The True Vine

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more fruit."

John 15: 1-2 The Jerusalem Bible

I have been looking at our lemon tree lately.  Branches are everywhere all the way to the ground.  There is not much fruit.  I know the tree needs attention and a serious pruning, but it is hot and the work is hard, so I have been procrastinating.

This morning I awoke early and got out the pruning shears.  It took me over an hour to get that tree pruned and looking good.  It was a job well done.

I am a lot like that lemon tree.  Badly in need of a pruning.  It most likely will take more than an hour to get me looking good. Remember that I am slow learner.

My husband was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer in May of 2013.  It has brought more than a few fears and dark nights.  It was the beginning of the pruning process.  As we started to go through the motions of seeking treatment and coming to terms with the diagnosis our lives stopped. Not literally, but it sure was changed.

Snip...hand the fear over to me.
Snip...don't try and take it back
Snip... Trust
Snip...Pray

Looking at my yard after the pruning there was a pile of cut branches.   Some with fruit, small, hard, and green.  Certainly not the kind of fruit that you want to pick and use.  My prayer life sometimes looks like that pile of pruned branches with small, hard, dry fruit.  But if I lift my eyes to the newly pruned tree there is  a trunk and branches reaching toward heaven., waiting to start bearing good fruit.  Fruit that is large, and soft and moist.  Fruit full of promise .
Cindy~