This tree will never die. Like all of God’s creation, it is eternal. It was planted long ago. The man whose family built this house told us it was here when the foundation was being laid. It grew from a hickory nut which contained the seed of many trees before it, and they likewise contained the seeds of many years prior to that. Can this tree trace its history back to Genesis? Interesting thought. Throughout the years I have known its shade and beauty - 42 of them as I write this - it has been more than generous with its leaves, providing a green canopy over my head as I walked from the side door out to the driveway sheltering me from the spring rains. It lit up the sky outside my office windows every beautiful sunny day of late summer and early autumn, like a thousand candles aglow. As autumn hastened on, it would slowly drop its leaves, exposing the dark skeleton of its strength and resilience. I was always fascinated by the spiritual illustration those dark limbs and bra