The Old Maple

Our property had two nice trees out back

when we bought this land.

We built our patio out back,

knowing the two trees would help shade the area.

Two years ago, we noticed our maple started to die.

One side of the tree died first and then the next

year the other half started to die.

This year it was totally dead.

It was so sad, it was also the

tree that the boys liked to climb and swing from.

This is my new breakfast and coffee break spot.



I could see the ole maple while sipping my coffee.

This is the view I'd see while sipping.  The maple tree is beyond

the garden, right over the fence.

This past week, my fella started the project of cutting it down.

It'll keep us warm this winter.

It became a family affair.

Everyone was out watching as the tree got cut.



Finally after much cutting and persuading, the ole tree came down.

She didn't come down quite where was planned.

We're so very thankful for God's protection on our family

as we do projects together like this.

On another note.

Our area here has been hit by terrible flooding.

My fella hasn't had school for the last two days as his

school building was  flooded and roads around

the school have been washed out.

Two towns where he does windows were under water.

One shop owner has three places where he does their windows.

One

of those was a furniture shop and another a carpet store.

My fella's been doing their windows for years.

The shop was under 8 feet of water.

So sad to think of all the damage around us!

Yesterday Jordan and the crew he works with helped

a local farmer who was touched by the flooding.

His milk barn was flooded badly so he had to

move his milk cows to another farm to be milked.

The crew helped load the cows into trucks, unload the cows,

milk them and then move them to another

farm where they'll be kept until the

original farmer's farm is back in shape.

It was interesting hearing Jordan tell the story of all the

work involved and how the cows were all very

nervous about being moved so much.

I'm so thankful to be in a community that Jordan can have

a part in helping others in need.  This farmer has given us

meat in the past.

  When Jordan got to the farm, the farmer

asked Jordan who he was.  Jordan told him who he was

and the farmer said something to the affect, "Oh, a Philbrick boy."

It touches my heart to see how the Lord uses our family

to help those around us.  What a joy to begin to see our

"arrows" go out from us and hit the mark with helping

and blessing others.

"As arrows are in the hand of a mighty

man; so are children

of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver

full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but

they shall speak

with the enemies in the gate."

Psalm 127:4 and 5