Inspired by our Grandson, Ian Youngkin (6 years old at the beginning of this story)
“Wouldn’t you think it would snow Ian asked? After all, it is winter.” We talked for a while about the winters in North Carolina and decided that we would be happy if it would just snow a little; just enough to cover the ground. This is how most of our winter snow thoughts begin each year. You know I’m not sure we’ve had a really great snow since the winter of ‘02. That was the year it snowed in February, not only covering the ground a bit but the clouds dumped all the snow they could possibly muster. That snow storm came when our friend Dan Anderson drove to Raleigh to meet with folks that were considering him for employment. Dan stayed over that night of the huge storm and we drove to the Research Triangle Park in a foot or more of snow the next day. That was a really cold and slushy day.
As we return to the tembering of trees, Ian always loved the times when we went into the woods to take down another tree. With every old dead tree we pushed over, I would yell TIMBER with great gusto. Ian would thrill in the excitement of the trees heading toward the earth with their final journey ending with a huge thud. It wasn’t long before he began the chant. TIMBER!! From then on whenever we were thinking about taking down more trees, Ian would exclaim, let’s timber more trees, Grandpa!
Through the last several years Ian and I’ve taken down most of the dead trees. But there was this one old tree that we pushed and pushed and no timber came. We used an axe and it seemed to just bounce away. This was true no matter how well we sharpened it. I remember saying, son, let’s wait a while longer, maybe next year we will try again. Ian was a bit impatient and asked, “Can’t we just use the chain saw and take it down?” I was a bit reluctant to get the chain saw out for just one old dead tree. There was the issue of mixing the proper amount of oil with gas, and probably endless yanking on the rope to get the thing started. So, time past and again Ian and I hacked away at that seemingly dead old tree. Finally Ian and I resolved that we needed to get the come-a-long with a 2-ton pull and hook it to another tree as the anchor and pull the old dead tree over or out of the ground. All I needed was one more word of encouragement from Ian to do so.
Then the word came on April 19th 2008 following our Marching Through Culpeper prayer call. Our Grandson Ian (10 years old) came into my home office and with great glee exclaimed; “Grandpa, come now! We’ve got to take down that tree right now!” Well, you may have guessed it. The tree was that same old, ugly, bug eaten-wood pecker pecked tree that we have been chipping away on for some time. Its outer covering was so soft that you could walk by and the crust would fall away with the breeze of the draft. The heart was strong and vibrant not allowing the axe to cut it. It felt like iron. Ian caught me at my weakest point of vulnerability (the moment of reflection and post call processing and growth). I jumped up and said let’s do it! We were off to the woods.
This morning as our 3 grandchildren came over for the beginning of a new day, I hustled into the woods to saw off a chunk to take to the band saw in the shop to prepare a piece as a gift for Ian to take to school. As he was leaving with grandma for school, I shared the joy of discovery of the inner beauty of the wood and the exact placement in his book bag where I’d hidden the slice of the tree. Yep, it was in a plastic baggie; on the outside pocket so that he could easily retrieve it to show to his buddies and his teacher. Got word from my wife (Kay) upon her return from taking Ian and Elijah (7) to school that Ian had been so excited and talked about our tree extraction process all the way to school while he held up the plastic bag to show her our find. Well…my heart leaped for joy knowing that his day was off to a good start once again. Soon he’ll be home and will want to extract the stump. We’re set and ready to rock and roll. Maybe Elijah will join us. Kyri (Kyrianna, now almost 5) will be heading to dance as we seek to remove the stump. Beauty continues to be revealed to us as we seek.
It’s my resolve to share slices of the inner beauty of this tree with all members of our “Marching Through Culpeper” prayer call as this team has been the catalyst for me of the discovery of our inner beauty on this day, April 19th, 2008. The beauty within each of us is the creation of all-might God. It is in Him we live through Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. It’s my exhortation for each of us that we look deeply below the surface for heart discovery. Therein resides our inner beauty and that of our creator. It is in humility that I share this gift of discovery.
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Do you recall your very first discovery of finding inner beauty? Within? When we review a slice of our lives, what is revealed to us? Inner peace? Turmoil, struggles, strengths? Relationships? Trust? Despair?
Please share your reflections and stories. We are committed to loving you in the most uncommon way through our heavenly Father. Sharing, coaching and discovery provide us with uncommon value as we lift each other in prayer and meaningful discovery of destiny.
In Christ, Ben
