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Cottonwood Trees (Populus Deltoides): Healing by the Balm of Gilead
Yes, today I’m writing about trees. Cottonwoods, to be exact. Growing up in the upper Midwest, cottonwood trees, specifically, the populus deltoides variety, are a staple part of the landscape. A large shade tree that loves the wet areas near rivers and streams, the tree grows rapidly and boasts bright green leaves in the summer and golden yellow in the fall. The Native American populations have revered the tree throughout the generations, as they used the large portions of the trunk for dugout canoes, the bark for medicinal tea, and the young sprouts and inner bark were eaten for the high nutritional value (Forney, NDSU, Nature at Confluence). Pioneers use…
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November Devotional: Psalm 1:1-3
Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. (NIV) Thought: Walk with the wicked. Stand with the sinners. Sit with mockers. We have a choice. We choose where to walk, where to stand, and where to…