I was quite saddened yesterday when I found out (who we now allegedly know as) Harvey Updyke from Dadeville (here on Facebook) had deliberately poisoned the Toomer’s Oaks in Auburn with a Dow Agroscience called Spike 80 DF (PDF of what this chemical is and does) “in retaliation for a 1983 event when Auburn students rolled the trees to celebrate the death of Alabama coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant.”
According to the Paul Finebaum show, (audio of caller is here) he had deliberately poisoned the Toomer’s Live Oaks in Auburn some time prior to the January 27th phone call. The OANews is now reporting on Updyke’s arrest, but the reaction across the Internet from Facebook and Twitter has been almost incalculable (see 16,000+ Toomer’s Tree Hug Saturday Ralley on Facebook for starters).
At the time I heard about this I couldn’t think of a more senseless and baseless act of vandalism that could never be punished to the extent of the damaged caused, especially when you count the hundreds of thousands of Auburn fans that love the Toomer’s Live Oaks. But, once again we can see this is nothing new under the sun. This very same thing happened to the University of Texas in Austin to their Treaty Oak in 1989. While I can’t say it’s the same, it makes me wonder if we at Auburn were destined to repeat this history?
I have a special tree here on my property I sit under and read during the summer, and have blogged about over and over again. If someone purposely had killed that tree it would have been quite upsetting. But for Auburn fans, how do you process something like this, the killing of something so special, something that has such key symbolic significance to Auburn itself? Auburn released a statement yesterday, where the president addressed this question.
We will take every step we can to save the Toomer’s oaks, which have been the home of countless celebrations and a symbol of the Auburn spirit for generations of Auburn students, fans, alumni and the community,” said University President Jay Gogue.
Gogue asked members of the Auburn Family to “continue to be ‘All In’ in upholding its reputation for class” and not allow anger to be expressed inappropriately or undeservedly.
“It is understandable to feel outrage in reaction to a malicious act of vandalism,” Gogue said. “However, we should live up to the example we set in becoming national champions and the beliefs expressed in our Auburn Creed. Individuals act alone, not on behalf of anyone or any place, and all universities are vulnerable to and condemn such reprehensible acts.
I know some crazy fan somewhere is not going to take that to heart but the example, rooted in Auburn’s Creed from 1945 says many great things about class and dignity of fellow people. Of course it doesn’t directly address the issue of forgiveness, (mainly because this is a creed for a secular, publicly funded university, not a religious organization) which is really what is needed here. This could be a huge, long, drawn out, post on the sinful nature of man, how we go about showing forgiveness, and why someone would do such a thing, but in the end, we as Christians are called to love one another as Christ loved the church, and this includes Harvey Updyke of Dadeville.
That means forgiving, without malice in our hearts, knowing all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, not just one man but all of us. We are now given the opportunity to show how a forgiving heart acts and reacts when hurt, even if Updyke is not remorseful or repentant himself.
I assume that now here in Auburn anyway, we can move away from the who done it aspect of the trees and focus more on the preservation or the Toomer’s Oaks or what to do if and when they do die. Here are some photos below I took of the Toomer’s Oaks as they sit today, bathed in bright February sunshine, on a gorgeous day in the south.
I will say that these are just trees. Very special trees When I went down to Toomer’s Corner today it was a zoo. The perspective on what happened in some respect has been totally lost. These are beloved trees that symbolize much of what is great about Auburn, but if we could channel this money, effort, and energy into something productive it would be amazing. Just a thought.
Additional current information related to the post above.
- Harvey Updyke’s Facebook Page in PDF
- Screenshot of Harvey Updyke’s Facebook Page
- List of his Facebook Friends in PDF
- Mug shot as listed on OANews
A Few News Reports on the Topic
- Toomer’s Corner tree poisoning a ‘new low’ in rivalry, national media say
- Toomer’s Corner trees poisoning: Auburn working against odds to save 130-year-old live oaks
- Arrest made in Toomer’s Corner poisoning
- Toomer’s Corner trees poisoning: An arrest reported, a sports world appalled at vandalism
- Despite rivalry, many Bama fans sickened by news of Toomer’s Corner poisoned trees
- Toomers Corner explodes in ecstacy with Auburn national championship win
- Toomer’s Corner rolling celebrates victory (in photos)
- The complete Toomer’s Corner files
- Man arrested for poisoning Toomer’s Corner oaks
- Is This The Alleged Toomer’s Corner Tree Poisoner?
- Man arrested in poisoning of oaks at Toomer’s Corner
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I wanted to do a quick review of the book 90 Minutes in Heaven by Pastor Don Piper and Cecil Murphey because the story is so compelling I couldn’t put the book down (at least until I got about half way through the book). I had this book on my shelf for over a year before I picked it up last Saturday. The story was totally and completely unknown to me before last Saturday and it was simply the time and place for me to read this book, especially with everything going on with Deborah in the last few months.
The story is about a pastor who actually died in a car crash on the way home near Huntsville, Texas, and was then later revived. He goes into as much detail as possible about his visit to Heaven and then his subsequent recovery when God decides to answer the prayers of His people and brings him back to life.
90 Minutes in Heaven, while not a highly theological or doctrinal piece, has an incredible explanation of Heaven and that alone is worth the price of the book. Piper does only spent about 1-2 chapters on his heavenly experience, something I would have enjoyed reading for most of the book, then basically spends the remainder of the book on his arduous recovery. It was still exactly what I needed to read just at that particular time, and for that I’m grateful.
Another book I am currently reading by a different Piper, called Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God by John Piper, is a great book as well, and if I can ever get through the entire book I will post a review as well.
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I started thinking about this a few days ago, but really it has been months now. How often do we read the Ecclesiastes Chapter 3? I know the song (there is always a song), but I rarely read that section of scripture for one reason or another. Basically, there is a time for everything.
I love that. It doesn’t say there is time for everything, it says there is a time for everything.
Where Are You, Where am I
For the purpose of this article, I have it in my head we are all generally in one of three places in our lives. A birth, wedding, or death. As a photographer, I look at other photography sites and usually look at a ton of photos. It isn’t new to me, but if you look closely, I bet a huge huge percentage of photographs taken each year are at one of these events. Maybe not the last, but if you were to quantify photos of a birth (or infants), and images from weddings, it’s huge. We always seem to be in some transition in life, because we usually are moving from one of these areas to the other.
A Birth (Age 0 to about 12)
We are all born, don’t have much choice there, but I consider this time period really from the time of our actual birth until the time of understanding (as I would put it), around age 12. This is a transition period in our life where we are pushing forward to the “wedding”. How much influence is given to us through our parents, our church, our friends. I know many who have been altered for life from events or things that happened to them in this time period.
A Wedding (Age 12 to ????)
A wedding here, is our relationship with Christ. So, in essence, some may never hit this stage, they may go from birth to death. There isn’t a time frame put on this time period in our lives. We look for relationships, we develop some, break others, but we do, if we are breathing, have relationships with other people of some kind. At what point do we make that transition in our relationship with Christ where He is the center focus of our life? It could be at age 15 or age 50, or never, but either way, we are all still moving towards the third stage of our earthly lives. After the wedding day, the time period between the wedding and the death is our maturity. How much do we grow, how much do we learn, teach, understand, and what are we doing to help others move from their birth to their wedding?
A Death (Age ??? to Eternity)
I read something the other day on all these things someone wanted to get accomplished. He used the often used example of if you only had so many days to live, who would you call and say I love you to? His answer was, then you better go do it, now. We don’t like to think about it, or talk about it, or think about talking about it, but it doesn’t change the fact that this stage is on its way for all of us. At some point, we have accomplished what God wants us to get done here, and he will call us home, and it never seems to be at a convenient time for us, we always have things to do. When my mother in law died, she had stacks of pots she was using to replant all her house plants from the Winter months moving into the Spring. She had a lot left to do. As I re-potted her plants I realized, this was no longer on her busy list of things to do.
Where Are We in Our Transition
I think the last stage in our lives can actually come well before our physical death. It comes when we are spiritually dead, or when we can grow no more in our walk. In Philippians we are told to press on to the prize (of heaven).
Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
I think that when we come to a point in our lives where we are resigned to stay where we are, not move ahead and learn and grow we have begun the transition into the process of death. Perhaps it is a long slow process for some, perhaps it is instantaneous when the Lord calls our name. I know for most reading this, we are in between the Wedding and Death stage. There is a song called Pushing Up Daisies and the chorus says:
There’s two dates in time
That they’ll carve on your stone
And everyone knows what they mean
What’s more important
Is the time that is known
In that little dash there in between
That little dash there in between
That is really the point of this post I guess. What are we doing with the little dash there in between?
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There are not many times when you can look at a lost individual and see and feel the anguish they are going through than when a loved lost soul dies. This is what our faith comes down to and why we have a Savior. If you follow the teachings of the Christian faith, and even if you don’t, most know the basis of our faith. Jesus came to live among us, then He was crucified as a sacrifice for our sinful lives, so that we may have everlasting life. Life beyond our decaying bodies of this world, life with Him.
He didn’t just die for a select few, He died for all of us, but those who have not yet come to faith in Jesus are lost to the saving power of Jesus Christ and have no hope in death, only fear. I recently spent a lot of time in a large hospital ICU where over a period of several days, many Believers and lost alike, died. The different reactions that people had to their loses was astounding, and apparent.
The loss of a Believer within a Believing family was certainly one of sadness and grief that this person who blessed many lives that will no longer be around to enhance the lives of those still here. But for the most part, the family members knew and had confidence in the Lord that He would save this person as we are told throughout scripture. The families were sad for their personal loss, and happy for the person who was now in the presence of our Lord.
Then, within hours, to see someone in pure agony and anguish, inconsolable, screaming oh my god, oh my god, over and over from the loss they suffered. I know the fear and anguish is real, and you can feel it. This person has truly been lost to the presence of our Lord, and there is no way to pray the dead person to a belief in Christ. Most times we like to look at the positive in scripture and forget about why and how we got to this point, through sin. When we do this, we often times remove the reasons our Lord came to this earth in the first place. As it is stated in Matthew 7: 20-22, not all who cry out for God will be saved.
Matthew 7
20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
When a group came into the ICU close to where I had been sitting for days, literally screaming in anguish over a friend who was just shot and killed, I felt anguish and sorrow for them. Their screams ripped through me with the understanding of what had just happened and the faith they had come in with. This group of people came into the emergency room with a worldly hope of saving someone, and not long after, they left the ICU without hope, in an uncontrollable state of sorrow and torment.
As they walked out of the hospital without the person they arrived with a few hours earlier, I understood more clearly why Christ came to save us and what He did for us 2000 years ago. He did not die on the cross for our souls to be in torment and sorrow, but to spend eternity in the presence of the Lord. All we have to do is accept His gift to us.
I am glad to have the understanding that this world is not as good as it gets. Christ is the Great Comforter, if we let him.
