Mark and Wendy had a huge rummage sale to raise a little scratch to help defray some of the expenses associated with an adoption forthcoming from Ethiopia. Someone in their community donated this tree. This tree needs lots of room and lots of light none of which ANYBODY at that rummage sale could offer it. Wendy called me to describe such tree with the main selling point being that the pot matched my living room de'cor and I had lots of big windows. She thought that I could give this tree a good home. I thought "well I have always wanted a tree and it IS for a very wonderful cause". So I agreed to buy the tree.
Wendy later described the atrophied state the tree was suffering from. It was all bent over and scrunched up because it hadn't had sufficient space to spread out and grow upwards and realize its full potential as a tree.
When Mark and Wendy brought it over, it was actually worse than I expected. I wish I had gotten pictures of it before Jerry doctored it, but it looked like half a tree, like someone had buzzed the top off. All it's long limbs were curling around itself because it couldn't stretch out. The poor thing was dusty, very thirsty and all gimped up with a crooked trunk.Wendy later described the atrophied state the tree was suffering from. It was all bent over and scrunched up because it hadn't had sufficient space to spread out and grow upwards and realize its full potential as a tree.
We knew we had to get this thing straightened out and hydrated, but how and with what? 
I remembered a small boxfull of LONG boot laces. I can't recall why we had so many. The best part is that they also match the living room and the pot. Well Jerry made it a project of tying some of the branches up off of themselves onto the curtain rod of the sliding glass door. Now it has room to stretch and has lots of sunlight.
Because I don't know what kind of tree this is- the official botanical name, I named it the KARIS TREE. Karis will be the name Mark and Wendy name the baby girl they bring home from Ethiopia. Like my tree, Karis will be given a fresh start to a better life, the opportunity to grow and stretch her arms out to be hugged and loved. She will be given (eternal) life giving water from God's Word and be able to bask in His Sonlight and she will have lots of support to bring her up as His child and she will have her "dust" washed off. So yeah- I think this tree was a good way to spend money at a rummage sale. 
Oh and there was a bonus to this purchase. Jerry found a sea turtle buried in the dirt. His name is Maui.
