Pruning




	WRITE 2 THE HEART Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart" March 9, 2004 Cheryl Speir, Editor, moderator@write2theheart.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to your latest issue of "Write 2 the Heart." You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription or a friend generously forwarded their copy to you. ------------------------------------------------------------ Pruning is never easy. The results always go beyond our expectations. ------------------------------------------------------------ All new subscribers will receive a free downloadable copy of the e-cookbook, “Write 2 the Heart of the Chocolate Lover.” To subscribe send a blank e-mail to: subscribe@write2theheart.com ------------------------------------------------------------- The Pruning of My Heart By Ginger Boda ------------------------------------------------------------ I gazed out my kitchen window as my husband, Mark, climbed up his ladder to begin cutting away the bare branches of our Chinese Persimmon tree in our backyard. I stared as each leafless, fruitless branch fell to the ground. Watching Mark wield his saw this way and that way, I caught his eye, and gave him a knowing smile. With anticipation we would reap the efforts of his labor, in due time. As the last twig was trimmed, Mark looked at me with a smile of satisfaction. I smiled back and my eyes fell to the unwashed dishes I had been tending to. I just stared into the sink, and the tears began to fall from my eyes. I too was being pruned this year, I thought. It struck me that in my own life, every year oddly enough, in or about the month of February, trials came or changes occurred that would inevitably result in the cutting away of relationships, bad attitudes, transgressions, or all of the above. Recalling many of those painful pruning seasons that day, I shook my head in utter understanding. Looking up once more, I remembered the first time we laid eyes on that odd looking tree just three years before. Its foreign fruit appeared useless, with only six lonely pieces growing on it. Its leaves were scanty, providing minimal shade. We were completely disappointed in the harvest; the persimmons seemed to take forever to ripen, coming to fruition in late fall, and their taste did not impress us much. What use was that tree, except for shade, we thought. When February approached that year Mark chopped away at the barren limbs, without much knowledge of why he should, except for hearing that pruning was a necessary part of tree maintenance. The bare limbs reaching for the sky seemed to cry out for attention, and Mark thought it would serve as a better shade tree if shaped somewhat like an umbrella, anyway. As we came through the next two seasons, our leafy tree provided us protection from the sun’s torridity. By the second year, we noticed that not only were the leaves far greener, the harvest of fruit nearly tripled. This time, my sister in law (who worked in a grocery store) recognized the type of fruit it produced, informing us of its high-priced value in the retail world. Hmm, we thought, that's strange that something we hadn't found desirable, could actually be of worth to others. This time we bagged up the 15 or so pieces of edible solid mass, giving away most to our friends and family, and enjoying a few ourselves. When the following pruning season came upon us, Mark went about his dutiful task of cutting away the empty outgrowth once again. By the time fall appeared, our Persimmon tree had produced such an abundance of apple-like sweet fruit, it took us hours to pick and bag it all. Amazing, we thought, from six pieces to over more than the mind cares to count! Soon our lemon tree began to get the same treatment, increasing its yield from one to fifty. Talk about making lemonade, when given lemons! Some were as big as oranges! Who would have known that to cut away -- is to bring forth? While I stood there at my kitchen window, watching the barren limbs fall into their dumpster destiny for the third year in a row, I saw so clearly the handiwork of our Creator through the hand of my gardening husband. The verse from scripture came quickly to my mind: 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. (John 15: 1-2). How many times had I struggled in uncomfortable circumstances, making the inevitable process that much more painful? How many times had I wept over my losses, unable to embrace their meaningful purpose? How many times had I cried out to God to stop the pain, the destitute feelings, the rejection and death that I’d known, only to find myself a better and wiser person, for the experience? When the pruning passed, I always ended up with lasting life lessons, and a deeper love for others. Each time a piece of my fruitless life was cut off, I learned to blossom. Every time my close relationships were tested, I learned to be patient. Whenever a loved one passed away, I learned the true meaning of empathy and compassion. Through the suffering of health issues, I learned to intercede for others more deeply. Each time my feelings were hurt or my expectations dashed to pieces, I learned to let go and forgive. The verse that states as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27: 17), finally made sense to me. Furthermore, if my life was going to produce spiritual fruit, I couldn't struggle when God reckoned it was time to cut away the old and make room for the new. The human spirit has always seemed so fragile to me. As I raised my own children, I remember taking great care not to break their little spirits as I tended to their stubborn wills. Having survived that parental pruning, those young adults have often come to Mark and I, thanking us for many of those tough decisions we had to make when they were young. An appreciative smile was exchanged, as the fruits of our labor were evident in their lives. It was like getting a glimpse of the heart of God for us, His own children. I looked up once more at our faithful Persimmon tree, standing dormant and still that day. The sun would shine through its empty limbs for a while, bringing nourishment and warmth. It would not look pretty for sometime, nor would it give shade. However, the day would come when its lush leaves would flourish once again, casting an umbrella of comfort against the heat of the day. Its abundance of sweet fruit would soon bless many that pass by, freely satisfying their taste buds. Those who knew its value would be grateful. I wiped my tears away, and relinquished a nod of acceptance to my Creator. This trial will pass, I surmised, and I too will feel the warmth and nurture of the Son in my life. Some may view me as dormant, yet the time will come when I will be able to comfort and shelter others with the same comfort that I have received. therefore, as the next pruning season for me approaches, I determined to struggle far less, and trust more; I resolved to cry fewer tears, and endure with increased faith. I decided to "be still and know that He is God." Yes, the pruning is necessary, but it is only for a season. I can hardly wait to taste the fruit of His labor. Ginger Boda Rhymerbabe @ aol.com You are encouraged to write to the authors to let them know what you think of their story, just remember to remove the space before and after the @ symbol. The space is placed in the address to protect our writers from viruses and email harvesting programs. Have a comment on today's story? Send it to: moderator@write2theheart.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Ginger is an award-winning author for Starfish, and contributor to various online publications, such as Heartwarmers, Write2theheart, Insight of the day, 2theheart, Storytime_Tapestry, HeartTouchers and Emerging Courageous. She has been published in Chicken Soup For The Bride's Soul, which was released in January 2004. Ginger weaves faith, tradition, and humor into her stories and poetry, as she strives to lift the spirit and cheer the heart. She has penned her thoughts since childhood, writing mostly for her loved ones, until last year when she began to share her works with the public. She is eternally grateful for all the encouragement and friendship she has encountered on her journey. Ginger resides in Southern California with her husband, Mark and three grown children, Jason 25, Danny 22, and Alisha 20. -------------------------------------------------------------- Story Submissions -------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a heart-touching or inspiring story to share? Send it in the body of a plain email, no graphic or colorful backgrounds please. Write ‘submission’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to write a brief bio to introduce yourself to our readers. You may include your family friendly websites, information on your books, newsletters, and upcoming projects. Email to: moderator@write2theheart.com -------------------------------------------------------------- Letters From Our Readers -------------------------------------------------------------- What a beautiful story by David Barber about his grandmother's roses. It brought back so many memories of my own grandmother's love for flowers, roses in particular. To this day I can't see a rose bush in bloom but I don't think of Grandma. Excellent story! ~ Pamela Jenkins bunnies-n-birds @ juno.com I enjoyed your story about your grandmother. It touched my heart. The writing was excellent. TLC --------------------------------------------------------------- Military Prayer Reminder --------------------------------------------------------------- As you read over this list of names, please take that moment to pray for these young people and their families: Chris Speir Tim Speir Alan Thaddeaus Howard Todd Holland Graham William Julie Sagel Jessie Marshal Thompson Jason Eric Hernandez Kristin Danielson Ken Prieur Ryan Jonathan P. Wells Larry Miele Daniel Please continue to pray for our country, our leaders, and our troops at this time. If you have loved ones in the military, or who are being called to go overseas, send their names (first and last or first only) to be included in our prayer reminder. --------------------------------------------------------------- Cheryl's Corner Last Thursday morning, I came home from running errands and found my phone full of messages. The first one announced that I needed to call the medical department at David’s place of employment. The next one said that they were trying to get in contact with the family of David. The third was from a hospital in New Orleans. My heart was in my throat as I began returning calls. David had gone to have a hearing test and began having chest pains. Not taking any chances, the company rushed him to the hospital. With his medical history and his family history, they decided to keep him overnight for observation. When I arrived at the emergency room and saw that he was not in any immediate danger, I told him that this was definitely not what I wanted for my birthday! I’m so pleased he is now home. He just had to take things easy for a few days. God Bless, Cheryl ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2004 Write 2 the Heart Nothing may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual author or copyright owner. All rights belong to the authors.