Here are few verses from Eccles. 3:2-8 (the Message)
"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: A right time for birth and another for death, a right time to plant and another to reap, a right time to kill and another to heal . . .a right time to hold on and another to let
go . . ."
We moved into Grandma Stevens' homestead almost fifty years ago. This farmhouse was nestled on a hill and surrounded with gigantic trees that had been planted by Bill's grandmother. One-by-one, over the years, we've had to cut many down.
The first to go was a massive Sugar Maple tree directly off the side porch. Its limbs shaded the entire side yard. When we build a garage - it had to come down. I cried.
Then, we had a row of scrubby pine trees that lined one side of our gravel driveway. They were spaced about 12 feet apart and provided a perfect frame for our woodpile. A wind storm split them up and they had to be cut down.
In the front yard, there was a humongous Horse Chestnut tree. Gathering chestnuts was one of our boys' favorite things to do in the fall. They'd collect buckets full, then they'd bring them inside to wash and polish them. I can still remember how the entire tree would hum with the sound of bees collecting nectar from its canopy of blossoms. Occasionally, we'd get bonked on the head by a thorny chestnut. Another storm damaged that tree and we had to take that down.
Hulking Ponderosa Pines lined the opposite side of our property. One by one, they had to be removed. I was really sad when they came down because no longer could I hear the sound of the wind whirring through their branches.
This week, the tree surgeon came again. Two 100-foot Ash trees had succumbed to the Ash-tree plague hitting Upstate New York. They had become dangerous. When the tree-guy finished the Ash in the back yard he said, "Mrs. Stevens, I can't understand HOW that tree didn't fall on your house. The entire bottom was hollow and the whole thing leaned right over your roof.
"Well," I explained. "Every time it gets really windy I pray for my trees. God has been faithful."
"Well, you didn't have this taken down too soon. It never would have made it through the winter."
The next day, they returned and removed the 100 foot Ash from the other side of the house. Both were in serious, dangerous shape.
I can't believe they're gone. Things look so stark now. It makes me sad to think that one-by-one the trees are coming down. There are still two more to do.
I have to praise the Lord, as sad as it is, because this latest tree removal will have to go on my "Widow's Testimony List." God definately protected my home.
Things come and things go. Even people come and go. But, it's comforting to know that our God is good, and His timing is always perfect.