Have you experienced mulberry trees in your life?

They are a “weed” tree on our property. They plant themselves all over via bird droppings and I think they must grow MANY FEET in a single year. 

What starts as a tiny seedling along a fenceline in the spring has woven itself into the panels above it by fall, very difficult to get a saw into to cut down. 

I think they see an ax or a chainsaw as a mere roadblock in their mission to take over the world. 

Not that they are entirely bad….the little berries on them are DELICIOUS! Julie made a pie this last week….oh my…I’m not really a pie person, but this was fabulous. 

Take a look at this mulberry tree in one of our pig pens.

That hole where it planted itself used to hold a fencepost, back when the barn/cement was new (like 70ish years ago?) The post has long since rotted away and now a tree is there.

Usually at least once a year, one of the boys takes an ax to it to try and chop it back.

But it comes back.

And this thing is in a pigpen….pigs love to destroy things, especially sweet fruit bearing trees.

And it still stands, producing fruit every year.

It’s now lopsided and not at all beautiful.

But it’s still putting out new, green branches.

When I’m not frustrated with these trees, I’m devouring their delicious berries or marveling at their persistence.

Sometimes I wonder what kind of life I’d have if I had this amount of persistence in my walk with the Lord. 

When I worry, just put down deeper roots into God’s word and keep shooting upwards.

When it looks like a life road is completely gone, look to God to grow a new branch and keep going, maybe in a different direction this time. 

And in all the problems, marvel how God is still producing delicious fruit through me?! 

None of this can be done by ourselves. 

Seek the Lord and his strength.
Seek his presence continually.

1 Chronicles 16:11

This verse is part of a psalm of thanks from King David. God had defeated the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant was finally brought “home” for use in worship.

David is thankful and joyful as he sings his praises to his almighty God, but he’s also remembering how important it is to inquire of the Lord in his persistence to be a good army commander and king of Israel.

Inquire of the Lord. 

There’s the key right there.

That persistence and strength comes through much time spent reading the Bible, praying and making the most of the opportunities God sends our way.

May God give you the persistence of a mulberry tree in your daily walk with Him.

PS: As I sit and type this, 25lbs of pork shoulder roasts are simmering away on the smoker, preparing for pulled pork sandwiches for a 4th of July pie social in the local city park, serenaded by our local small town summer band playing patriotic music in the bandstand.  It doesn’t get more “small town” than that.  We do this every year with our church’s youth group – although I hate making pies 😄 , I love the meat prep and the summer music and the gathering of people celebrating our country’s freedoms. ❤️🤍💙 

If that sounds good to you, you might be looking for something from our next batch of hogs. We’d love for you to experience our 100% Berkshire pork.

PPS: Yes, that tree really should be cut down completely….practically speaking, it’s slowly growing a larger trunk, which will break up that cement that’s currently useful for keeping baby pigs out of spring muck and giving us a place to keep waterers and feeders. Replacement cement isn’t cheap either. But it’s still a useful analogy. 🙂