PTTS - Post Tramatic Treeplanting Syndrom

Symptoms may include uneasy feelings when near civilization, desire to pee in the nearest green patch, moodswings caused by too much choice, headaches when around stressed out people, difficulty controlling food intake, low enthusiasm when sitting under fluorescent light for 30 minutes or longer, and apathy towards all lesser challenges. Seriously its a real thing, with doctors and stuff.

So I've been home for almost a week since our season ended two weeks early. Which is disappointing that I didn't get my goal but also really ok cause I was good and sick of living in the bush.

Year End Totals

Tree Count: 88,500 tress (just one full week from hitting 100 000)
Best Day: 4,080 tress

Treeplanting has a funny effect that it is tough and brutal when your out there but I actually began to miss it immediately. But a week of being inside enjoying air conditioning and sitting on a couch have really served to dull that desire. Next year I a long ways a way and I'm typically not allowed to plan that far ahead.

I'll conclude this years blogging season with my verse of the summer. James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

~CHAD

Glory Defined

As treeplanters we make jokes about coming out the bush to 'get fame, riches and glory!' None of which are ultimately found here. Some of us even have to got home to questions of whether treeplanting is volunteer work, and worse I get called an environmentalist! But somehow between the blood, sweat and tears epic quotes from wonderful overdoses of testosterone known as movies come up, stuff like Troy and Gladiator. "What we do in this life echos in eternity!" becomes "What we do today we stand for fifty years! Until they cut them down and start over." just lacks the punch the those epic movies have. Maybe that's why there's no expensive studio over about treeplanting. The glory is just fleeting.

Glory: Great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown.

This coupled with my reading of Dr. John Piper's "The Pleasures of God" has lead me to these thoughts. I'll attempt to summarize over a hundred pages of heavy theology briefly. God is happy. God takes joy in his Son, in Himself, in his great name and in his glory. God's glory is of infinite value. Amazing how belittle God's name and his work and abilities. And his still takes great joy in saving us, but since we have dishonored that which is the most precious and honorable to God (his glory), so to reconcile these two seemingly conflicted desires, he sent Jesus to the cross that the mockery of his glory might be paid for and he might save and redeem sinners. (that totally doesn't do justice to this idea and is probably way to much in one paragraph anyway) But God's glory is awesome. And all of our(my) silly ideas of getting glory really fall flat in light of God's supreme glory.

It struck me as I was sitting my Kinuseo Falls, just watching and listening to the awesome power of this waterfall that God created, God speaking the idea came to mind. "Yeah its nice but I was imagining better, sin's kind of put a damper on it, just wait until you see my full glory in after I redeem the Earth."

~CHAD

Oh they brought the rain.

Now I remember one of my first blog post said something to the effect of 'Bring the Rain' (which I figured out is a quote from transformers asking for a air strike.) But it started raining 40 hours ago and it hasn't stopped.

So much that the roads to the blocks are not worth risking to drive down, so we have a forced day off.

So much that the dry creek bed on the way to our tents is full

So much that people with cheap tents or bad spots got flooded.

So much that the bridge on said creek bed is underwater

So much that it made the fallen log I tried to cross on last night so slippery that I fell of and got to wade through a stream nearly up to my waist.

So much that I have new respect for the dudes in Lord of the Rings that had to wade across streams on their journey because well it sucks.

~CHAD

Beautiful Agony

This was the week that treeplanters live for. The week we finally got the chance to pound all week and get big numbers. I put in 12 000 trees this week. Really blew me out and exhausted me. This is a very welcome weekend.

Some one randomly texted me asking me what it takes to be a great treeplanter. Since I didn't know the number and it cost me money to text I decided to answer their question here. (if it was you please comment)(yes you can comment even if you don't have a blog.)

To be a great treeplanter takes 4 ingredients.

1 - The Right Kind of Crazy. clearly anyone willing to live in a tent for this long and do this job is not quite normal, so a little different is required.

2 - Motivation. A lot of people are motivated by money, I'm not. My motivation is typically competition and the fear of failure.

3 - Determination. Only slightly different than motivation but still important. The inability to quit is a must for the would be treeplanter.

4 - Ridiculously High Pain Tolerance. Not just being able to take the cuts and scrapes, but being willing to charge through bushes and keep going when your knees hurt and your body is thristy and tried. And to be able to emotionally endure the stresses of camp and crew life.

Other things that have been super helpful are things my dad impressed upon me since when I was tiny.

"Rule number one. NO WHINING"

"Krahn's never give up!"

~CHAD