Pam Padgett ... member of the body of Christ
My yard backs up to what was once a golf course. The current
owner of the property is a developer who is developing 56 lots on
the property. When the lots are sold, the
developer plans to give the land to our Home Owners Association
(HOA). Until then the HOA representatives have been keeping
homeowners informed of the developer's plans involving the
property.
At this point the golf course property is not being maintained
and weeds grow 4-5 feet high in the summer. Last year I had asked
the man who mows my yard to mow behind my yard (on the golf course
property) so the weeds wouldn't come right up to my yard.
Although he has been very reliable in mowing my yard for many
years, and told me twice he would mow behind my yard as I asked,
he never did this. Then one day, surprisingly, the developer had
someone mow the perimeter of the golf course property, 10-15 ft
behind all the houses. I was so glad this was taken care of.
This past spring an HOA representative sent an email saying the
developer would do this again. But so far this hasn't been done.
I used a trimmer to make a path from my yard to a trail on the
golf course property so I could walk the dogs, and didn't think a
lot about the mowing for most of the summer, but expected it would be done at some time.
But about a month ago grasshoppers infested the weed-filled
property very thickly, and the grasshoppers were starting to come
into my yard as well. Also gophers coming into the yard from the
golf course property have always been a problem. But with all the
weeds, there were a great many new gopher mounds not far from my
yard (in addition to the gophers already in my garden and yard.)
I felt the area behind my yard really needed to be mowed. But I
didn't know who I might hire to do this and didn't want to start
looking for someone to mow that area if the developer was going to
mow in the near future.
About that time 2 people representing the HOA came to my house
asking for signatures needed by the HOA. One of these people is
the wife of the man I think sent the email about mowing last
spring. While talking with each of these people I asked if they
knew when the developer planned to mow as we'd been told would
happen. Their responses were that they (and
those they checked with) didn't know if the developer still
planned to mow and that they didn't see any problem with the weeds
and weren't going to followup with the developer. (Neither of
these people have houses that back up to the golf course)
I was shocked and disturbed by the responses I received. I
prayed asking God what to do, and especially to help me keep my
flesh from rising up in strife over this matter. For a
time I didn't hear anything to do.
Then one afternoon recently I was talking with God about this
again. Suddenly I just "knew" to get the trimmer out and trim at
least a foot or two behind my fence. I got up and began doing
this. I like being outside and found it was enjoyable to do this.
As I worked I began thanking God for how much I was enjoying
this.
But then thoughts began to come, thoughts that could pull me down
and turn me another way, such as "The HOA should have
contacted the developer to mow as we were told would be done.
Surely I should try to push them to do this."
I strongly turned to God, crying out for HIM to help me keep my
flesh under control and to keep any resentment or hatred from my
heart.
As I prayed I heard to commit the matter to God and trust HIM
to work this out as HE wills.
Of course! My hope and trust can be only in God, not in the HOA
(or myself or anyone else) to know what to do and to do it. My
trust must be in God and that HE will show me what, if anything, I
need to do (just as I believe I was led to start trimming).
And I was reminded of ... The king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth
it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1) If the
developer or HOA needs to do something, God is able to bring this
about as HE wills.
I began rejoicing in God, in HIS power to do as HE wills in each
matter, and in HIS love for me, delivering me from evil and
destructive thoughts, and that HE can and will work this matter
out as HE wills for me. There is such comfort and
gratitude toward God in this.
Interestingly, as I was working through all of this with God, I
had continued using the trimmer, and without realizing it had
cleared quite a lot of the area behind my yard. It amazed me how
much nicer it looks. And, if needed, this makes it much easier to
deal with the gophers outside my yard.
Also I realized not long after this that the grasshopper population is much
less, both in my yard and even on the golf-course property where
the weeds are still quite high. I'm very thankful to God for
dealing with this concern as HE wills.
==
Another thought that came as I was trimming was "Sure I can
do this now. But what about next year when it might not be as
easy for me to do this."
When I prayed about this thought
I was reminded of
Matthew 6:32 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
33 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow
shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto
the day is the evil thereof.