My Cross Story/Prayer Request

I have a story that has been going on for, well, since 1990 when we moved in to our home. We're second owners in this small but nice colonial in suburbia. I hate to get too detailed but basically our family has been targeted by one or many of our neighbors almost since the onset. They like to call the police/city/leave notes on our mail box, come into our yard as we are talking to contractors and shout orders/opinions, call us on the phone and express what they would have us to do, etc. We live a quiet reserved life, no wild parties ever, cut and manicure our lawn, plant flowers, maintain our home with some finesse, decorate with things that are nice and not tacky, wicker chair on porch, wreath, nice address sign. We keep it updated when needed, storm doors, gutters, roof. It has a lot of curb appeal for our price range of homes. We EVEN talk, smile, converse on a pleasant level as though nothing has ever happened to us like this in any way. So what gives we have NO idea really other than we are christians.

One reason we liked the house was we loved the trees (9 in the back 4 in the front and we already took down 1 in the front and 3 in the back in past years) plus two tall pine trees in the corner of the back yard that are beautiful and no fences, everyone takes well care of their homes and the home had some very nice architectural detail the original owners had done we loved it then and we still love it....except we never know what "they" are going to do next. Our latest saga is we are forced to remove a tree a corkscrew willow to be exact within an allotted amount of time or else pay a fine...OK. We were onto it before any neighbor was because two weeks before our notice from the city we had 2 estimates taken and it was coming down. It was so weird to get this notice it was as though someone saw my husband talking to men in the back yard by the trees and thought well I'm gonna give you some grief. It is in the very corner of our property, it looks dead from the bottom because there are too many trees shading it, some not ours, and is only green at the very top some 60 feet up there. Our neighbor has a gazebo in his corner of his lot near to where this tree stands.

So with so many trees, lots of fall clean up, the trees are getting bigger and we're getting older we are taking down 3 in the back and 2 in the front. So, next Wednesday (it was to be tomorrow but the tree guys said they had some trouble with their chippers, can only take their word for it) they will be here.

Here is my prayer. We need these guys to do no damage to any of the 3 adjacent properties while taking them down or getting the logs out to the front for grinding/disposal. It is a tight fit in between the homes. They said they will have wood to protect things like the next door neighbors air conditioner, bushes on the side of the next door neighbor's house. The gazebo cannot sustain any damage (i know the contractor is licensed and insured but no damage please Lord) and the lady directly to our back planted a perennial flower bed (probably somewhat over her property line we think but let it go) and we don't want it to get ruined or damaged. We want whoever this is for the last 17 years to get a life and leave us alone.

What I did: I had purchased some rusty iron scrolly crosses to put on the wall near our patio so I could take my Bible out and have a nice inspiring place in the summer to read and pray. Well last weekend I had an epiphany! No back wall......no, no, no......FRONT PORCH!!!!!!! They look so nice, one by the wicker chair on a side wall and one under our porch light. Ya, baby, I feel so goooood. Vengeance is my saith the Lord. We truly try to abide by this, but I just wanted someone to think who they might be dealing with. I want to put up some pics for you all to see but I haven't learned that yet.

I know my God is a God of details and He can do this. These guys need to be meticulous. Would you be my prayer partners until next Wednesday on this? I'll update the story after to let you all know how things went and see if I can figure out posting pics. Thank you so much.

~Janel