When Trees Fall and Plans Fail

See those two beautiful trees?

They're gone now.

I think God must have closed my ears and kept me away from the big window while the saws roared. It would've saddened me more to watch the destruction from my front row seat.

No, I came to the window later, saw a huge pile of firewood up against a house, wondered about it then gasped! Saw that the now-they're-just-stubs trees I'd told you about, exist only in memories and my blog photos.

(Oh, how I'll miss this!)

There's one down-to-nothing tree left. I wonder if they're coming back to destroy it today.

Grumble. I remember during the huge October Storm ten years ago how Buffalo felt devastated over losing thousands of trees like those lining our street. Maybe things have changed. As they do.

The "no great loss without some gain" thing this time? Our view of the river is wider, clearer.

This gorgeous tree down the opposite way was chopped down three weeks ago:

... though to be fair, a huge branch had grown right up to a front window, stretching only three feet above a lower roof line (how'd they keep from dropping rounds through the roof?). But still, couldn't they just have cut off that branch then driven away?

Each autumn since 2011 I anticipated walking down the street so to stare at that tree.

Then there's the huge tree in front of our house which was whacked down two years ago:

Looks like our neighborhood is slowly going treeless.  *&%$#@

But what are ya gonna do when your city rips down trees or does things which can't be changed? Move away? Stay mad your whole life and turn it into an angry movement? Break things? Bemoan your lack of control over this life and never care about anything again? 

Well, if you do, that's your choice. It's not how life must now go. Those are choices you, well, choose--they're not automatic. And none of us should be so helpless that our feelings color all our future, black--we're only an eternal victim if we choose that, as well.

Life is chock-full of disappointments and woe to us if we can't discipline ourselves to deal with them maturely. Woe to us if we exercise our frustrations on others rather than seeking acceptance which heals, then inspires us to create something better than we lost.

And a big woe to us if we, as adults, never learn to rely upon God for all the comfort, hope, love, guidance and anticipation to live the remarkable kind of life He intended.

May our trust be deeper than any doubt, for even when our plans crumble and die, Jesus remains the way, the truth, the life. And that's for always, even when it appears otherwise.

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" ... not one sparrow will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."   ... Matthew 29:31

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" ... if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Keep reminding God's people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen."   ... 2 Timothy 2:13-14

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As someone who has faced as much disappointment as most people, I've come to trust not that events will always unfold exactly as I want, but that I will be fine either way. 

------  Marianne Williamson

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."   ... Jeremiah 29:11-13

Some of the best paths are only available to adults who allow Life to mature, not weaken, them.

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