Broken Branch

We have a beautiful but scrawny little ornamental Japanese Maple tree in our backyard that is extra special to Ty and me. For whatever reason, when we bought this house, we longed for a tree just like this...with it's deep burgundy leaves that turn the most amazing hues of crimson as the crispness of fall descends. We planted our little tree last spring, even after being told that it might not survive the scorching heat of the summer. And it almost didn't. But as spring has unfolded in recent weeks, our little tree has finally leafed out with it's ruby leaves and I've been admiring it each day as I wash dishes or work there in the kitchen.

Today, as lunchtime approached and I was wrapping up some housework, I popped my head out the screen door to let Luke know it was almost time to come in from playing. As I did so, my heart nearly fell to my toes when I saw a huge chunk of bright crimson dangling from Luke's hand. He had broken off a large branch from this already scrawny tree and was playing with it!

I almost cried.

Before I even knew what I was doing, I was halfway across the yard crying out in some awful sounding high-pitched voice, "Noooooo..........honeyyyyyyyy.....what are you doing????!!!" Of-course, I knew what he was doing. He was playing. He was being a little boy. He was carefree. What I really wanted to know was why!

Stunned, Luke looked at me and froze in his place; the tree branch falling to his side just as quickly as his smile.

"I wanted to use it as a rocket ship."

Of-course, my adult mind quickly assessed that branch and saw no possibility of a rocket ship, but then again, I am not 4! Lol! Seeing the devastation on my face, Luke just stared silently at me as I bent down to gingerly removed the branch from his hand. Thinking back on it now, I am almost laughing at myself. I was so sad! I held that branch so gingerly you'd think it was my grandmothers good china. :) I spoke to him in the most serious, almost hushed voice I could muster.

"Honey...this is a very delicate tree. Its very special to Daddy and I. You can't just break off branches to use as toys. You have to ask Mama first before you do something like this. This hurts the tree. Its so tiny already and when you break off big branches like this one, it can't grow anymore "

I continued on then, though I don't know what I said, but I just felt compelled to fill the air with words and explanations, because I must've thought that would help me feel better. It didn't really. I was just so upset. Not at Luke...he didn't mean to hurt the tree and he didn't know better. This is know. I was upset that our little tree that had fought so hard through its first year, was now damaged and missing such a chunk of itself.

No sooner did I shut my mouth and feel a tear run down my cheek did Luke begin to cry too. :( How sad! But his was a deep, sorrowful wail. One that took him several minutes to recover from, even after I scooped him into my arms and hugged him...making sure he understood that Mommy was mad at him, just sad about the tree.

We came inside then and I grabbed a clear glass vase from the cabinet and began filling it with cool water. In my mind, I was determined to somehow preserve this little branch and, if nothing else, enjoy its beauty for just a little longer indoors. (Just a side note, it actually is quite beautiful sitting in its vase in the kitchen window!) Seriously people...I don't know why this little tree was so important to me, but it just was. And please know that Luke's tears weren't because I had screamed at him...I hadn't. He just knew that I was so sad and he crumbled into tears because he felt badly. Thinking back on it now, I just want to scoop him in my arms and hold him. My sweet boy!

Anyway, back to the story...

We moved on to lunch then, and the air was a little heavy as we ate for a few minutes in silence. At one point, Luke looked over at the vase in the window and I could see his little wheels spinning in his mind. I waited. Soon he said,

"Well, at-least now that its in watar, it can still grow."

"On no, honey. It won't grow. That is why mommy was so upset. Once the branch is taken from the tree, it is going to die. It might live a few days in that vase, but soon it will have to be thrown away."

And that's when he said what had been spinning around in his mind the moment before...

"Well....if it dies, then it will just come back to life again after three days, like Jesus."

My heart puddled at my feet. He was remembering all that we have been telling him about Jesus and Easter.

"Oooh honey....No. Trees and flowers don't come back to life like Jesus did on Easter morning. Once they are dead, they are dead. They won't live again. "

"Well...then, if they're dead, they'll go live in Heaven, right?"

Drip. Drip. Drip. There goes the last traces of my heart into the puddle.

I love him. My sweet child! So innocent! My heart softened at his naive sweetness! It was just about the cutest thing I had ever heard from him and the most endearing little way his mind was trying to put it death and Christ and the resurrection all together. We have been talking a lot about all those things lately. He is desperate for his Bible stories every night before bed. He is eager to learn and seems to be asking more and more questions as his mind matures. He listens and watches and takes it all in. I love that about him! And I just loved this little story....it will now get tucked away as one of my favorites, along with the memory of him running beside me that day awhile back with his cape! :) Our little moments....