The Trouble Tree

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse. His first day on the job was pretty rough; his electric drill quit, his “P” tank run out of gas, he cut his hand and to add to the confusion he couldn’t find the keys to his truck.

I offered to drive him home to get a spare key, he agreed. When we arrived at his home he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. Once inside the door he seemed to undergo an amazing transformation. He was all smiles and he hugged his two small children and kissed his wife on the cheek. He got the spare key and as we walked toward my car, we passed the tree he had touched.

Out of curiosity I asked him why he would touch the small tree’s branches. He grinned, that’s my trouble tree; I know I can’t help having problems on the job, that’s just part of life. But, one thing’s for sure those problems don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So, I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to look after them till the morning. In the morning, I pick them up again. He smiled and said, “The funny thing is, when I come out in the morning to pick them up again there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”

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