Japanese Maple by Catherine Weiskopf

Recently, we began redoing our mud-filled back yard by creating a low-budget Japanese rock garden. The idea was a lot of rocks and a few key plants to make an oasis of peace under our large oak trees. I was excited one day when I got a Calloway’s email saying, “Thursday Only. Japanese Maples Regularly $29.99 Just $12.98 While they last!” So when Thursday came, I drove to Calloway’s at about ten ready to pick up my precious tree.

Walking up to the store I asked a clerk darting about where I could find my maple. “Sorry, they were gone within the first twenty minutes. There was a line when we opened the store at nine.” Proud of their popularity, he didn’t notice my disappointment.

Leaving the store, my agitation burned. Why had the store advertised the trees and only had enough for the first twenty minutes. Why hadn’t I come earlier? This upset stayed with me, oscillating back and forth with a sense from God that everything would be ok. If I was meant to have a Japanese maple I would get one.

Later that day, a neighbor posted a picture of her two beautiful Japanese maples from Calloway’s.

Ugh.

The picture of the delicate trees felt like salt rubbing in an old wound, but again God’s peace spoke to me. If I was meant to find an inexpensive Japanese maple he would provide, if not, something else would be better in the yard.

On Friday during a lumber run, I asked about their prices for Japanese Maples: The $89.00 sticker shock made me realize what a great deal the Calloway’s offer had been. Again, I let it go. Another store, another maple, bore the price of $149. A wave of upset followed quickly by the repeating peaceful sense from God.

In John 14:27 Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The Bible in fact is full of references to the peace he wants to give us if we will give him all our problems. Admittedly, the tree was not a big problem, but sometimes our little problems are like slivers wedging their way under our skin, constantly pricking at our peace. In the past, not getting my Japanese maple would have become just such a sliver of upset.

Monday, as I was heading home from my chiropractic appointment I passed Calloway’s. I decided that even at their regular price of $29.99 they were a great deal so I decided to stop and buy. I asked the clerk if they had any and he said they were out. Wandering the store I decided to look for a hydrangea instead so I headed toward the back where the shade loving plants are kept. As I scanned the shadowy area, I spied a small delicate tree lying on the ground with the signature lacy leaves. It had been blown over by the wind so I picked it up and placed my precious Japanese maple in my cart. It was labeled $29.99 but was still a bargain and the only one around.

When I went to check out the manager did a double take as he scanned my tree, “Where did you find this?”

He was sure they were out, and so pointed it out to the other clerk. “Look what she found.”

“Yes, someone returned two of them,” she replied.

“Who would return a $12.98 tree?” I wondered out loud, and then I knew. God had someone return this tree just for me.

When he rang up the bill, another nice surprise. “You got it for $12.98.”

Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:16: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” Peace is, or rather should be one of the hallmarks of the Christian faith.

In John 16:33 Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus left us with His peace; he left His words so we would have peace; he doesn’t want our minds to be troubled by anything. As I sit outside in the midst of my peaceful Japanese garden and gaze at my perfect Japanese maple I am reminded daily of God actively working in my life to bring me His peace. He shows me daily how I can trust him, how I can lay down my upset in each and every circumstance and how I can run into His arms of peace.