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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Pruning In The Garden

The weather was gorgeous today, sunny and warm enough to do a little gardening, so I decided to prune three of our rose bushes. Our winter this year has been cold and harsh, and the garden has really taken a beating. My poor roses were nothing but long spindly canes with dried dead leaves in desperate need of pruning. (the photo below was taken last week)


When I  prune, I cut out all the unhealthy parts of the plant, I cut off all those little "sucker" canes that take away from the growth of the main canes and I cut off anything that is dead. Those spindly legs wouldn't support new growth very well, and without pruning, when the summer heat comes, these plants would be more susceptible to damage, and I'm not sure how many flowers I would get. As harsh as it seems I have to cut all that stuff out so this plant will be healthy and more productive. Does this make you think of your own life and what the Lord may be pruning.


The Lord will often bring to mind a spiritual application when I am out working in the garden. As I was pruning away at those roses I was thinking of the different ways the Lord has been pruning in my own life the last several years. Our life looks so different now then it did 10 years ago, we have had lots of pruning going on!  He tends to prune through trials in my life. We have had to deal with health issues, family issues, job and financial changes, each trial revealing another wrong heart attitude or behavior that needed addressing (pruning) and repenting for,  (and so many times the same issues keep turning up over and over again) I am sure as long as I have breath there will be pruning that will need to be done but, I have a faithful "vinedresser"

Pruning may seem harsh but I love the results in the garden(the yellow roses not mine)  I don't much like pruning in my life either, but I want to bear much fruit, so that he may be glorified, so let the pruning continue.

Hopefully I will have some photos in a couple months of some beautiful roses from those plants i just pruned, my prayer is that the pruning in my life will reflect the same beauty for his glory.






6 comments:

Sola Scriptura said...

Great post!

Creations By Cindy said...

I can't wait to see your beautiful roses in bloom my friend! WOW....there is some snow on that ground too! Oh I know all too well the pruning process at times and yes it does OUCH....but always after the "fact" I look back and I am thankful for the pruning Christ done. Learning to be thankful in the midst of it! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Cheryl said...

Such inspired thoughts you have shared here, Maryann. Yes, the pruning is so uncomfortable...and, yet, the result is beautiful and profitable. Thanks for this encouragement.

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

Mary Ann, what a beautiful parallel and yes, HE does have to prune us from time to time to make us into what HE desires. And, it's often so, so painful. I've had so much pruning in the past few years and I've come through to the other side to be thankful.

Happy rest of the week!!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Perfect analogy! Thankfully the Lord's pruning is perfect (mine, not always so much).

I need to get out and do some pruning ... I've been postponing it ... it's not going to do itself.

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Yes, I shrink back when I think of being pruned even knowing it is for my best, yet I have no problem going to town on my garden and houseplants. I look forward to seeing your beautiful roses in bloom!