Doug Tales 17: Fallen Trees and Blessings

A red cedar tree blew down in Doug Mendenhall’s yard four years ago. (Eventually, wood from that same tree would be used by friends for making his burial casket when he passed away in December 2020.) Doug shared in an unpublished email on August 28, 2017 some things he learned, and blessings he received, from his fallen tree experience:

The tree falling lesson was harsh in a way. The wind started blowing before I headed out to BBQ something for dinner. I had water on and headed out back first to change it. As I rounded the corner by the carport, now Daniel’s workshop for pyramids, a huge amount of sawdust came blowing out as the tarps were being thrown all over the place. My mouth caught more of it than I wanted to experience and I spit it out. Heading around the corner to the orchard I saw our yard was having a “brown out” with the dust from the construction across the street. Just us.

As I stepped into the orchard I asked permission to calm the winds and got it. So I raised my arms up and declared, “In the name of Yeshua the Christ I command the wind to be calm, NOW.”

It was like the Lord turned down the gas on the BBQ from high to barely on. It was calm within a few seconds. I noticed that there were a few swirls every now and then, but thought nothing of it. I went over and started the BBQ. It was then I looked up and saw a large bush on the property that I had never noticed before. Looking closer I realized it wasn’t a bush, but a huge tree had fallen over. I went over and inspected it and saw it was pulling down a live power line going from the cabin to the barn. I needed some help to get it off that line before it snapped.

Immediately I went over a mental list of whom I could call. I called my bud, Doug, and he told me to call the power company as it was their responsibility. I did and they came right over and said it wasn’t. It was a line inside our property and they had no call on it. Though he did turn off the breaker to the line so it wasn’t live. I tried calling Debi and Daniel but neither of their phones were working, so Dianne took off in the car to go get them to help with the tree problem.

Then I called Dale and asked him if he had a chain saw. He said no and asked why. I told him the problem and he said that he wasn’t of much use. Knowing it was about 90 minutes to dark, in my impatience I just hung up after his comment and dialed Kitten and asked if she had a chain saw. She said yes. I told her I’d send Daniel up to get it when he got here. I didn’t want her out here as she had been giving her back a rest the past few days to get ready for this next week’s portalcisms and clearings. I told her about the wind, etc.

Next thing I knew Kitten was here and she told me that the wind had worked its way up to her property, it had been sent to do damage to us. She went outside and destroyed the storm cell.

We then had Daniel, Debi and the girls come. Then Dale, Galen and Lori showed up. Limbs were cut and the line freed. It was nice to have friends here. At that point I’d gone and found a tree cutter who said he’d come the next day and cut it all up. But it was wonderful seeing these good people show up to help. Even my bud Dale who said he wasn’t of much use. I saw him drag off some pretty big limbs after they were cut. Yeah, right, not of much use. I didn’t care if he just came and told us jokes, he came.

My lesson was I didn’t ask about the storm or wind. Was it “normal” or had it been sent to destroy. If I’d known or had been aware enough to ask and He told me what was really up, could I have acted before the damage happened to stop the storm? Why didn’t my shielding work? Oh, I hadn’t shielded against wind or that kind of foe. And the demons laughed.

Is it about being aware of everything around us, even wind storms that might be sent against us that we can and probably should do something about? What else goes on in my life that I am oblivious to that I probably should be aware of? How much evil gets in our lives in ways that we are oblivious to? Sneaky buggers? Absolutely. And they laugh.

Might be wise to be ever vigilant in ways we had not thought of previously. Evil is ever creative, looking for an in wherever they can.

Kitten added: “That sneaky wind was also a test to see who would respond and who would not. The Lord and Savior Yeshua the Christ will allow trials to test our metal. It also lets us learn how we respond to trials and such.”

I was also told to slow down when things happen. I found I was in a rush to call and get help because it was going to get dark soon. But He told me to slow down and have patience and it will still get done in time. I should not have cut my bud, Dale, off when he made the comment he wasn’t of much help. If I’d had patience I probably would have heard him then say that he’d be here anyway. I apologized to him. It won’t happen again. Even then he came with Galen and Lori and my heart swelled. I know I could have called everyone one of you and you’d have come if possible. Now I know why you all came to my mind first. Love.

The Lord Yeshua turns fallen trees into blessings and lessons.

Take care and God bless,

Doug