A Green Olive Tree

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psalm 52:8 (Or 51:10 Septuagint)

This has been one of my favorite Bible verses for about 20 years, so it seems doubly appropriate to put alongside the picture of olive trees and daffodills in front of my church. Olive trees always make me glad, and I haven't thought enough about why. I don't like olives, but olive oil has been a staple throughout the world from antiquity, and when I look at the trees I feel my connection to all the people who have been nourished by them for thousands of years. Not only that, but the trees are known for their longevity in fruitfulness, a gift of God that I covet.

This morning the sun was shining when I came out from Matins, and I was ready with my camera. Everything was sparkling from all the rain, and there were the tiniest baby green leaves on shrubs, which of course could not be captured in any way--but they were what prompted me to look in my purse to find my camera.

You can see that some daffodills are hanging their heavy heads down because they couldn't drink fast enough.