This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Tree Quote, Part 2
Oct
25
2010
Some of you may recall last week’s post about the bid for tree removal.
We were going to have a tree felled because it was
- dead,
- leaning over the garage,
- and almost scraping the power lines
If it fell, it would have crushed one end of the garage (where all my tools are, and storage boxes – no cars are in the garage) and knocked out the power (leaving live power lines on my yard). That’s why we wanted to hire professionals, and that’s why it was going to be a few hundred dollars (what with the bucket truck and all).
Here’s how it looked before (a few years ago, but you get the idea):
Notice how the tree leans over the utility pole and the garage. The tree intersects the utility pole right at the top of the pole, and it was mere inches from the wires. And then it continued over the garage roof.
I called the tree-service people early last week, they came out and looked at it, gave us the quote, and we settled on a day for them to come back and do the work.
The morning of the Big Tree Removal Day, I went to my car to leave for work, like any other day. Except this day, I glanced back over the garage to look at the tree one last time.
It had fallen during the night.
There had been a wind storm, with a bit of rain mixed in.
I have been in that house over 10 years. That’s more than 3652.5 days. The one day that I picked for that tree to be removed, and the tree picks that day to fall.
I called the tree service people and told them we no longer needed them. Probably about an hour before they were going to head over.
The best part is that nothing was damaged. It fell backwards into the neighbors yard. It didn’t touch the wires going to the house. It didn’t touch the garage. I don’t know how it fell the direction opposite that of how it was leaning.
Well, I do know – God pushed it that way.
Using the wind, probably.
I don’t remember praying for that specifically. so I can’t point to the tree as a direct answer to a specific prayer. I certainly did pray about it afterward – thanking God for His protection. And I did discuss it during the kids’ bedtime prayers. It’s nice to have so obvious an example. I just need to find more everyday examples to discuss with the kids.
Here’s how the tree looks now:
And if you’re interested in how the pole looks:
Notice how much the stump of the tree is leaning. That gives an idea of how the tree was angled over the garage.
And a before-after comparison:
I, the LORD, am its keeper;
I water it every moment
So that no one will damage it,
I guard it night and day.
Isaiah 27:3
This little article thingy was written by Some Guy sometime around 6:19 am and has been carefully placed in the Life category.
October 25th, 2010 at 7:33 am
Tree Removal Service – $700
God’s Removal Service – $0
Awesome!
October 25th, 2010 at 10:44 am
I love this! God does work in mysterious ways, and He cares about all facets of our lives. I think that picture of the stump showing which way the tree had been leaning is wonderful, because it truly shows how it had to be God that pushed the tree the opposite way! This made me smile.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
That’s tree-mendous.