Every Day is a Day of Forests

8 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thought...

12 For you shall go out in joy,
    and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
    for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55 NRSV

This morning I was out the door early enough that the sun was still rising and on my way to a Conservation Area north of Belleville -- God bless conservation areas. One direction took me out on the boardwalk where I could see the setting moon and the rising sun. In the other direction I walked through a stand of cedars, past maple trees which are being tapped, and along a maple swamp where the ice has turned a wonderful green which is a sign of Spring. 

Each of these areas are akin to cathedrals for me, holy places where I often stop and give thanks to the Creator. In Canada we love to cut trees down and often do so without much thought but we are blessed with the sheer number of them despite our recklessness. Canada has one of five great forested areas left in the world and while much of this may not seem like eye-catching old growth it is vital to the health of a planet which is choking to death. 

This is the United Nations International Day of Forests and as I write I can glance out at two sizeable white birches in our year, two large spruces, a locust, and a 10-metre tall walnut which our neighbour says was planted by the squirrels. There are other trees visible a little farther off in our area as well. Sometimes I take this for granted, and its a sin.

Yesterday one of the lectionary readings was from Isaiah 55 but unfortunately it didn't include the verses which speak of a variety of trees clapping their hands in joy. Our loss.  Now you know that trees have hands!

https://www.un.org/en/observances/forests-and-trees-day