Losing Leaves in the Summer

A couple of mornings ago, before the kids got up, I was sitting outside on our new deck just listening to worship music and praying. As I sat there, I noticed several leaves falling from the huge tree right behind our fence. They fell one at a time, sporadically, and just seemed to dance gracefully through the air. They were really beautiful. Then I realized, it's July. Leaves aren't supposed to be falling in July. As a few more floated to the ground, I couldn't help but wonder why.

The huge tree behind the deck was the one losing leaves.

It's hard to see them in this picture but there were at least 15
leaves that fell in front of our fence, many more behind it.

They were beautiful, but why are they falling in July?

I decided to look it up. I mean, Google has to know the answer, right? It took a few minutes but I soon found the reasons why this very healthy tree was losing leaves in the summer.

One reason is due to a crowded canopy. Trees grow leaves in the spring and sometimes, based on the conditions during that time, they grow too many. So, later in the year, the tree's canopy can become too crowded. To overcome the overgrowth, the tree will start to slowly shed leaves in order to protect the branches from being damaged by the weight of the leaves.

Another reason is simply because those leaves aren't doing their job any longer. Each leaf has a purpose. They each need to turn sunlight into food for the tree. Once the leaf is no longer able to fulfill its purpose, the tree releases it. Leaves are very important to trees but sometimes, its better for the tree to let them go. The tree doesn't want to waste its nutrients on a dead leaf, but with the leaf gone, the tree can use its remains to grow a new one.

Ummm, wow.

Sometimes I am blown away by the extra large lessons God teaches me through the smallest, simplest things.

Watching those leaves twirl through the air in the middle of July reminded me that change will inevitably come in this life, and even though its tough and we often resist it, it is often a very good thing. 

Learning about a crowded canopy reminded me of the busyness so many of us experience on a daily basis. So many times in our lives we are building relationships, taking on responsibilities, making plans, etc and then eventually all of those things catch up with us and our "canopy" is crowded. Those things aren't bad on their own, in fact many are really good, but we get overwhelmed by our to-do lists and things competing for our attention, and that can be damaging to us. Maybe change in our lives is God's way of protecting us from the weight of too many "leaves." 

Considering that leaves fall because they are no longer doing their job was really eye-opening for me. It seems so simple. The leaves are not fulfilling their purpose, so the tree releases them. But, it doesn't feel that way in our lives, does it? It's really hard when a job comes to an end, you discover a friend wasn't really a friend at all, or you realize things weren't what they seemed. But maybe these relationships, opportunities, and situations are no longer fulfilling their purpose in our lives. Maybe these things don't just fall apart but instead are purposefully removed by the Author of our lives because they are no longer valuable. Just like with the tree, some of these things are very important to us but its better for us to let them go and allow God to use what remains to create something new and beautiful.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." Eccelesiastes 3:1

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

Today I am grateful for the lessons the Lord teaches me through simple things I come across. If we're willing and we keep our eyes open, we will notice that He never stops teaching us. I am also thankful for the reminder that although change is hard, it is purposeful. God gives and takes away. Not because He wants to flaunt His ability to do so, but because He knows when our "canopy" needs to be less crowded and what things are no longer valuable in our lives. 

Regardless of what you're dealing with today, rest assured- God sees you and He never stops being in control. Each change you endure is for your good, even if it doesn't feel like it right now.