If it doesn't grow . . .

When we first moved to Tallmadge we bought a red maple tree to plant in the back yard. So for six years this tree has produced the same ammount of leaves with absolutley no growth. It is literally the same it was when I planted it.

The first thing on my honey-do list was to stake this tree so it would grow. It has been on my list for the last several years. It was never a priority to me because I could not see how staking a tree would make it grow. If that was the case every tree I see in the woods would be staked to give it a good start.

Anway we planted the tree to make a difference in the backyard. Someday there would be some shade in the heat of the day. It would help make our backyard not look so empty. The color of a red maple, one of my favorite trees, would be a great look for the backyard.

Since the tree never grew, I hoped it would just die on its own and I could get rid of it. It did not.

Saturday, our Life Group had a cook-out at our house. Everyone brought their children and they played while we sat on the deck. At some point we look over and the tree was down. The kindergarten children took it down. They broke it. I was not upset at all. Finally this tree that made no difference in my backyard was done. I could scratch it off my honey-do list and did not have to lift a finger.

There are time in life we do things that do not produce. Companies go through it. Churches go through it. Families go through it. We get in the habit of hanging on to it in hopes that it will die on its own. The reality is we just need to cut it down. If it does not grow or does not produce -- cut it down.

But remember this, when you cut it down you may have to plant something new that will produce. It may just need to be a different tree. I learned this the hard way.

Now Rhonda has added another item to my list. Plant a new tree. That means I have to did a hole. I wished I had staked the tree.