We live in charming, rustic home on the edge of The Great Dismal Swamp.  We love it here and have learned to adapt to living closer to nature.

A few weeks ago, we had a pretty bad storm with high winds and a good chance for a tornado.  Our little homestead was spared from damage except one casualty. . .

An adorable windmill that Hubs had gotten me for my birthday was damaged.  I had always wanted one and was so excited when I awoke on the day of my birthday to find her standing tall and proud next to the blueberry bushes.

Before this storm hit, Hubs and I had discussed whether the windmill would be OK in the predicted high winds.  I agreed with Hubs that the substantial anchors he had placed at the base would be enough to keep her upright.

As the sun came up the next morning, I anxiously looked out into the backyard.  My heart sank as I saw the windmill lying on her side, her blades embedded in the dirt, bent and distorted.  I blamed Hubs for the damage.  His anchors hadn’t done the job.

Well, the anchors, we discovered, had simply lifted out of the soil.  All of the rain we’d received over the course of several months had softened the soil so the anchors really didn’t have a chance to work.  The soil that had seemed so hard during last summer’s dry weather was nothing but dirt soup after the rains came.

Hubs was able to get the windmill upright again and her blades are mostly straightened – at least enough to spin in the wind.  The scars, however, will always be there to remind us of the windstorm.

Now, as I look out into the backyard, I see her spinning proudly in the wind, blades only slightly wobbling in the breeze and I’m reminded of a few things that are true in my life.

Number one – Make sure you know where you are grounded.

My hope is in the Lord.  Hope in anything or anyone else is fickle and unstable. Psalm 40:2 says “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand”.

Number two – Never blame your husband for all of the damage in a storm.

Sometimes storms happen and I am happy to weather the storm together and help to clean up the mess with him. Colossians 3:14 says “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all in perfect unity”.

Number three– Don’t get too attached to lawn ornaments.

Colossians 3:2 says “Set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things.”