Thankful for God's Tree Removal Service...

Have you ever had to get a tree removed from your property?  Well, if you have you can really comiserate with this story. We have lived at our current house about 6 years.  When we first bought the property there were two large oaks right on either side of the front walkway - both planted by the family who had lived here almost a century.  We really didn't want to get rid of them, but almost immediately after we moved in one of them started looking sick - so we called a tree doctor.  There's a doctor for everything now adays!  He told us that it had a disease and that before the year was out, the tree would be dead.  Sure enough, the doctor was right - the tree was very dead by the end of the year. The only thing green on it was the ivy that covered the trunk. It was really kinda sad... but what was even more sad - (we are talking real big huge tears and gut wrenching sobs sad) was the estimate that we got to remove the tree.  Unbelievable!  They wanted $1200 . . . for one tree!

Of course, with 6 children we pinch pennies every week just to buy enough laundry soap and milk... so the tree was just going to have to wait. You see our big concern was that the tree overlooked a major street, was only a few feet from the front of our house, and was directly across the street from our little post office.  Well, several years had gone past, and the tree was beginning to fall apart. We really didn't know what to do - so, we just prayed - and asked God to take care of it . . .somehow.  Funny thing - every time it would rain - and that dead wood would soak up the water - another limb would fall.  Somehow, every time a limb would fall it always seemed to land in a safe spot.  Yet, our concern was growing.  What if a strong wind blew it right over on a car - or the post office - or even our house?  But by now there really wasn't much left to the tree as far as limbs go...  but keep in mind - it was still a great big old oak.

Taken in 1950 - see how small the trees are?

Well, to finish up my story - just a while ago in the middle of the night there came up a really big storm - a wind so strong that it was blowing against the wall by our bed so hard I thought it had to be a tornado.  Then we heard a huge sound - and knew a tree had fallen somewhere.  I bet you know where we looked first!  And sure enough, there it was laid out as pretty as you please right between the school buses and the post office. We couldn't believe it! Yet even as we watched some little black sportscar came speeding up the street and ran right into it and then turned around and drove off. People are so weird! Almost immediately a deputy sheriff was there directing trafic and then the county road service came and sawed it up and carried it away. When it was daylight we went out to see what else needed done, and can you believe that it didn't even turn up the ground around the base of the tree? It was like God just took it and laid it over, and sent the county workers to clean it up.  There was nothing left but a few little twigs. Wow - God's tree removal service. We were absolutely amazed.

The tree in question is the one on the right

These days there seems to be a whole lot of things in our lives just like this dead tree.  Things we have no control over - no ability to change - and have to just trust God that He will take care of it.  The tree is gonna help me remember for a long time that God really does care - God will take care of every situation that we are facing.  We don't know how or when He will do it - it may take years - but He has it under control.  If you are facing something that you cannot imagine a way out or even a solution - just step back and give it to God.  He created you - He knows you better than you know yourself - trust Him with it. Lay it at His feet and rest in Him.  You may be suprised at how He handles it for you!