Skip to content
A Tree Planted By Water
  • Home
  • Writings
  • Quotes
  • Bookshelf
  • About
  • Contact

Themes

Cynicism & Criticism

What it costs to keep a soft heart in a world that keeps giving me reasons to harden it.

The sun breaking through a bank of dark clouds over the ocean at sunrise.
September 20, 2020

A Couple Thoughts on Cynicism

“Beware of cynicism. It’s such a killer. Avoid it like the plague. It will rob you of joy, of fellowship, of faith. It’s not childlike, so don’t develop it.” -Terry Virgo I first read this tweet from Terry Virgo about 7 months ago and it really struck a chord with me. Too bad quotes or…

Close-up of a thorny branch against a soft, blurred background.
October 21, 2017

On Criticism

Criticism: “The expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes.” -Google Definition; “The act of criticizing usually unfavorably.” -Merriam-Webster Definition Criticism has many different contexts and is helpful in some contexts (criticizing literary or artistic works, Biblical criticism, etc). The criticism I am concerned with is under the umbrella of the…

Black and white photo of a sandy path cutting between rows of citrus trees toward a distant tree line.
May 27, 2017

Are you an optimist, a pessimist, or a hopeful realist?

Where am I going with this? I’m pretty sure I didn’t think of the term first, but I want to spend this post talking about why I consider myself neither an optimist or pessimist, but rather a ‘hopeful realist.’ When pessimists defend their position, they will say they’re not pessimists, but realists. That basically implies…

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.”

Jeremiah 17:7, ESV

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 13:14, ESV

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

© 2026 A Tree Planted By Water

Created by Platypus Media

  • Accessibility
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy