It all started about 20 years ago--I wanted trees in my yard. Lots of trees! I loaded up the shovel and headed towards the river bottoms. Maple trees by the bazillions were growin down there. Little raskels that were easy to dig up and move. I would wait until it was kinda wet and muddy where they were located. Movin'm were a snap. I'd load on about 20 and bring'm on back to the farm. I would set'm out and then watch'm like a baby while they took root and grew. An old rusty piece of scrap steel would be the first thing to go into the hole. Next was a piece of plastic hose and finally the tree. I could water'm through the hose in the dry part of summer. I still lost a lot of trees but when I did then it was "plant more". I did and you orta see my "woods" in my front yard. I estimate over the last 20 years that around 1,000 trees have been set out. About 200 survive and they are gettin BIG! I still set'm out as I have the occasion but not in my front yard. Not room there but I have 24 acres to fill up. The last ones I set out was almost 4 years ago. I had 20 Norway Spruce I'd bought from the ASCS office. I also had a motorized post hole digger that I figgered would do a rite smart job of diggin fer these trees. I lined out where I want'm and warmed the digger up. Once it was warmed up that raskel just wouldn't die. It's set and idle until you were ready to use it again for the next hole. I'd hooked up my little trailer onto my ridin mower to haul all my stuff down north of the house. I drilled 3 holes and was purty well "winded" -gettin ready to walk down another 15 ft to drill the next one. I was havin some difficulty breathin and with the old chest hurtin some and then down my left arm. While I was debatin on the next hole--the digger DIED! I let it fall to the ground and headed back to the mower - about 30 ft away. I finally made it and kinda just "fell" into the seat. I was actually waitin to see the face of my Savior Jesus Christ. I just KNEW I was dyin. Well, I didn't and 2 weeks later I was "re-plumbed" and another week later ole Jeep came over and finished settin my trees out--while I watched from my ridin mower! The digger ran perfectly and never died for him. Ironic? I don't know- but it hasn't died since that one time. I'm still wantin to set more trees out this fall if I can buy what I want or find'm in the bottoms. I love trees-they are a tool provided by Him, so its easier for me to relax and look at all I'm blessed with. Everybody should be so blessed! Birds? Probably a kazillion in these trees, more or less. The baby deer play and romp in my back yard and have actually left their little nose tracks on our patio door. They're nosey little rakels! Three years ago I "shot" 5 deer in my back yard-all at once, from my patio door. With a VIDEO camera! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 25, 2000

Answers

Hoot, it wasn't ironic that the hole digger konked out and I believe there is no such thing as a coincidence. God saved you for a reason. And I don't think it was because he isn't ready for you to be living with Him yet. I think part of his purpose is to share what you do with us. How many of us take the time to think about the trees, the birds, the deer just because they are magnificent creations of our Creator.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), August 25, 2000.

Hi Hoot! Praise God He wasn't calling you home yet-you've still got His work to do.I love your stories.Don't you just wish everyone could be as ready to die as that?My best friend died of cancer 3 years ago. She went to the hospital on the day of my baby shower(she helped plan it).From there,they life-flighted her to Columbus,OH.(osu med.cen.). They thought that she had an anuerism.Well,it turned out to be advanced-well terminal actually-cancer(Carcinoid Syndrome).She was at The James(cancer hosp)for a little over 1 month.During that time,she got to rebuild her relationship with the precious daughters of hers that were so cruelly taken from her by her very wicked ex.Then she got to come "home".Well,actually she went to a nursing home because she needed constant medical care.Her last year on this earth was so precious to me and so many others.We'd go to visit her to encourage her and cheer her up-only to leave so encouraged and uplifted by her. She wasn't afraid to die;she longed for heaven.Although she knew it would be hard on those who loved her.During her last week,she didn't do much more than sleep.Occasionally she would awaken and gaze rather foggily at myself or her "little"boy(6'4"!).But she didn't speak more than 4 words to my knowledge.I shall tell you her 4 words.I was reading to her from the Bible;Iwas depressed and worried.She gazed at me a moment and said"I'm Happy."How relieved that made me.Another time I was reading to her about heaven:how we would no longer sin against the Lord anymore and she said"no sin."She died on April 2nd-exactly 2 months after my dear Grandpa died from metastasized lung cancer.I wasn't with her although I had wanted to be.Our dear friend Howard arrived before they took her body away.[She died during our prayer meeting.]He later told me with tears in his eyes that the look of peace on her face was unbelievable.The anguished expression gone-A hint of a smile,a visage of peace in it's place.I write this in tears. I sure do miss her,but she is with her beloved Lord.How I wish I knew for sure where my grandpa was.I wrote him,but I don't know if he ever decided for Christ.

Bless you Hoot!Hope you don't mind my sharing this with you.

In His Love, ~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), August 30, 2000.

Forgot to mention:the strength that it took her to speak those words was unblievable.Anyone who has watched another die of cancer will understand.

Btw,Before she accepted the Lord,she was heavily into the "new-age" [old lie].Long story of how the Lord worked in her life to save her. How neat it will be to be in heaven and hear how the Lord worked in the lives of everyone else.

Goodnight,~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), August 30, 2000.

I was look'n at the archives and wait'n to go to bed. Today was a fairly warm day especially this afternoon. I was walk'n around in our back yard look'n at trees. Noticed that I need to get the trimmers out and kinda "spruce up" the spruce! Buds are on some of'm and they'll be bursting forth in bloom before we know it. Flowers are preparing to burst forth in bloom also. The garden is way too wet to work but I'm not ready anyhow. We have an old mr. skunk, mr possom as well as squirrels, rabbits and of course, those pesky deer! I was llistening to the birds sing'n today too. Grass is green'n up quite a bit where the snow had laid most of the winter. Spring fever? You bet! I'm ready! Take a few minutes at your place and just kinda look things over around you. Admire the Beauty of His Creation. It won't change the world if you don't but I'll bet you won't be the same if you do! Thanks Lord for the blessings you've given us. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), February 26, 2001.