Whether one describes it as a shrub or a tree, the Manzanita is perfectly suited for its life in hot, water-stingy climes.
Its leathery leaves, which form a protective canopy over the plant, will tilt during the hottest part of the day, thereby reducing overheating and water loss. Those same leaves are equipped to capture any water droplet and send it directly toward its roots.
Both the smooth mature red bark, which peels away easily, and the marble-like surface underneath provide a quick, proficient, and expedient route by which each drop of water reaches the root without loss. Every water droplet gets to the bottom. No drop is wasted.
Likewise, the berries are good to eat fresh, dried, or ground into meal. Native Americans used the leaves to create medicinal poultices and also used them for toothbrushes. Nothing was wasted.
And while the wood itself is difficult to cure, and prone to cracking, when worked with in small pieces, it can produce some beautiful works, such as the vase shown.
Sometimes we take God’s creation for granted and our place in that creation, and don’t realize the specialness of both.
Matthew 6:28-29 reminds us that flowers, without worry or work, are more beautiful than Solomon’s attire.
Matthew 10:29 tells us that not even the smallest of birds falls without God knowing or caring.
And then the clincher: Matthew 10:30-31––“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Creation shouts God’s involvement and His love.