ROANOKE, Ill. — Easter is an extra special time for a Roanoke man.
Tom Durand has been working with wood for most of his life, and it’s evident in a stroll through his yard.
Large birds made of wood hang from above, a wooden car fully kitted with “Woodyear” tires sits in the front yard, and picnic tables made from scratch sit in his backyard.
So, it’s rare when a man who has been working with wood for over 35 years sees something out of the ordinary.
However, that’s exactly what happened 20 years ago when Durand was cutting down trees for a friend outside of a funeral home to make space for a new parking lot.
For most people, it may look just like two pieces of wood at first glance.
Durand has kept the logs from the last tree he cut that day because they are unlike anything he’s ever seen. Even after 20 years, one of the logs has “self-preserved” and not aged like a piece of wood normally does.
When people look deeper, Durand says, it may explain why the log has refused to rot.
“On this log, one side is perfectly preserved with heavenly images,” said Durand. “The other side has been dead for over 19 years.”
All Durand has done to the log is rub vegetable oil on it to “bring the grain out.” Other than that, the log has preserved itself.
No matter which way someone looks at the log, Durand shows the amount of imagery hidden in the wood.
A cross is easily visible upon first glance, with more imagery relating to the Holy Bible found inside.
Look at the log one way, and viewers will see the outline of a man carrying a cross. Look at it another way by rotating it 90 degrees, and some will see a chalice where the cup shines brighter than any other part.
Turn it another 90 degrees, and a face is easily seen inside the cross looking down upon a woman with a baby.
Turn it yet again, and another face can be seen wearing what could be identified as a crown of thorns.
All across the log, Durand says, imagery relating to the Bible can be found “from Christ’s birth to being crucified.”
In the middle of the cross on the log, some say they see the outline of Christ hanging with a spear coming from the bottom right.
While Durand and others may see this imagery, he doesn’t try to force others to see the same things.
“That’s their right, but the pictures do the log no justice,” said Durand. “Everybody and his brother who comes to see this log says you have to see this in person.”
Durand said people have come from all over the world, like Australia, to see the log.
He says he’s even been offered large sums of money for it, but he’s never considered selling it.
When Durand cut the tree in 2001 that contained the extraordinary log, he had been praying for a sign. He said he was caught in between two options. He had to choose between taking a job that made more money, but more travelling away from family; or keep his same job that made less money, but more at-home time.
He said his hands wouldn’t let him cut any place in the log other than where the cut was made.
After cutting the log, Durand says he felt a sense of God telling him to keep his job with more time at home with his family.
After Durand received another sign, he was convinced he is supposed to keep talking to people about the log.
“People have tears [after seeing the log],” said Durand. “I would really like to have more people take interest in this.”
Full interview with Durand:
