The Mystery of the Sugar Pine Tree

Sugar Pine Tree
courtesy photobucket.com

High in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California lived a family on the outskirts of the small community of Quincy.

Sue Ellen was excited as it was to be her first day at school.  The small school house offered a kindergarten room off to one side away from the older children. 

 

She was so glad that her mother took her to school the first day and they were introduced to the smiling teacher.

Sue Ellen looked around the brightly colored room and did not see anyone she knew. 

This frightened her as she was used to being with her family and a strange setting was unnerving. 

 

She could hardly wait for the day to be over.

Class was only until noon, so at lunch time, she was excused to find her way home. 

Hurrying along the path that led out to their home in the woods she quickly found her favorite spot under the Sugar Pine Tree.  She remembered its sweet sap was fun to chew and it had a nice taste. 

With tears streaming down her sweet cheeks, Sue Ellen poured out her heart to the Sugar Pine fairy that she was certain must live inside this beautiful tree.  She told her friend the fairy, how scared she was and how no one in her class seemed to like her. 

She was certain that she would never have a friend in that school.

The next day at school a chubby girl named Heidi sat next to Sue Ellen, and she spoke in a soft trembling voice, “I need a friend, would you please be my friend?” 

Sue Ellen couldn’t believe her ears.  She thought to herself, “The Sugar Pine Fairy must have sent me this friend.” 

 

All during class they shared crayons as they formed the letters for their names, and learned to print the numbers from one to ten.  At cookie time, they held hands, and found a place to lay their mats close together when it was nap time.

On the way home Sue Ellen stopped at her tree and knelt down and told her sugar pine tree fairy a sincere and genuine “Thanks for my new friend.”

Sunday was church, and Sue Ellen always took pleasure in hearing the stories about Jesus.  She couldn’t wait to tell her Sunday school teacher how her Sugar Pine fairy had helped her find a friend.

Not wanting to dash her excitement, but thinking perhaps there was something else to be said, the teacher spoke to the class in general about praying to God, and asking Jesus for help when it was needed. 

 

She went on to say, sometimes we think things that happen are 'Good Luck,' but have you ever considered that Jesus is looking out for you and He is the one answering your prayers.

Sue Ellen listened carefully to every word her teacher was saying, and she realized that the one who gave her a new friend was indeed Jesus and not a Sugar Pine Fairy.

On her way home, she stopped at her much loved tree and knelt down.  Dear Jesus, this is my favorite spot to think and from now on it will be my place to pray to you. 

 

By the way, thank you Jesus for my new friend, now I know it was you who answered my prayer.

  * * * * * * *

 

From Deuteronomy 20:
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.