So that's where they were!

I have been in the yard early in the morning the last couple of days to prune some Azaleas. Yard work is not one of my favorite things to do but what I really love about it is the fact that God always shows up and teaches me something while I am working. It is probably because it is one of the few times I am not running my mouth so He can do all the talking.

A couple of interesting things have happened the last two days. Probably the most unusual was that as I was pruning this a.m. this is what I found.

SO THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE! Yep, now I have been known to misplace my glasses but this is the weirdest place yet! They had to have been there at least 2 years because that is the last time I pruned this azalea. I have at least 6 pairs of reading glasses for this very reason. Now you know why you need to pray for me every day and poor Charlie because he has to live with me. (I have one more azalea to prune - reckon what I will find in it.)

The other interesting thing is that God spoke to me about the process of pruning. Most of us know that if you do not prune you will eventually not have any new growth. And with no new growth the plant dies. As bad as it hurts to cut those pretty long branches off my azaleas I know that next year and the next year they will bear more fruit.

John 15:1-4 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

I also noticed as I pruned that at the root of the plant there were many dead limbs. Because I had not pruned close enough to the root they eventually quit producing new branches and rotted. I could just pull them out of the ground.

There are things in my life that need to pruned - anything that keeps me from growing in the Lord. I may be bearing fruit for Him but I need to be constantly aware that His word tells me that even though I bear fruit He still prunes so that I bear MORE fruit. But HE needs to do the pruning - not me. He will show me.

If I don't allow His pruning then I will be just like those big limbs in my azalea that quit growing! I'll be just a big ole hunk of wood - no use to anybody.

What's in your life that you think God is working on to prune you to bear fruit for Him?