Looking over pictures from our times at the lake, I remembered I had actually started a story a while back, so I decided to finish it. There’s time, after all!
It was raining heavily at Longbow this particular evening, and Mallory, Carson, baby Bronwyn and I, were all sitting in the living room watching the weather. Kevin, conspicuous in his absence, was outside inspecting how the drainage system was handling the downpour. Suddenly he burst into the cottage shouting that we should get into the basement. At the same time things were starting to fly off the kitchen window sill. In a panic I closed the window before I headed down, which wasn’t smart, but then it was over, almost as soon as it started. There was an eerie silence as we came up the basement stairs, wondering what we would find. Kevin shared with us later that when he heard a train in the yard behind him, he realized what was happening, and had just enough time to reach the house to take shelter and warn us.
It wasn’t quiet for long, as the neighbors quickly came to help us check out the damages. The route the tornado had taken through our property was obvious. The first impact was the felling of our clothesline tree. From there it flew up onto our dining room deck, blowing through the open kitchen window and passing on to pick up our deck table and deposit it into the yard below, umbrella and all. After that it spun over to the dock, taking out our beloved Jack Pine, and on from there to the boat port where it left tell tale signs of having played with the roof, and wreaking havoc with our small boat. Impressive work for a small tornado in just an instant of time. More impressive was what it didn’t do, but that’s for later.
In its better days…
In the aftermath of the storm it was clear to me that the Lord had directed its path. We do ask God to protect our property, and He said yes to me as he spared the much-loved hanging glass birdbath in my garden, and arbor that my dad made for me sitting just beyond. He said a resounding no to us in not protecting our precious Jack Pine. Yes, the Jack Pine that had so beautifully shaded our dock, now lay in a tangled heap on that dock. How we had loved that tree, spending hours in its shade, watching the lake, the kids swimming, nesting hummingbirds, sunsets, and even dragonflies. I had often prayed about that old tree, so precariously positioned, and gnarled with age. I’d feared its days were numbered, and it turns out I was right. You know, I’m happy that I said all of those prayers. Had I not, I would now be kicking myself for not praying to God to protect that old pine. Instead, all that remains now is to thank God for whatever His reason was for taking it down. Do I know the reason? I do not, but I know it’s a good one.
I did ask the Lord, years ago to show Himself to me in the course of my ordinary days. A small tornado at the lake is not really a major thing, but it has made a difference to me to know that Jesus is in the picture. He spoke to me that day, with yes and no, and I would much rather hear a no than not hear Him at all. As I think back now, I realize that the scope of God’s yes extended far beyond my birdbath and arbor. That tornado avoided every single one of our stately Red Pines as it twirled its way to Old Jack. In accepting the “no”, there has been room to see the bigger “yes”.