It started on a farm in Jetersville. This is not the largest little town In central Virginia, but this is where the story starts. It was a tree that had grown mighty and tall. But something happened. Was it an act of nature? The edge of man’s chainsaw? Or just the natural time for this tree to fall? I don’t know. But fall it did. The once mighty Black Walnut was down, but not out. It was now ready for the next stage of its journey.
The tree was then taken to a mill where it was sliced, diced, whipsawed, rived, and planked. Some of it made it to the brother of the man who worked the lumber mill’s saw. And from there, the lumber was taken to an artist. An elderly gentleman who saw the value, the possibility, and had a vision of what this Black Walnut could now become.
He shaped, sanded, molded, formed, and artistically formed a beautiful pulpit in the shape of a cross. With extra pieces, he made a wall board (where we would place prayer prompts), a shepherd staff, and a smaller tabletop display of Calvary with three crosses.
That artist passed away, but the beauty of his work remains.
But the journey of the wood still isn’t finished. The smaller display was dismantled and put to another use. The crosses are still crosses, but the base was reworked to be part of my son’s love relationship with his now bride of one week. The wood was taken and made into the boxes that would hold the symbol of their love … the rings.
The boxes were placed in a secure box and escorted down the aisle by the stud of the event … the ring bearer.
A small walnut to a large tree. A large tree to fallen pieces of wood. Wood to planks and slices. Planks to pulpit and more. And from there, to the holder of a young couple’s love.
Lessons of the day … you may feel you are great and mighty, but you are one moment away from falling on the ground. But a setback doesn’t have to be the end.
God is a master artist and as long as you are still around, He can and is still working on you for something that can bring Him glory.
The box seems such a small part of the wedding. But no part is unimportant. They all have significant roles and meanings.
Thank you mighty Black Walnut … for being part of my son’s wedding. Thank you Lord, for never giving up on me and for still working in and on me.
Coming soon … did you know the Black Walnut has a curse, but that curse can teach us a great lesson. Look for this story in a future MuddyShoes.
Muddy Shoes by Todd 
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