I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. John 15:1-3 (The Message)
Last week's wet, heavy snowstorm and its aftermath has me thinking about such things as pruning. Dwight is an avid landscape artist, and is a fanatical pruner. I always rather cringe when I see the fruits of his pruning labors, but he always tells me how important it is to the health of the bushes and trees. I understand the concept, but it's still painful to watch.
When the storm hit last Wednesday, many people lost power from one day to 3 or 4. Much of the problem was caused by tree branches landing on overhead power lines.
We were fortunate in three ways - our power lines are underground, most of our leaves had fallen and/or been blown off our huge trees already, AND we had 5 of the trees pruned and shaped as recently as last week. It seemed extreme to me to have so much removed, but I had to bow to the expertise of Dwight and the tree guys. And am I ever glad they did their jobs so well. We missed out on the massive clean-up that has been going on in our town this last few days.
I had noticed the huge cottonwood tree in the front yard of the neighbors behind us - it was huge, nicely formed, and still completely filled with green leaves - not even the beginning of color change, when most of the trees in town were losing their leaves. Unfortunately, because of the heaviness of the snow on the still-full branches, this tree was totally decimated, and their front yard was completely inundated with fallen branches. The tree looks very sad now.
So, I came to these conclusions about life and trees. When God uses his pruning shears on me, it can be very painful. But if I allow Him to work on my life and show me things that need to be changed, I will be stronger and more able to withstand the storms of life. On the other hand, if I am weighted down by proverbial green leaves, I could find myself bogged down and unable to keep from breaking when the snowstorms of life pile up.
(Header picture taken by my pastor's wife on a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park).
9 comments:
Beautiful new header, Dawn.
Love the new header!
Glad y'all didn't have a lot of damage from the storm.
Wonderful thoughts on pruning!!! So many people lost trees (and power) with the heavy snow on still green foliage. Thank goodness for the pruning of your trees.
anddd
tonight will bring another pruning...
oh dear!!!
Well it's about time someone else has snow instead of me! lol Seriously, though, when I heard on our news about the snowstorm that hit your part of the States, I cringed, thinking it was much too early for a snowstorm!! We expect that at the end of November but not the end of October! I'm like your hubby, I prune everything in sight when Fall comes along. lol We've been having some heavy frost in the mornings but otherwise our days are staying in the 30's and 40's. Sunny today and 37:-) xoxo
It's true. Everything you said...
We're all still recovering from the storm we just had. Trees and power lines are down all over the place. We were lucky enough not to lose power, but many people did for up to a week! Schools were closed and when my school finally opened back up, I had to step over wires to get in the front door! So strange. Now the snow has melted and fall is back, but the cleanup is going to take a while.
I can't believe I missed this post somehow.
The colors in your header photo are stupendous. Wow.
Love the pruning thought. Makes one really sit down and stop to think, doesn't it?
I talked to my sister [Montrose] this past week, and she told me that it snowed really heavy, wet, snow overnight for them....about 4 inches. It's finally beginning to feel like Autumn now here...lows in the 40s and highs in the 70s...perfect.
Off the Pier...shadows is my link, if you'd care to view.
Have a great day.
That is a spectacular new header! Just gorgeous!
Like your thoughts on pruning, so true isn't it?! We all need a good pruning once in a while!
Well, I guess we will have to wave to each other in the air as I go to Tenn and you come to Maine!!! I hope you get good weather while you are here. It's been lovely the last week or so, temps in the 50's and 60's and sunny. Maybe some rain on Thursday. What did Angie think of all the snow we got a couple weeks ago?? My sisters got a foot and they live quite near Kev. We were lucky ours went so quickly and that we didn't lose any trees. We did lose power so I am very thankful for our generator!!
Have a wonderful trip visiting Maine!!!
Oh a most excellent pruning devotional! I will try to remember this story for a long time.
I also heard a pastor on the radio say that there are no changes for the good in our lives (or our childrens' lives) without a storm. The storms bring about change...change our way of thinking...or cause us to seek God, and they bring us back on track...and definitely make us stronger/wiser.
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