Only God Can Unmake a Tree

American author Joyce Kilmer wrote his most famous poem in 1913. “Poems are made in fools like me, but only God can make a tree.”

People who don’t believe the Biblical account that “in the beginning God made the heavens and the earth” set a thorny remit. How can the theory (because it is merely a theory and not a fact) of evolution explain why there are so many different varieties of trees? Evolution purports that species evolve into the best of each type. Wouldn’t the best kind of a tree be one with fruit to feed people? Or nuts for animals? So why pine trees, fir trees, palm trees, mesquite trees, Joshua trees, and the rest of the 73,300 species in the world?

The big bang theory is laughable; explosions don’t create—they destroy. And if a big bang did create a tree—again—why 73,300 types; trees with white bark, brown bark, pink bark, rainbow bark, grey bark. Tall trees, small trees—trees that are evergreen, trees that lose their leaves in the winter, trees that thrive in the desert, trees that grow in tropical forests.

Joyce Kilmer was inspired when he wrote the truth: “only God can make a tree.”

God is also the only One who can unmake a tree. People can cut trees down and use them for lumber, for furniture, or for firewood. They can dig them up by the roots and discard them. But these human actions do not unmake a tree. Trees that are cut down often spring up again around the stumps. Seeds dropped by the trees launch themselves up out of the soil.

Humans cannot make a tree. Humans cannot unmake a tree.

An extinct medicinal tree scientists hope holds the cure for cancer was successfully grown from a 1,000-year-old seed in Israel. Seven date palm trees from 2,000 year-old seeds found in the desert near Jerusalem have grown into a lovely oasis.

Humans cannot define, find, or duplicate the spark of life God put into a tree. Nor can they eliminate it. They cannot unmake a tree.

“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches.” Job 14:7

God created us. He makes, heals, and restores us. He grows and matures us into what we are and what we become. Equally, God unmakes us. He removes selfishness, unkindness, anger, hate, and greed and replaces them with His love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy.

Books are written by fools like me, but only God can make a tree—or a human.

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Moss Blooms – Elephants Don’t

While walking our collie dog, I was astonished to see blooms on clumps of moss growing on rock fences. I never knew moss bloomed. The fragile spear-topped stalks opened up miniature magic for viewing—a minuscule journey into a tiny parallel world.

And I thought: moss blooms. Elephants don’t. Yet both reproduce their kind and exist on this beautiful wide planet that God made. And that’s the point.

The theory of evolution cannot explain this wonder, nor can the big bang theory. But God? The infinite and precise creations of an intelligent Creator with a design and a plan—that explains it. How can anyone study the miniature world of a clump of moss and touch an elephant—and believe they were haphazard happenings. That takes more faith than I have.

I looked up moss blooms. Scientists say they are not actually blooms, and moss does not have flowers. They have an explanation; the “blooms” are spores. Spores are not seeds and produce no flowers.

But many of these same scientists also discount creation and herd academics and anyone else they can bend to fit into their agendas into accepting their theories of a big bang and evolution. I will stick to moss blooms and elephants.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:1

Amazon.com: Stephanie Parker McKean: books, biography, latest update

Moss Blooms – Elephants Don’t

And I thought: moss blooms. Elephants don’t. Yet both reproduce their kind and exist on this beautiful wide planet that God made. And that’s the point.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:1

Amazon.com: Stephanie Parker McKean: books, biography, latest update

When I Didn’t Know You, God

You were always there, God, and yet, there was a time I didn’t know you through the love of my mother’s arms,

And I didn’t smell you in the wonder of the first summer rose.

You were always there, God, but there was a time I didn’t hear you in the whisper of the leaves above my head,

And I didn’t feel You in the touch of animal fur beneath my fingers.

You were always there, God, and yet, there was a time I didn’t taste Your sweetness in hymns and Christmas carols,

Nor did I see You in the very things You created.

How could I not know You through the wonder of the senses You gave me with which to experience Your creation?

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Christmas & Duckbill Platypuses

Hidden along riverbanks in Australia is an animal that proves God has a sense of humor. God had fun making a duckbill platypus. How else can one explain an egg-laying mammal with a flat, almost comical bill, white patches under its eyes, a torpedo-like body, webbed front feet, and a paddle-like tail?

Some people envision God as stern and judgmental. They forget that He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die in our place that we might receive the gift of forgiveness and everlasting life—and the gift of joy. Psalm 16:11 says that in God’s presence is fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore, and that God will comfort those who mourn, give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of mourning.

We serve a joyful Jesus. Jesus said, “I come to you and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” John 17:13.

We celebrate Baby Jesus coming into the world on Christmas. But Baby Jesus came to earth from heaven to die on the cross in our place, then rise from the dead to demonstrate to us that we have eternal life in Him. Before Jesus came to this earth through Virgin Mary, He created. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life…”

I’m so glad Jesus created the duckbill platypus to prove that He is a fun God, that He has a sense of humor, and that He breathes joy into His creation.

Mistaken

bannana in sun

For the past two years I’ve seen a lovely child in our neighborhood, and each time I’ve seen her I’ve thought that she would make a stunning character for a book with her striking cobalt blue eyes framed by a sleek curtain of dark smoke-brown hair. Except…her eyes are not blue.

Had I written her in a book, her eyes would have been blue. Had I described her to the police for some reason, her eyes would have been blue. Had I painted a portrait of her from memory, her eyes would have been blue. But they are not blue.

I was shocked recently when I met her and realized that her eyes are an astonishingly deep, dark brown that I’ve never seen in eye color before—almost like dark chocolate, except deep and shining. I actually asked her mother if her eyes had changed color. They hadn’t. It was me. I had been mistaken.

At one time, I did not believe in God. I was every bit as certain that God did not exist as I was that the little girl in our neighborhood had blue eyes. I was mistaken.

God’s name is shouted throughout creation from the seed that grows into a vibrant flower to the stars in the universe. We can plant flowers. We can study flowers. We can engineer new colors and graft fruit trees—but only God can make a seed.

We can build telescopes. We can study stars and planets and name them. But only God can create them.

We can train doctors, and nurses, and scientists, and treat patients for disease or injuries—but only God walking on earth ever defeated death by rising from the dead.

I used to not believe in God. I was mistaken.

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Seeing God

spider web

For years people have asked, “How can you believe in God when you can’t see Him?

And yet, God can be seen. He created heaven and earth and everything in them. God can be seen in the sky. He can be seen in the sea. He can be seen in the petal of a flower. God can be seen in a person’s eye and the wing of a dove. He can be seen in every mountain and every valley; all creation is His and exists because of Him. There is nothing made on this earth that does not carry the signature of God—even human inventions. God created man and woman in His image. He gave them intelligence, wisdom and creativity. Every label sewn into a human-made creation bears the mark of God under it.

With recent events in the world, all eyes and hearts should turn to God. Every excuse of, “I don’t believe in God because I can’t see Him,” should be wiped clean. An invisible virus that causes sickness, death, and destruction brought the world to a standstill. Here in Scotland, we have been under a lockdown since the last week of March. It is now May 11.

People believe in Covid-19. They can’t see it. They should believe in God. They can see Him. The invisible virus brings destruction. The visible God brings life.

As always, the choice is ours.

seal

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Misplaced Planet

moon fortrose 2

The headline first thing in the morning made me want to go back to bed, cover up my head, and let the rest of the world go by. Being claustrophobic and unwilling to cover up my head at any time—I stayed up to vent in this blog.

“Our Planet is in the Wrong Place.” Really? The Lord God Who created heaven and earth, who hung the earth on nothing, and who put everything into orbit made a mistake? I don’t think so.

Atheists and scientists endeavor to explain the creation of the world through various theories that deny “in the beginning God,” but they come up empty. A watch is made with a pattern, skill, and purposeful action. Put the parts into a box and they simply won’t assemble themselves no matter how much pressure, time, or exertion goes into waiting for them to evolve. Blow a watch up with a big bang and good luck finding the pieces.

Our collie puppy is ten months old. She’s a beautiful dog and has all the right parts—except one. Her pancreas is too small. She has Epi, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and because she has that she must take enzymes every time she eats for the rest of her life. Just one malfunctioning body part and our collie pup’s life hangs in the balance. If just one part of the anatomy is vital to the survival of a life, how can anyone imagine that life just happened with no intelligent design or Designer. “In the beginning God created” explains how we got here on this beautiful planet that has a perfect orbit and is the perfect distance from the sun for life to exist.

Our planet is in the wrong place? No, but some people’s heads are in the wrong place.

Worth the Fight

My newest book, “Pirate Hole Murders,” should have been out two weeks ago. Wait. Wait. I hate waiting. Most people do.

Finally the imminent release day…more waiting. Because I had shared five Facebook posts with strong language about New York’s evil abortion law allowing abortion up until birth, I got locked out of Facebook. Facebook supports liberal agenda and is hostile toward conservative and Christian values. Google too, which is why I use Yahoo as much as possible. Google worked the lockout with Facebook, and all but the most recent emails disappeared.

The impasse lasted nearly two days, and because of the difficulty of retrieving cover art from the missing emails publication of “Pirate Hole Murders” was further delayed. But when it was released, it made it to #15 on Amazon’s UK site immediately.

Some things are worth fighting regardless of the consequences. Abortion is one of them. I am honored to have been singled out for my stand against abortion. And had my Facebook and email accounts remained locked, “Pirate Hole Murders” would still have been released in spite of additional waiting because it had prayer support. Ultimately, God is in control. He is from everlasting to everlasting and is immune to time.

God creates us. God hates murder. Psalm 139:13 says, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” No one—no sex, no religion, no culture, no one—has the right to murder the humans God creates in the womb where they are the most defenseless and deserve the most protection.

When the lockout of Facebook was lifted, the first thing I shared was another post against the evil of the new NY law. Some things are worth the fight.