Pruning Season

Pruning.

Every week, pruning.

Mature landscapes come with big trees and lush shrubs. But big trees and lush shrubs need to be maintained constantly, or they will quickly run amok. This yard had been left to its own devices for far too long.

We started with hand held pruners. Hand held pruners quickly led the way to two handed loppers. This weekend, two handed loppers were not enough. A chainsaw was rented, big limbs were sawed down. It was an "all hands on deck" landscaping event.

We could have left it all alone, turned a blind eye to the unkempt nature of our yard.

That's not our style.

In our family, we are not about status quo. We are all about improving, shaping, growing in a healthier direction.

When it comes to landscaping, I am an amateur, even after more than twenty years of gardening.

God is a professional pruner.

When certain areas of my life become littered with dead wood, God gets out His hand held pruners (He's got really big hands, so no chainsaw needed!) and starts pruning away.

In the past twelve months, God has pruned away poor health. He has pruned away bitterness. He has pruned away discontent. He has pruned away negativity. He has pruned away towns and houses and people, dug me up, and transplanted me to more fertile ground. He has given me rich soil, plenty of rain, and gentle sunshine to help me grow.

And I am growing. I feel it every day.

I will continue to be open to the pruning because of this:

I am practicing the art of subtraction these days so that I might be open to a new kind of addition. The addition of productivity. The addition of meaningful work. The addition of service. The addition of caring and compassion and hospitality.

It feels good to be present in this moment.