Protection

Almost immediately upon having my father-in-law's family name sign installed in our back yard, it occured to me that for a couple of years now a large branch had been held in the slim crook of another branch and has hung threateningly overhead. It became an obsession to stand and stare and wonder if, when it eventually fell it wouldn't fall far too near the sign. I calculated distance and probability. And I always asked myself why I hadn't simply looked up when deciding where the sign should stand.
Yesterday's storm finally brought this branch down.
Driving home I suddenly became aware of a sense that it had done so. As I drove into the drive I was wondering not if it had happened but knowing it had and wondering how much damage had been done.
The branch was big, I knew. And the tiny branch holding it had been small and weak, yet had held through wind and snow. But I knew it had fallen.
I was barely breathing as I walked through the garage to peer out through the rain. Sure enough that big branch was sprawled on the ground not far from the sign.

I was so grateful to see the sign still standing...seemingly untouched. I took off my shoes and ran out to the sign.
And then I saw it. I couldn't believe it!

Lying straight across at the foot of the sign...perfectly placed as if drawing the line....

the tiny branch that had previously held the dead one....I felt a chill....and a sense of protection...we figure the wind blew hard enough to push the big limb away from area, but what then allowed the small one to fall just so?

I will hold in my heart that my father-in-law had something to do with this.

Thanks Dad.