Too Much To Take

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Ever felt like life was just too much? Too many things weighing you down? Got a burden you just can't bear? Maybe you have taken on more than you could handle?

James and I like to walk way back into the orchard. It gives us a chance to be alone, to talk, and to share our hearts with each other. When we moved here nearly ten years ago the orchards were filled with old apple trees; gnarly, yet majestic, old, yet fruitful. Walking back into the orchard was like stepping back in time to a day when life was simpler and folks were a little bit closer to God and nature. There was a certain calm and peace that couldn't quite be explained.

In recent years many of the old trees have been removed and replaced with new stock. This is the way of life. The torch is always passed from one generation to the next, but we're finding this next crop of trees to be struggling.


These trees are meant to be small and bear as much fruit, or nearly as much, as the older varieties. Because of their size, more trees can be planted in the same amount of acreage, at least that is how I understand it. The problem is the trees, though expected to stand up, aren't always able to do so. It is not at all uncommon to find them sprawled on the ground, covered with the fruit that so obviously is the cause of their struggle.

The sad thing is that I can see a correlation between these poor trees and people. Whether it be sports, education, or other responsibilities, many of us just aren't able to bear the load. We drag and droop, we struggle and sag, and sometimes we break. We often carry a load we were never designed to bear...

I am thankful for a God who knows just how much I am able to bear, and when the burdens grow too heavy, He is there to carry them.