{View}

Here's another post from 31 Things---I've changed a few names in here to protect the innocent---or, at least the anonymity of those who are involved. I know they didn't do this for any glory! 

 View

This view is from my kitchen window---Saturday was TAR graduation, which I’m required to attend. I got home around 11:30 and found some of my dearest friend's husbands and their teenage boys doing work in my back yard. There were cars parked all around my house and a friend's huge work truck in front of my house loaded down with yard debris. When I walked up in my dress clothes, I was saw seven men and four teenage boys all working SO HARD on a very hot Saturday afternoon. I was met by one of the men who said, “Hey, are you attached to this tree? Because we’d like to take it down”----"Nope---not attached", I said. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a man this happy before!! He got to use his chainsaw---whooohoooo! So, he cut and two others pushed at the appropriate time and down it went. They had cleaned up the whole back yard, tons of ivy was removed, downed trees were cut up and tossed, all sorts of saplings and weeds were removed. It looks SO MUCH NICER!! What a blessing to me---I couldn’t have accomplished this if I worked every weekend in the summer.

“View” is what I’m supposed to write about---the physical view is described above, but my view was enlightened in many ways---THESE MEN---took hours out of their Saturday. Hours from their families and their own work that needed to be done and gave it to me. Routinely, since my life was turned upside down, God has blessed me in unexpected, practical ways. This is one of those ways---the Body of Christ, working through these men and boys, representing four different churches in our area, came and worked in my yard. It was amazing. The Lord just encouraged my heart so much. Thank you Father, for always providing for me---even if it isn’t money, you provide for my every need and I am truly grateful.

So, my view----from my window and beyond, I see grace and love. And that’s a beautiful thing.