"Trees with Beards"

I came from that old country,

Where big trees standing tall,

Have long, gray beards up in the wind,

And the people speak with drawl.

One time I asked my daddy,

As we rode our horses past,

Why do trees have beards here,

He looked at me and laughed.

Oh, that’s just that old Spanish moss,

That grows up in the trees,

The French thought it looked Spanish,

When they named it, if you please.

For awhile they called it Spanish beard,

But it’s really not from Spain,

Believe it came from Mexico,

But it’s ours, just the same.

I thought I saw them smiling,

The trees with beards they wore,

I thought I’d like a beard like that,

Couldn’t know what was in store.

And how the day would finally come,

When I would leave that land,

Resettle in a drier clime,

The west, my final stand.

Sometimes I miss the trees with beards,

It’s silly, I suppose,

But in my mind they still are here,

I’ll share before I close,

That, no, there is no moss here,

But I have a beard that’s gray,

And, yes, still speak with southern drawl,

And all I have to say,

That where the Good Lord puts you,

Is where you need to be,

And in the heart of Texas,

Is where He has put me.

But whether in old Alabam,

Or on the west coast shore,

Or the heartland or New England,

We’re free, so give thanks more.

And never take for granted,

The blessings we receive,

Still one nation under God,

And that’s what I believe.

So bloom where you are planted,

It’s wisdom that they say,

And thank God for a place to be,

And in His will to stay.

“Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take…” (Proverbs 3:6, NLT)

Where you live makes a difference. The key to being where you’re supposed to be is seeking God’s will and trusting Him to lead you. Real peace is not external, but rather an inside job. So, you can be content based upon your relationship with Jesus. But then, as we follow Him, He will direct us to the earthly location where we have been assigned. When the inward peace matches the outward assignment, you have found the closest thing to heaven on earth that you can get.

Lord, help us seek Your will in all we do, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bruce Greene, brucegreeneart.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Bruce, and God bless you.