Friday, January 26, 2018



CONSIDER THE YAUPON
by Julie Lavender



Tucked under layer after layer, I braved the just-below freezing temperatures for another winter’s walk. My hubby didn’t require quite as many layers; he’s braver than me.

My little corner of the deep-south had already seen more frigid weather in the few short days of 2018 than the entire winter season just last year.



The green shrub bedecked with red splotches caught my eye, and I first thought it was a holly bush. Closer inspection, though, told me it wasn’t, and I sequestered my biologist husband for an explanation.

“Ilex vomitoria,” said David.

“Ew. Does it mean what I think it does?”

“Yep. We’ll look it up when we get home.”












The Yaupon


This beautiful evergreen plant with its brilliant red fruit is more commonly called 'yaupon' and comes from the same family as the ornamental holly often used in Christmas decorations.







Food for many



The translucent berries ripen in late fall, but cling to the branches throughout the winter and early spring, making them a great food source for a variety of birds. Sometimes armadillos, black bears, gray foxes, raccoons, and skunks nibble the berries, and white-tailed deer snack on the leaves and small branches. 







Ewwww


Still, that didn’t answer the whole ‘vomit’ part of the scientific name, so I dug further in my research. My hubby thought he remembered the answer from his school days, but we looked it up to be sure.  





Turns out, the plant that grows mostly in the south, from Maryland down to parts of Florida and across to Texas and Oklahoma, was often used by Native Americans to brew a ceremonial tea, called ‘black drink.’ The leaves and stems bear emetic properties when brewed and resulted in regurgitation.




Native Americans dispensed the brew to induce vomiting for medical reasons and for use during purification ceremonies.


Brilliant red fruit                                

                          and

                                   new life                                                                                            





Such a beautiful bush – lush green leaves that boast life during the otherwise barren winter time, garnished with bright red berries throughout – with a name that rolls off the tongue in a rather grotesque way.




God calls me to consider the yaupon shrub and reminds me of the wooden cross that held his Son so many years ago. The blood of Jesus, splattered on that tree, makes me pure and gives me new life.







A simple, “Yes, Jesus; I believe” purifies me, no ceremony required.







I like the common name, ‘yaupon,’ much better than the scientific one. But the visual reminder of Jesus’ blood stains on His cross, my life-giving tree, remains the same by any name.


What about you? Did you see anything unusual on your winter walk with God this week? 

Was there one of God's creations specifically that reminded you of new life with Christ?

Let me know in the comments below about your walk with God; I plan to pray for each step of your journey along the way.









4 comments:

  1. Julie, this is such a wonderful blog post! This is my first time visiting your blog, and I love how you connect nature with your testimony in such a beautiful and simple way. I've never heard of this tree, but it sounds beautiful—especially after your comparison to the Cross.

    I didn't really see anything particularly unusual this week, but a comparison similar to this did come to me late one evening. I was lying in bed—a little lonely and sad—and I moved my hand to readjust my pillow. I guess there was some electic currents (or whatever the scientific term would be) in my blankets or something, so when I touched my pillow, it shocked me. I don't know if you've ever been shocked in the pitch black darkness of midnight, but it creates a spark of light. After seeing that spark, I could feel as I was filled with such love and peace from God. That spark is exactly what God does in our lives daily. No matter how much darkness (sadness, loneliness, pain, etc) is surrounding us in our walk, God can create a spark of light out of it. God can create light in a world suffocated by darkness. And that was just such a beautiful, simple, and reassuring thought for me.

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  2. Oh my gosh, Tamara, your spark story is simply beautiful!!! (I hope you've written this up as a devotional and submitted it somewhere for publication?) That's a perfect analogy of God's comfort in our darkness! I just LOVE it! Thank you so much for sharing - I just really appreciate these words today.

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  3. How interesting your post is, as well as educational. And best of all is your analogy of God's provision for purifying us.
    You so tactfully explained this oddly named plant.
    My walk in this past week included saying goodbye to a third family member in the past two weeks. Then I got word this morning that my dear Aunt Bertha might we leaving us very soon. I must say though that these days have been more joy-filled than sad. Each of these precious people were (& is) in their 80s and have enjoyed full lives. They have each been ravaged by age related maladies, involving pain and very low quality of life. BUT, they've each been covered by the blood of Jesus and have the glorious promise of Eternal Life. Repeatedly, I've been saying, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Psalm 116:15.
    Thanks for asking.

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    1. Wow, Connie, you've had quite a grief-filled season already in this New Year! I am sorry for the sadness of losing family members, and so many so close together, but it's precious that you know they are now pain-free, malady-free in the presence of their Lord and Savior! What a celebration they must be experiencing. I pray that God comforts you as you continue to walk through the days of grief that are ahead of you. Blessings, and thanks so much for commenting!

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