Bible – A Writer's Daughter

Look Up

October was a stellar month for local sky watchers. There was a rare display of the Northern Lights this far south, a comet streaked across the sky, and October’s Hunter’s moon was a super moon! A super moon is when the moon orbits closer to the earth making it look bigger and brighter. The super moon’s proximity also affects ocean tides. The celestial shows delighted amateur astronomers and the general public alike, lighting up our screens with news clips and photos. Sky scenes look spectacular over ocean vistas!

The firmament draws us upward. It lifts us from the confines of earthly perspectives. The skies give evidence of God’s creation, power, and beauty. Its vastness and hint of infinity may be one of the closest approximations of God’s greatness and is unique in its access to mankind. Not every human will lay eyes on the ocean or the mountains, a desert or endless plain, but the glories of the sky are visible to the seeing from every vantage point on earth. Day and night, the heavens speak of the Divine, drawing our minds and hearts to God the Creator.

Here is the October super moon, as photographed by my friend Mark Gottlieb. While not an ocean view, this beautiful shot of our Nation’s Capital seemed perfect for today.

It is not surprising that Scripture contains many references to celestial objects and skyscapes. God promised Abraham that his descendants would outnumber the stars he could see, and there must have been thousands in Abraham’s ancient, unpolluted night vista. David, a shepherd who spent countless days and nights in open fields, wrote inspired praises in response to heavenly sights.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8 v 1, 3 and 4 (NIV)

Again, in the couplet style of Hebrew poetry, God gave David these lines:

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world. Psalm 19 v 1-4 (NLT)

So, look up. Let the endless blue, the puffiest gray, or the deepest twinkling black, fill your heart and mind with God Himself. Jesus challenged his followers with these words, “When these things … come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21 v 28 (KJV) That’s Jesus’expansive, saving love ready for us.

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*The abbreviations following Scripture quotes indicate the Bible translation used: New International Version, New Living Translation, King James Version.

A Happy Hamlet

The local bagel shop was uber (excuse my German) cheerful that morning! Patrons and clients alike exuded a happy mood. A school aged girl sharing a bagel with her mom noticed a wad of bills on the floor. She picked it up and handed it to the manager. The manager quickly realized which customer had dropped it. A teen was happy to get his spending money back. Later the manager rewarded the honest girl with a free cookie.

I guess every Eastern seaboard town has its English twin. This is the tea from ours.

As our breakfast continued, I observed another guy checking out with his order. The cashier took his cash payment and reached out with the guy’s change, which was more than just a few ones. The customer waved it off, giving it back to the worker as a generous tip. “Thanks, man,” the cashier answered in surprise!

Not too few customers later, another man drifted by our table on his way out. He cheerily offered that he was on his way to sell nuts and bolts and added that it was a job he loved! He was especially happy that day to be headed to the Marine base in Jacksonville, NC. He appreciated being able to do business with the military, he said.

We left the bagel shop behind a family of three. The manager teasingly hollered to them, “Have a good drive back to Hawaii!” All three of them were wearing t-shirts from Hawaii … but you can’t get there by car. Hopefully, they smiled at the quip.

So, are things always this happy where I live? Of course not. Like any town in America or any place in the world there are difficulties and tragedies. This summer our town experienced a family murder. It shocks a community to witness that kind of tragedy: a young woman’s life gone; the rest of the family torn apart. Every place eventually experiences the same.

The towns that I am currently thinking so much about are the hamlets and the hollows of western North Carolina. Beautiful, rural mountain communities were ripped apart by rare flooding due to Hurricane Helene. The loss of life is still being counted, property devastation is widespread, and the infrastructures of water, electricity, roads, and internet are still heavily damaged. The ‘happy’ part of this, and I don’t joke or take lightly the deep loss and pain, is the way folks are coming together to help. Big organizations and small are sending supplies and showing up to be involved. Local ministries, churches, and schools and colleges in the mountains are also answering the call to reach out to their own, like Queen Esther, unexpectedly called “for such a time as this” (Esther 4 v 14). Among them are Samaritan’s Purse, headquartered in Boone, NC, literally on the ground immediately; sister ministry, Billy Graham retreat center, The Cove, now housing volunteers and law enforcement personnel; and Excel College in Black Mountain, who have agreed to host Adventures in Missions Disaster Relief. Our friends the Horvaths head up Adventures Relief and have committed to two years of disaster recovery in the Swannanoa Valley area. They will soon move their family of six, in their home on wheels, to Black Mountain, NC. You can follow their mission at Adventures.org/relief.

God promises to make “beauty from ashes” (Isaiah 61 v 3). We are witnessing goodness out of calamity. And I love that this good movement is receiving positive publicity for many to see! Jesus encouraged action of His followers, saying, “so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5 v 16) AMEN

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On Travel: Rest Stops

My husband and I travel the road a lot. Living on the east coast, we traverse north and south on I- 95, and sometimes further west on I-81, also a north-south highway. We enjoy diversions too on less-traveled routes, but we’ve become very familiar with the cities, townships and sights we pass on our repeated journeys.

As empty nesters, we plan our pace loosely. I can’t say that we always stop to smell the roses; there are people and places along the way yet to see. We do, however, often travel with a freer itinerary and that includes frequent stops: mental and physical breaks that are wise for our age, wise for all long-distance travelers.

Welcome to New York state, via I-81 north.

Along our familiar routes, I have my favorite rest stops. When we head home southbound on 95, the first NC rest stop features giant whirl-i-gigs. A North Carolinian grew fond of building these large wind structures and they now adorn various spots in the state. This whimsical rest stop means the journey is almost over for us. For many years, we drove to Westchester, NY for Thanksgiving. The crisp air and city vibe as we pulled into a Jersey travel center meant the holiday had begun for me! Even the coffee seemed festive! A New York Welcome Center on northbound 81 overlooks a gorgeous mountain vista and inside a market offers nice products from around the state.

Recently, we discovered a unique rest area. It is, of course, accessible from the highway for those traveling by car as we do, but behind it is the Dismal Swamp Canal, so this rest area has a dock and boat slips for those traveling the canal! They too need rest areas, and this one offers special facilities for boaters.

Our road stops include quick bathroom breaks, stretches, tidying the car and maybe some caffeine, but I’ve noticed the travelers who are more leisurely about their stops. They rest at picnic tables in shady areas savoring plentiful picnics. Playful dogs get needed exercise in the open grassy spaces. Once I saw a young family cooking their meal on a rest area grill – now that’s planning ahead and making a memory!

Is rest Biblical? Yes, planned rest began in the account of creation. God worked for six days to bring the universe into existence. Scripture tells us that God “rested on the seventh day from all His work He had done” (Genesis 2 v 2). With His infinite power, I don’t think God was tired on the seventh day. Instead, He was modeling for us the goodness of rest; physical, mental, and spiritual rest. Sabbath rest is a deep topic that I won’t pursue in this post, but I encourage you to rest regularly. Psalm 46 v 10 calls us to “Be still and know that I am God.” And on this Saturday evening, I pray that you include “enter[ing] the sanctuary of God” (Psalm 73 v 17) in your day of rest tomorrow.

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Randomize

Words intrigue me. In linguistic studies, one learns that language does not stagnate: it changes over time. Words are lost, words change, and words are rediscovered or newly created. The word ‘camera’ isn’t used much anymore since it’s our phone. ‘Google’ is a verb that was nonexistent 30 years ago. ‘Transformative’ has replaced ‘transformational’ in popularity, though their meanings may be distinct.

I recently heard a new use of a familiar word: random > randomize. ‘Randomize’ describes how researchers randomly select participants for the experiment variable or for the control group. To keep the results unbiased, the experimental assignments are made with, another new term we have – AI! Randomizing might select a traveler for additional security checks or determine the order of questions in an online exam. A patient might be told they were ‘randomized’ for a treatment in a clinical trial.

But is anything really randomized? Are our lives left to chance? I believe that God is in control of all things. Scripture tells us that God knows when a lowly sparrow falls (Matthew 10:29), that God sends elements like rain and fire, (Matthew 5 v 45, 2 Kings 1 v 10), and that He saw us forming in the womb and has numbered the days of our lifetime! (Psalm 139 v 15 – 16). God’s plans supersede the adage “right place at the right time.”

But what about “wrong place at the wrong time?” Yes, in God’s sovereignty, we face terrible things sometimes, yet we are promised God’s guidance and help when we walk the path He’s planned for us (Psalm 37 v 23 below). In other instances, one might have strayed to the wrong place and face consequences (Psalm 119 v 9, Proverbs 7 v 25).

Here, in conclusion, I admit that these are hard truths. Followers of Jesus boldly give God credit for His provision and blessings, or cling to His strength in crisis; it is a day-by-day surrender to do so, only through Holy Spirit power. AMEN

An Ice Skating Love Story

He grew up in a northern US city with plenty of naturally frozen skating spots all winter, and her childhood in Canada was replete with abounding enthusiasm and opportunities for ice skating over many winter months each year. With mutual friends from church, he asked her out on their first date to go ice skating. Wasting no time for feelings to melt, he gave her a Valentines Day card shortly following the skating date. Their romance quickly swirled into an engagement on her June birthday, and they married at the end of that summer. Their honeymoon included time in Lake Placid where they skated together at the indoor Olympic rink.

That first February ice skating date happened more than six decades ago. My parents continued to enjoy skating together over many of those years. They shared their love of ice skating with us kids. Virginia winters were milder than their hometowns, but we skated on rinks, and occasionally on the Washington Monument reflecting pool and the nearby C & O canal in years when they froze over. I remember buying my own full-size, good quality leather skates during a visit to family in Canada.

My parents also shared with us what it means to be married: “one man, one woman, one lifetime,” as Pastor Jeff at my church succinctly put it. Like pairs skating, marriage is magical, elegant, sensual, rhythmic, and risky – a dynamic partnership. There will also be bumps and bruises along the way. Marriage requires endurance and stamina, like the long program in skating competition. Couples can’t skate by on infatuation alone.

Marriage is God’s good and natural design for us, His creation (Genesis 2 v 24). Love is laced throughout the Scriptures. You’ll find romantic love stories and Solomon’s PG-13 passionate song in the Old Testament. Themes and analogies of weddings, the bride, and marital joy, commitment, and purity weave through the New Testament. Ultimately, we find God’s sacrificial love for us in the familiar verse John 3:16

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. NLT

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your beautiful love story. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for loving us enough to give us your Son, Jesus.

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Book Reports

Do you remember doing book reports in elementary school? Teachers cleverly devised multiple project ideas to ensure that students were regularly reading books. Assignments included paragraph summaries on 3 X 5 cards, dioramas, posters, book jackets, and others you may recall. Book reading for the young student continues to be a high priority at the elementary level, but approaches have changed, which I will not get into here. Instead, I will report on two, make that three, books I read in 2023. They stand out for me in ways I’d like to share. I hope my synopses earn passing marks from you!

“Live Not By Lies” was the famed dissenter Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s clarion call to resist Soviet repression, especially of religion. Writer Rod Dreher borrowed Solzhenitsyn’s phrase to entitle a book he never intended to write. Live Not By Lies lays out a “soft totalitarianism” that is creeping, maybe steamrolling, into American culture. Dreher came to author the book when immigrants from communist countries approached him about the glaring similarities of events and policies in Western democracies to the oppression in communist countries that they had personally experienced.

The book uncovers the many ways that a liberal ‘creed’ is being forced onto American society. Warning that it could happen again, Dreher recounts dreadful stories of massive religious persecution in Soviet block nations. It is a sobering and very unsettling book to read, but the story is not limited to America’s current dangerous reality and the evil history of the recent past. Dreher shares the steadfastness of individuals, families and congregations who resisted communist aggression against their faith, and he explains how their means of resistance were effective. He suggests these are ways that would be successful again.

My other book report features the book The Thrill of Orthodoxy by Trevin Wax. I saw the book on a recommended list in 2022 and was captured by its title – a bit of an oxymoron? The author was a new name to me, but I liked his bio. ‘Orthodoxy’ sounded daunting, nonetheless I bought the book and determined to read it. I was pleasantly surprised: the book was quite readable and compelling! Wax’s thesis is that orthodoxy, the timeless doctrines of the Christian faith, is adventurous and exciting. Rather than being dull or static, the Christian faith has been and always will be solid, stable, exuberant, invigorating … and in other words, thrilling! Joy and energy permeated the explanations and examples of historic Christian orthodoxy.

For extra credit, let me tell you how the two books are complementary. The onslaught of a new totalitarianism determined to wipe out Judeo Christian beliefs is chilling, but the orthodox truths of God are firm and life-giving. Scripture is “for such a time as this,” not unlike the Jewess, Queen Esther’s, vital calling during an impending genocide (Esther 4 v 14). With confidence and fortitude, we hold on to our foundational beliefs knowing they, by the power of God and His Son Jesus, will withstand the confrontations that may lie ahead.

Indeed, the Bible is the third in my book review of 2023. Now my assignment is complete and posted by the January 31 due date! As this first month of 2024 draws to a close, evaluate the quality and quantity of your Bible reading: set some goals or make a plan for the year ahead, inasmuch as “Every word of God proves true” (Proverbs 30 v 5) and “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4 v 4).

The topmost book on the pile is a journal I keep of books I read. I record the title, author and a brief summary and critique.

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Pardon My French – Part 2

This past spring, my husband and I celebrated a milestone anniversary with a trip to the Caribbean island of St. Martin. The island is comprised of two countries: the Dutch Sint Maarten and the French Saint-Martin. Of course, the Proulxs chose a resort on the French side!

Besides the picturesque aqua waters of the Caribbean, the French international atmosphere enriched our short stay. French citizens travel to this island, no passport needed; guests from France seemed clearly comfortable in their own country! The local language is French though St. Martin is strongly influenced by Caribbean culture.

During our stay at the resort, I noticed that one of the guest activities was a French class. Being a former language teacher, I thought that sounded fun. I showed up at the poolside activity booth at the scheduled time and asked about the class. The host manning the booth scrambled a bit, but soon a staff member showed up, and brought along another staff member in training. No other guests showed up, so the two guys offered me a table and chair nearby … and I had a private French lesson! It was comical!

Here are the phrases the tutor wrote for my lesson.

The two fellows were young, Black Caribbean natives. Many residents on St. Martin are immigrants from nearby Caribbean islands, as these two may have been (I do not recall). Apparently, job opportunities are more plentiful on St. Martin. My tutors asked me what I wanted to learn. One of them pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write out conversational phrases. They pronounced the phrases, and I repeated them. I enjoyed asking them questions about local education and language. They told me the official language and the language of school is French, but English language instruction begins early in their education. There are locally spoken Creole languages too. After 45 minutes of conversing with the two young men, I thanked them for their time and went on my way. Let’s just say that I will need a few more lessons before I can manage any kind of French interaction, no fault of my sincere tutors!

Where does “A Writer’s Daughter” land this post? One of my favorite themes is work and excellence. My French teachers demonstrated those admirable traits, but I addressed that subject in my recent post “Dressed for Success on the Produce Aisle.” Instead, I lean into the value of every individual, folks like us and folks who are not, like my Island tutors, so different from me. All of us share the imprint of the divine, being created in the image of God (Genesis 1 v 27). We must esteem each other, beyond what we may or may not share in common. God’s creatures, however, are not automatically all His children, as is often misstated. God’s children are those who call Jesus, the sacrificial Son whom God provided for humanity, their one and only hope of redemption and salvation. Romans 10: v 9 – 13 Rendons grâce à Dieu.

This post is better viewed on www.brendaproulx.com where you can also read Part 1 of “Pardon My French” and other previous posts.

The Woes of June

This month many folks must endure workplace propaganda that contradicts their personal beliefs. Friends have told me how tiring and oppressive the continuous onslaught can be. I am no longer employed but similar promotions appear in businesses and media I come across. ‘Pride’ ideology is massively divisive. For this reason, my post features words directly from the Author of Life, letting Scripture speak for itself to the issues at hand. My compilation spans the Old and New Testaments and various Biblical genres of history, poetry, the Gospels (of Jesus) and the Epistles (letters). The prudent practice of comparing multiple passages is referred to as “the whole counsel of Scripture.”

Genesis 1 v 26-27 NIV

²⁶Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” ²⁷So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 9 v16-17 NIV

¹⁶Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” ¹⁷So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Psalm 139 v 13 – 16a NLT

¹³You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
¹⁶You saw me before I was born.

Proverbs 8 v 13 ESV

¹³The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.

Matthew 19 v 4 – 6 ESV

⁴He [Jesus] answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Romans 1 v 21, 24 – 27 ESV

²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²⁴Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

²⁶For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Galatians 6 v 14 CSB

¹⁴But as for me [Paul], I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.

2 Timothy 3 v 1 – 5a CSB

But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. ²For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, ⁴traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.

To briefly summarize, some of you may think these are intolerant words. I believe them to be God’s perfect plan for what He created. God’s way is worth celebrating! As the Apostle Paul put it, we take pride only in God’s work on the cross for us. With humility, Brenda.

*Note – the abbreviations following the references indicate the Bible translation used: Christian Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation.

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Our family celebrated a long-awaited June reunion.

Befriended in Ruther Glen, Virginia

Traveling home on the last leg of a recent, long road trip, we stopped to eat at an Arby’s in Ruther Glen, Virginia, off I-95. I placed my meal order with a very upbeat cashier. Repeatedly she interjected “m’ dear,” an endearment quite typical in Southern speech, as she confirmed my selections. The sweet expression felt good as my husband and I were in need of rest and refreshment at this point in our many miled journey. Next to me, a handsome young Black man also placed his order and a few minutes later a woman in a cute yellow dress joined him.

Ruther Glen is big enough to have an Arby’s but too small to be named on the exit sign. Photo by Doug Kerr, from the site Mapcarta.

Our meal came and we sat in a booth, the fast food satisfying our hunger. Being the people watcher that I am, I saw that the African American couple sat in the booth next to us. As they too ate their meal, I overheard playful banter in their conversation that spoke of love and a healthy relationship, nothing course or lewd about it. At some point, her man and mine left our tables and she spoke to me. She commented that she noticed us and thought we showed a mature and seasoned relationship. I told her that indeed we had recently celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary. She congratulated me with seemingly genuine happiness for us. I asked about their life together and she answered that they were at the twenty-year mark. “Wow,” I responded. “You look too young for that!” Our little chat ended with wishing each other many more years of loving commitment in marriage.

About this time, the cashier from up front began circulating the dining area with a broom. She too engaged in conversation with me. It was almost Mother’s Day weekend and I think that’s where she started. She shared about all the gifts she got for her mother and couldn’t wait to give her on her day off. I think one of the gifts was a plaque or decorative family tree because she began telling me the names of her kids and siblings and step-siblings. It was clear that she adored her mother and planned to generously express her love through gifts.

It struck me that both women initiated conversations with me. Did I look lonely or lost? I doubt that was the reason: the Southern way is just warm, friendly, and casual. The Southern way has also been associated with prejudice, yet both Black women felt comfortable and interested in talking to me, a white stranger passing through town. Life’s commonalities drew us together. I was a wife sharing fast food with my husband, and I was a daughter, possibly also a mother, to the talkative cashier. We found a connection by sharing those life roles. The connection provided a measure of kindness.

God felt the same about connecting with us. He sent His Son Jesus to experience our humanity. Jesus willingly gave up the glories of being God, to share life’s human realities on earth, including the eventual agony of death. At this point, some of you will recognize these as truths from Philippians 2. I was part of a discussion on that passage on Sunday. I love how one person said it: God who is eternal and omnipresent (is everywhere at once) subjected Himself through Jesus His Son to our limitations of time and place.

Three years ago, at this time, our country experienced a terrible fissure. What appeared to be an unnecessarily harsh police arrest incited an uproar of protests. Thousands rioted in city streets to voice their indignation, even as churches and schools were shut down, parks and beaches were closed, and many jobs were suspended. Fear of a virus and social isolation fueled the reaction and rage.

As grievous as the Minneapolis incident was, my encounters at the Ruther Glen Arby’s happen more often. I believe when kindness or empathy occur, it is a small reflection of the great image of God’s kindness, as explained in Philippians 2; how Jesus demonstrated the ultimate emptying of His divine rights and privileges. We can receive His saving grace (which Scripture defines below as bending the knee and verbal consent), and common grace can be imparted to those with whom we walk this earth.

~from Philippians 2 ⁵In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

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Living Like a Live Oak

The iconic image of a southern estate property often includes a sprawling live oak laden with cascading moss. If you are not familiar with southern flora, you may not realize that ‘live’ does not describe the tree as not dead, but it is the name of the predominant oak variety in the south, particularly the coastal south. A live oak inhabits our front yard, not a spectacular specimen, but other larger beauties grow on nearby properties.

The name ‘live’ refers to the presence of leaves on the tree all year long. Live oaks shed and regrow leaves throughout the year. But there are other good reasons for calling it live. Live oaks are known for their longevity, easily living hundreds of years. They also spare life and prevent destruction. Due to their low, spreading nature and deep, strong roots, they survive coastal storms. Early peoples knew to cling to live oaks for safety during hurricanes. Their broad shape buffers wind and protects surrounding structures. I find compelling beauty in the live oak’s gangly, low-spreading branches, especially when adorned with natural mossy tinsel.

The first song in the book of Psalms compares living a godly life to a prospering tree. Psalm 1 states that a godly man flourishes like a tree planted near a good water source. The well-watered tree produces fruit and lush foliage. The Psalm contrasts the godly life to the “wicked,” whose life and successes are short-lived. Psalm 1 describes right living or the righteous as separated from sinful ways and focused instead on God’s law (the Scriptures). Whether the psalmist had in mind the elegant symmetry of a maple, or the majestic reaches of a redwood, or the unique form of a live oak, a thriving life flows out of wise spiritual habits. Here is the first Psalm:

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
²but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.