just one gust of wind...

When we moved to our current town,

we house-hunted to look at options to buy

and inquired about houses for rent.

Nothing was available to rent...

and after looking at around 8 houses,

several things stood out in our mind

about this house we have.

One of those things was the cherry tree

on the east side of the house.

We love cherry pies and

there's just nothing like a homemade cherry pie

using the cherries picked fresh!

cherry tree on the left of the photo

Around a year after we moved,

since we had cherries left in the freezer

from the year before,

we had decided to leave the majority

 of the cherries on the tree,

for the birds.

However,

a gust of wind came up one night

and this is what we found

the next morning

cherry tree

split in half by a wind gust

Because the split was so deep,

we couldn't save any part of the tree.



While Scott used the chainsaw

 to cut the branches off

of the tree,

 my blessings and I picked

the cherries from the branches.



my oldest son picking cherries
off of the downed branches

Our yard now looks very different.

We miss our cherry tree.



cherry tree just to the left of the house

Although we would have never planned

to take out this tree,

we are now making plans

 to re-do the flower beds

on that same side...a blessing in disguise!

*****************************************************************

Lord,

Thank you for these things that are really

hard to understand...

even when they in the big picture

don't seem to matter.

You have a plan

and that plan is good.

"And we know that in all things

(even when the wind blows down a cherry tree)

God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to

His purpose."

Romans 8:28

(parenthesis mine)

"Every good and perfect gift

is from above,

coming down from the Father

of the heavenly lights,

Who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17

"By joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will

for you in Christ Jesus."

I Thessalonians 5:16-18