How Many Pine Cones are too Many?

We have a dozen White Pine trees in our back yard along the fence line to our paddock. These were here when we moved in and are probably at least fifty years old, according to when the house was built, and reach approximately 80 to 100 feet into the air. We did lose one through a straight-line windstorm about seven years ago and were thankful it only broke the wooden fence, and no further damage was found, except for the massive cleanup. There are times they sway back and forth in intense winds, and it is a little daunting, yet also a soothing sound. Not too long ago while I was outside feeding our horses, I looked up at the top of one of these majestic pine trees and noticed that the very top was loaded with pinecones. Though we are constantly seeing them on the ground, tripping on them and mowing over them, this was a new vantage point for me. My first thought was, wow, those branches are loaded, and the second one was, how many pine cones are too many, and who makes that decision?

Pine cones are used in numerous ways by humans. As we so often do, we use our creativity incorporating anything and everything that we can find that is pleasing to us individually. Pine cones are one of these precious commodities. They are used in scents for air fresheners and candles and the pine needles are used to make a delicious tea also. The pine cones are used extensively as decorative pieces, especially around Christmas time. They are displayed in baskets and often covered with a delicious cinnamon scent. The cones are intertwined and incorporated into door swags and wreaths and even used as centerpieces to create a beautiful table setting that brings a little bit of woodsy nature, indoors. However, this is not their main purpose for existing.

The pine cone is part of the reproductive system of the pine tree and its main function is to protect the pine tree’s seeds and keep them safe from the elements or creatures such as squirrels or birds that would like to feast on them. They also protect the seeds from cold temperatures and wind, by closing their scales protectively around them. They belong to a group of plants called gymnosperms. A characteristic of this group is that their seeds are not enclosed by an ovary, therefore they are very vulnerable to outward stimuli. They open their scales when the conditions are right, one being warm weather, for germination and fertilization. Conifers can produce both male and female cones, sometimes on the same tree, but the cones we most normally see and are familiar with, are the females, filled with seeds. The male is ridiculously small in comparison, only about one to two inches long, exceptionally soft, and covered with pollen sacs and has less longevity. This pollen drifts through the air and finds the female cones and fertilizes them. They are also the culprit of the yellow film of pollen we see on everything outside, at least in Tennessee, every spring. Though I am fortunately not allergic to it, I am not a fan either.

The female cone is hardy and is designed to last until all the seeds are dispersed and can stay on the tree for more than ten years storing their seeds, awaiting maturity, before falling. However, dry weather and drought like conditions can cause the cones to fall prematurely. Each scale of the cone can have two seeds, and there are multiple scales on a pine cone as we know. Therefore, one pinecone can have the potential of reproducing numerous, new pine trees. Once the scales open, seeds are fertilized and dropped. Most tiny pine trees begin with the seeds from the pine cones blown by the wind, fertilized by the pollen from the male also traveling on the breeze. The cone can go through a process of opening and closing its scales multiple times within its lifetime. Birds and squirrels can also distribute the seeds in other areas, if they have ingested, then eliminated them. Various species of pines, like the Pinyon Pine, have delicious, plump, edible seeds that not only animals enjoy, but humans as well, that are known as Pine Nuts. Filled with nutritional value, they are often sold as a health food. Then there are other species, like the Jack Pine that need the heat from a hot, fast fire to be able to open and release their seeds. This is often how the forest becomes repopulated. After a forest fire has destroyed all the living trees, these fire climax cones which are storing fertilized eggs make their grand debut. God’s creation is no less than amazing.

I recall a conversation I overheard amongst my daughters a couple of years ago. They were discussing the question of, what age are you considered to be a spinster? This question was prompted by the fact that we had moved to Tennessee, where they seem to get married right out of high school, and coming from Indiana, where they wait a little longer to wed. They did not produce a final number, but they concluded that maybe it was between thirty and forty years old. None of them married right after high school, and we still have one remaining unwed who is now in her late twenties. That is simply fine with me personally, because she has not met her Mr. Right yet. Who makes the rules? Who sets the number? Is there an answer to this question? Google states, so it must be true, that an unmarried woman is a spinster after childbearing age, or around age forty. However, there are women who can have children after forty, but we know that medically, there can be issues with this, especially if it is your first child. Historically, google continues, women married at around twenty years of age, and therefore were thought of as a spinster at age twenty-five. I guess you could just choose your own number.

Speaking of children, reproduction education along with anatomy and biology begins in seventh grade or before, and we continue to build our understanding of these topics as we mature. We know from our studies and life experiences, that each human on the face of the earth grows and matures at their own pace, though those in the medical field do try to study patterns as to set a basic scale of what normal may be. This allows them to treat those who may fall noticeably short or who may far exceed those norms, in case of gross abnormalities. This is all admirable, however, when it comes to marriage and reproduction, and having children of our own, who makes the rules? How many children should you have and at what age should you have them? No one can decide this for you but you. Notwithstanding in a dictatorship, there have been rules set to limit the number of children a family could have. In the 1970’s China made this rule of only one child per family, but as of 2015, they can now have two per family, and are penalized if they do not stay within this quota. However, thankfully, we are not subject to those laws.

To desire to have children is a normal sentiment of almost every woman. That is one of her main purposes in life, and she is already guarding seeds for reproduction in her ovaries, for this joyous occasion. However, as we studied the pine cone, we saw that they must reach a certain maturity before they open their cone to allow the seeds to be fertilized. Certain conditions must be met, as in warm weather and a steady summer breeze that blows the pollen and the seeds to the same destination for fertilization. Each one is unique and has a varying number of scales which all hold seeds. Therefore, no two will be alike or produce the same amount of small pine trees. This analogy holds true in humankind as well. We must acknowledge before we continue, that we know there are those who may for physical or medical reasons may not be able to have a child, however, there are multiple ways that they can participate in parenthood and the nurturing of a child. Physically we are all Gods’ creation, Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.”  God did not take a cookie cutter and start making humans. Mankind, not just you alone, were given the command to be fruitful and multiply in scripture, so you don’t have to go as crazy as a pine cone, however, all joking aside, we must not panic when we turn a certain age and have not married, had children, have our dream job, or conquered the world like so and so has or did at that age. We are all created unique; therefore, our life story will be unique and different, and that is quite all right.

Reproduction is extremely important to God both physically and spiritually. Everything in His creation was created both male and female, with the ability to reproduce. For this very reason homosexuality is an abomination to God because it goes against nature, His creation, and has no ability to reproduce. Anything that goes against God is sin. Leviticus 18:22 commands, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination.” And Leviticus 20:13 continues, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” In Genesis 18:20 God tells Abraham he was going to destroy the cities that his nephew Lot lived in, “And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous.”  Their sin was what is known as Sodomy now, and the cities were destroyed with fire and brimstone, because they would not repent and change their wicked ways. In the New Testament, Romans 1:27-28 says, “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” And 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 tells us, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” These are just a few examples to show how serious God is about his creation acting appropriately and functioning as they were created to do. Male and female are equal in God’s sight, but we are created different, with a distinct purpose. I will also add here, that as for any sin, which is an infraction against the commands and the word of God, there is absolute forgiveness for this also. God is no respecter of persons, and there is no hierarchy of sin.

Spiritually we must also produce offspring. Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Paul refers to Timothy as his spiritual son in 1 Timothy 1:2, “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” In his earthly ministry, Jesus expected fruit from the fig tree that had the appearance of fruitfulness, Matthew 21:18-21 it states, “Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” The point was that if you are a fruit tree you need to be producing fruit, however, Jesus did turn this curse, into a lesson on faith, when the disciples questioned him.

In John 15:4-9 Jesus taught his disciples about being fruitful. How to be fruitful, and the significance it has, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” To be able to be fruitful, we must remain on the vine, receiving nourishment from the source. The reason for fruitfulness is for God to be continually glorified. Reproduction is His desire and by His design. Therefore His creation is riddled with it.

In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Acts 2:46-47 the disciples fulfilled the teachings of Jesus, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” James 5:20 shows the why of us reproducing spiritually and making disciples of others unto the Lord. “Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.” Because God is the Creator, He could say, “Let there be’ and He could make anything He wanted whenever He wanted, but He has put the laws of nature into place, and we are now given the job of reproducing physically and spiritually in accordance with His command. This brings Him Glory when He sees His creation working according to His design. The earth He made was so good, that He wanted it to perpetuate itself and continue from generation to generation, as is His desire for the Church. He wants it to be continually moving forward, growing, and thriving from generation to generation.

God is all about progress, production, and forward motion. Luke 9:62 states, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  Keep going, do not turn back, chances are by the time you are exhausted you are probably so close to the finish line you can throw a pebble and hit it. The phrase ‘go ye’ is found in the bible 1189 times, and the topic ‘go forth’ is found 410 times. Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds.” Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” It would be a shame for us to plant a field and then give up the next day because we still do not see anything growing. There is a ‘due season’ and a gestational period for everything in the creation, but we must be patient. The pine cone could be on the tree for ten years, but when the time is right, she will progenerate many little pine saplings.

Another thing to keep in mind, so as not to become weary and discouraged, is that God does not count success as humankind sees it. His numbering system is far more superior to ours. He multiplies when we are just adding and he divides when we think subtraction is the answer. We can sow a couple of seeds of the Word and see great dividends. Matthew 13:23 states, “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” The disciples experienced this in the Book of Acts. Acts 6:7 says, “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Acts 9:31 testifies, “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” Acts 12:24 says, “But the word of God grew and multiplied.” We are still a part of the Book of Acts church. There has been no closing chapter written as yet.

When we put God first, he blesses us beyond what we could ever imagine. There may be fire and adverse situations to go through, as with the Jack Pine, but he becomes the hero who repopulates the forest. Matthew 19:29 tells us, “And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Mark 6:41 shows us how he can provide, “And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and break the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.” Jesus fed five thousand men that day, not including women and children.God wants this for everyone, that is why he wants us to reproduce. 2 Peter 3:9-11 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” It is safe to say, we should allow Him to be the mathematician in our lives and wait upon his timing.

How many pine cones should be on the tree and for how long should they stay? There is no competition between the trees or heated discussions of how many or how long, going on in my back yard that I have seen or heard. The trees produce the cones as they mature and the cones open and allow her seeds to be fertilized as she matures, and then the cycle begins again. Psalm 139:13 tells us, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.” God has preserved us for such a time as this, as Esther stated of her own journey. We are navigating this thing called life, moving forward to maturity, and it is not a ‘one size fits all,’ it is tailor made for each of us by the Master designer. We must trust His timing, His math, and His way. Whether it is physically or spiritually, in our homes, marriages, childbearing or childrearing, our jobs or churches we must allow him to bring His will to fruition. No matter what our question may be, He knows the right timing. Romans 11:33 declares, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”  Go forth today and be productive within your capacity, your ability, and your maturity level today, and that will make the heart of God smile. Next time you see a pine cone, be gentle with her, she may still be protecting her seeds for the appointed time.