We have a massive gumball tree that dominates our front yard. Every day, it incessantly showers our yard with its thorny little fruit. For years, there’s rarely a week that goes by without us actively complaining about it. We grumble about the endless raking and moan about the indestructibility of those gumballs. As anyone with a gumball tree can attest, no matter how hard you try, those pesky gumballs will always find a way back into your yard.

So, you can imagine our immediate delight when someone shot us an affordable tree-removal quote. Suddenly, all our dreams of a gumball free yard were within our reach. Then I got a queasy feeling in my stomach, a feeling that made me realize how much I want to preserve this tree, this part of our lives.

Every morning, I sit on my front porch and listen to the birds singing and watch the squirrels playing while I talk to Jesus. This simple ritual brings me immense joy, as I’ve come to realize that so much of what I love can be found in the vast sweetgum tree in my yard. As I sip my morning coffee, I take time to reflect, appreciate life, and connect with my faith. The tree is home to an entire ecosystem, providing shelter and a source of beauty, especially when its leaves change color in the fall.

It’s remarkable that I spent so many years without truly appreciating the majesty and grandeur of that tree. Instead, I was focused on the nuisance of those gumballs. I failed to see the treasure right in front of me.

The happy little creatures that live in that tree don’t care about those gumballs and accept them without complaint. And my sunny little dog, Gracie, absolutely adores the gumballs. They roll and bounce, which always brings a smile to her doggy face. She’s constantly testing how many she can fit in her mouth, and she’s a master at sneaking them into our home and vehicles. It’s not unusual to find them in my bag if I’ve left it unattended. Once, one rolled out of my mom’s purse and onto the conference table during an important meeting. Gracie would have loved to have been there for that!

Sometimes, I can’t help but feel that Gracie and the birds and squirrels are wiser than me. They don’t let inconveniences bother them; they’re too busy savoring the simple pleasures of life.

Through this experience, I have come to realize that everyone’s life is inevitably affected by thorny and inconvenient situations. These obstacles seem hard to overcome, and sometimes it feels like the only solution is to remove the source of frustration. However, once the problem is removed, it leaves a void – an empty space where the richness and complexity of life used to be.

Wives complain about husbands, husbands complain about wives, and parents complain about their children. These are the common threads that bind us all. We often think how much better our lives would be if we were divorced or our children were grown and out of the house. We bemoan home repairs and vehicle problems while missing the fact that all these things we grumble about are blessings from a good God who delights in giving good gifts to His children. And let’s face it, most of our blessings have gumballs because we live in a thorny world. Now, if you will excuse me, I must go outside and rake the lawn. But this time, I pray it’s with a better attitude.

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