the "Trouble Tree"

One day a man was on his way home when he saw his neighbor standing by his car on the side of the road. He pulled over and offered him a ride. The man accepted and got in. "What happened?" the man asked. "I ran out of gas. Today has not been my day. I got chewed out by my boss for a mistake someone else made, I missed lunch trying to fix the mistake and now I am going to be late for dinner because I ran out of gas." his neighbor replied. They pulled into the driveway and the man watched as his neighbor got out. He walked over to a tree and with both hands touched the end of the branches. He then walked into his house with a big smile and hugged his children and kissed his wife. He got back into the car after getting a gas can and the man had to ask: "What's with the tree?" and the neighbor replied, "Oh, that, that's my trouble tree. When I get home from work I go and hang my troubles on the tree so that I don't take them into the house with me then I pick them back up the next morning. But for some reason there are never as many troubles on the tree in the morning as I put out there the night before."

I recently heard that story and may have changed a few of the details because my memory isn't what it used to be but I am sure I haven't strayed from it's purpose. After hearing it I thought about the fact that as Christians we have a "trouble tree" too. It is a tree that has been cut down and made into the shape of a cross bearing our Savior. It has the same purpose though. As we approach our cross shaped tree we can lay all of our burdens there, and if we are foolish enough to pick them back up (and many times I am) there dosen't seem to be as many as we laid down. What a blessing to know that we can turn to our "trouble tree" in any situatuion and at any time. And, I don't know about you but I am sure my family would appreciate it if I left my troubles on the trouble tree before I spend time with them.