Brenda’s Blog – February 22, 2022
“It shocked me to see the interior of that gnarly piece of wood.”
I love wood – the smell, the look, the craftsmanship which it encourages – I love wood.
Do you know what a burl is? Have you ever noticed a deformity on a tree that looked like a tumor growing on the exterior? That could be a burl. They grow as a response to a wound, an injury, or infestation. It is the tree’s natural response to an offense.
Woodworkers value them for the patterns which exhibit when they are properly excised from the tree and then opened up with their saws. Startling beauty emerges which is highly sought for veneers, decorative pieces, or classic design.
Burls go from grotesque to gorgeous.
Another example of this principle is a geode. Have you ever gone to a science museum and oohed and aahed at the colorful crystals inside gray, unremarkable stones? “How can something so ugly on the outside be so beautiful inside?” That was the question from my young daughter?
Do you ever feel the wounds of the world? Do you feel the weight of carrying these burdens created by injury, or infestation? Take heart. Your emotional or spiritual burl may be the find for the Master Craftsman who will apply His tools and form you into something glorious for His work.
Do you sometimes think of yourself as invisible, or ordinary? Think of the shining crystalline interior which will be exposed when the right artist strikes at just the right angle, opening your beauty to the world.
The next time you drive past a tree and are almost repulsed by the giant knobs sticking out. They are burls with interior treasure. Smile and give thanks for this wonderful secret!