The Backyard Disaster

By Cathy Irvin

Have you ever thought that something was so terrible, that it could never be the same again? Let me tell you a true story.

Last year there were four big, old oak trees that had to be removed from my backyard. Their limbs were breaking due to each storm that we encountered. During the last hurricane, one of those branches fell straight through a small shed in the yard, and the roof had to be replaced.

It was wonderful to see those branches finally down; however, the only problem was that they were not removed from the yard as soon as I would have liked.

It was a very long time that they lay there. I made a deliberate choice to not go out in the yard for months. My son cut the trees up into smaller sections to clear them, and found a small snake. I could not even enjoy sitting out there.

Finally, the day arrived when the men were coming to remove the fallen trees. When I arrived home, I was excited. I ran to my window and flung open the curtains. I thought of the poem, “The night before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore.

As the poem says: “Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.”

What do you think I saw? No, there were no reindeers. My once beautiful backyard had been dug up by a tractor with big clamps.

The whole yard had been tilled, and all I could think about is the prospect of one gigantic mud hole by the next rainfall. I did not feel like we should rake the yard to get it level, nor did I think that we should buy grass seed to plant because I have more important matters to heed to, such as preparing for my daughter's wedding.

Sometimes you just have to let go. The Bible says that we aren’t to worry, or be anxious. I decided right then and there to forget about it, like the kids always say, “It’s not that serious,” and it isn’t.

I think I had forgotten that I had a yard until one morning, I opened the bathroom window to look out at the weather. I was totally taken back. There was beautiful, green grass all over the yard, and only one small, sunken place in the middle of the yard where there had been a pond years ago.

Now it was full of muddy water, but it seemed so small in comparison to the once giant mud hole that covered the whole yard. It was now fixable.

It seemed as if angels literally came and poured new grass seed overnight, perhaps heavenly seeds since it looked so different!

Doesn’t the Lord promise to take care of things in our life when we just give it to Him? I had a hard time believing that the original disaster which seemed so devastating could now be something so delightful. The amazing thing to me is that I did nothing to make the change. The Lord created the earth, so He surely knows how to put it back together.

He used all the rain in my muddy yard to speed up the process for new grass to grow. I thought it was ruined, and so did the neighbors.

Next time that you think something is too big of a mess in your life, it really isn’t. It may take some time to get corrected, but it will. Believe God, cast your burdens on Him, and let Him see you through it.

"Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 (NAS)

"And Jesus said to him, 'if you can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23 (NAS)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 (NAS)