits of the seeds we sow, but it is God who nurtures and feeds them.
Prayer: Creator God thank you for those who have gone before and may we continue that legacy for generations to come, firm in the knowledge that your love never ends. Amen