April 23
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Yesterday, in the glorious warmth of the sun, on a beautiful New England spring day, my husband, Roger and I looked over the trees and shrubs in our yard. We stood there dismayed. After the particularly harsh winter of cold, snow and ice we experienced, many of them appeared broken, almost beaten. Places where typically by this time new growth would have appeared, there was no life at all – in fact the branches were dry and brittle. We knew what we had to do, to save them. Into the shed Roger went, getting out the pruning shears and cutters as I watched with sadness actually, then we began the task. By the time we were through, anyone would have questioned whether or not these pieces that remained would survive at all.
As we worked together side by side, chatting and laughing about this and that, I found myself reflecting upon the harshness of this particular winter on our family. We had been shattered by painful events we had endured; cutting us to the bone and causing immeasurable grief. Things we once believed in without question were challenged; a health concern there is no cure for, worsened; a major shift in the dynamics of our family occurred; there were painful losses and uncertainties in nearly every aspect of our lives. There were days we just functioned – going through the motion of providing whatever was needed to whoever needed it; including ourselves. By the end of winter, we were both spent beyond measure, physically and emotionally; we too were feeling brittle and beaten. How easily we felt we could break. Yet, by the grace of God, our spirits remained intact with new life continuing to spring forth in my heart. Through the prayers of loved ones and friends, we were carried and cared for when we couldn’t do it ourselves.
Our family has survived – changed, stronger and with an even greater appreciation of who we are and the value of each precious one to it. We were pruned unmercifully, but that life of Spirit held tightly to us; a spark from God, which kept the essence of our lives growing forward, as it still does. I can only imagine what this new growth will look like when it is complete!
Omnipotent God! How good you are to us! When you take away that which deters us on our journey toward you, in our vulnerability help us to remember that you are present and that more vibrant growth is in process.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Yesterday, in the glorious warmth of the sun, on a beautiful New England spring day, my husband, Roger and I looked over the trees and shrubs in our yard. We stood there dismayed. After the particularly harsh winter of cold, snow and ice we experienced, many of them appeared broken, almost beaten. Places where typically by this time new growth would have appeared, there was no life at all – in fact the branches were dry and brittle. We knew what we had to do, to save them. Into the shed Roger went, getting out the pruning shears and cutters as I watched with sadness actually, then we began the task. By the time we were through, anyone would have questioned whether or not these pieces that remained would survive at all.
As we worked together side by side, chatting and laughing about this and that, I found myself reflecting upon the harshness of this particular winter on our family. We had been shattered by painful events we had endured; cutting us to the bone and causing immeasurable grief. Things we once believed in without question were challenged; a health concern there is no cure for, worsened; a major shift in the dynamics of our family occurred; there were painful losses and uncertainties in nearly every aspect of our lives. There were days we just functioned – going through the motion of providing whatever was needed to whoever needed it; including ourselves. By the end of winter, we were both spent beyond measure, physically and emotionally; we too were feeling brittle and beaten. How easily we felt we could break. Yet, by the grace of God, our spirits remained intact with new life continuing to spring forth in my heart. Through the prayers of loved ones and friends, we were carried and cared for when we couldn’t do it ourselves.
Our family has survived – changed, stronger and with an even greater appreciation of who we are and the value of each precious one to it. We were pruned unmercifully, but that life of Spirit held tightly to us; a spark from God, which kept the essence of our lives growing forward, as it still does. I can only imagine what this new growth will look like when it is complete!
Omnipotent God! How good you are to us! When you take away that which deters us on our journey toward you, in our vulnerability help us to remember that you are present and that more vibrant growth is in process.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson