0501 day 4 - power surge

My father used to own and operate a garden center in La Palma, and I worked with him for about 15 years. One of the subjects we were asked the most about was pruning fruit trees. Most people that owned a pair of pruning shears considered themselves “experienced”, so we were only consulted when they think they might have made a mistake.

Southern California doesn’t have definitive seasons, so it’s difficult to explain the pruning of deciduous fruit trees in the “winter”. But different fruits have different requirements. Not all trees can be pruned the same way.

For example, peaches and nectarines produce fruit on one-year-old wood, so it’s not advisable to cut off anything that grew out the previous year UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Unfortunately, many home gardeners didn’t ask before they cut so their home crops were very irregular. Apricots are the same way (and speaking of apricots, Cary thinks it’s the bottom row, eighth from the left).

John 15:1-8 reads "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, and I will 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 am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

Jesus wants us to remain connected to God through Him. Only through communication and confession can we stay connected. Communication is prayer and can be informalized by just talking to God. He’s always listening. Confession doesn’t have to be formal (like Catholicism’s “forgive me Father for I have sinned ...”). Just admit to God when you’ve made a mistake and keep the lines of communication open.

What area of my life am I struggling the most to change? I think my driving could be better. It’s not really that bad. I have a friend with a bumper sticker that reads “Horn broken – Look for finger”. But I have challenges that need to be overcome.

What are some ways I’ve seen God prune areas in my life? I guess he’s helping to keep me connected to other Christians by keeping me from others in my life. I’ll let you know how that works out.