With both pieces in my hands I sunk to my knees sobbing; kidding. What really happened was that a small expression of my frustration slipped through my lips, one that I can’t really share on this forum. Shaking both pieces of my dead garden fork I glared up at Goliath. You might be wondering at this point, who is Goliath? Let me explain; There is a huge Elm tree at the edge of my property out by the curb.

This tree and I got along famously until I noticed the roots. These weren’t just any roots, but suffocating, thirsty, tangled tentacles that were filling every available patch of loose earth in short order! Now I worked pretty hard to install a front yard garden and a sweet potato pit. I didn’t work that hard to have all the available loose soil filled thickly with roots. When I have a problem I have learned to go to God with it. So every time I went outside and looked at that tree, I asked God, “What are we going to do about that?” That huge 50 ft tree reminded me of the story of David and Goliath, so I named the tree Goliath. I guess that would make me David? Now I believe that my God can move mountains, but I guess I always thought of that as symbolism for the “mountains” in our lives, not a literal 50 ft mountain! Keep reading to see how God defeated the Goliath in my life.

I take it for granted that everyone has heard the David and Goliath story in the bible, but then I remember that I myself became a Christian when I was in my twenties and was amazed by all the cool stories I had missed out on. So if you are wondering what on earth I am talking about then check out 1 Samuel chapter 17 in the bible. If you don’t have a bible email me and I will send you one. It is a really awesome and powerful book!

Not everyone sees it this way however. For instance when my husband came out to talk to our friend Sam and saw the broken garden fork, I swear, I detected a small contented sigh slip from his lips. I quickly narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him and he adopted the appropriate grieved expression on his face. He might deny it, but I can imagine he was thinking the death of the garden fork might mean less digging, perhaps a bit more time with his wife?

However to Sam and I, this meant war! My gardening friend turned, sizing up Goliath from top to bottom and said, ” You know I can fell that tree easily. I have cut down hundreds of trees bigger than that.”

I might have imagined it ,but at this point I think I heard a small whimper come out of my husband. I have to point out here that while my sweet husband, my knight in a baseball cap and jeans, is a handsome, strong, buff and determined guy, he unfortunately has a bit of a back injury at the present time. Trying to ignore my husband’s horrified expression, I looked dubiously at my friend Sam and expressed my doubt that he would be able to fell this huge giant of a tree. It is safe to say that in one fell swoop I insulted not only his manhood but all of his engineer/ physics skills as well. So here in lies the challenge. I thought, “Perhaps I am not David in the story after all , perhaps Sam is? Alright, God I am good with that.”

A few days later Sam came down with a chain saw, not even a very big chain saw. Let me just tell you that this man takes GOOD care of his tools. As he showed me exactly how this saw worked, in great detail, he also added that it was about 20 years old. O.K. now I am sure he is David because that shepherd took such good care of his sheep! I have to admit though I was still a little bit dubious, I mean this was a huge tree! Out came the ladder and those two men(hurt back and all for one) piece by piece took down that huge tree! I still can’t believe it. God has moved my mountain, literally! They might pipe in and say God had nothing to do with it , but really it is quite a miracle. I would have had to pay someone $2000 dollars to take that tree down and if you think I can find that chunk of change in my couch you are sadly mistaken. You would never guess what these two amazing men wanted as payment; my famous beet dish and bread pudding. I am in awe that God has placed these people around me and they love me so!

In honor of my two heroes I will be putting my recipe for my peasant beet dish and my poor man’s bread pudding dish on my blog in the coming weeks. I mean after all if it can entice a man to cut down a 50 ft tree, well that’s saying something! See French Peasant beet recipe here. Bread pudding recipe here.

No seriously, I know it has nothing to do with the bread pudding or the beets but simply this; that godly men answer the call of their Father. So I ask you; What is the Goliath in your life. Pray to the Father. He is faithful. He moves mountains. It might seem so BIG to us but to Him, who loves us, it is possible! For our God is all about doing the impossible!

Be courageous and share the Goliath in your life in the comments. My family will pray for you! Dash & family