When I was in college, I got the chance (?) to take some classes in trees. I can't remember what the class was called, but we studied different trees and how to prune them in order to stimulate them to be the best tree they could be. That last part there was not part of the course description, it's how I look at pruning and taking care of plants.
In fact, now that I think back on it, the Agriculture department students provide a great source of incredibly cheap labor for the university. Everything from pruning trees, gathering eggs and milking cows. Now those were the day's huh Janet!
Anyway, there is waiting that has to occur with the art of pruning. You don't just keep at the pruning! You stand back and give it a rest and see what happens now that you've loped 40% of the tree off.
Now there is one kind of tree that I don't know much about, didn't have the opportunity at college to study many of these beauties. Citrus trees. So what does Preacher man go out and do a few years ago? He goes out and gets a lemon tree. I tried so hard the first year to treat it good and give it everything I thought it would need. That winter, it dropped leaves and just looked bad. Next summer I cut it back some and that winter it faired much better.
This last summer, I trimmed her up some but mainly, I just let her go, I waited. This fall, we've moved her back inside the house and this is what's happening now...
Can you believe that? And smell good, whatcha talking about, it smells just like Hawaii! I don't know what kind of crop we're going to have, I'm just so excited about the flowers that I can't think straight!
God showed me, this is what happens after pruning and waiting, not only in the lemon tree, but also in us, in me...
So when I smell this gift, I think about the fragrance God is creating in me. The Lord knows all about the pruning we're going through. He did it! He knows us better than we know ourselves. He stimulates us to be the very best tree we can be!
So I get my encouragement from the lemon tree today!
Keep waiting in hope. God has not forgotten His promise.
In fact, now that I think back on it, the Agriculture department students provide a great source of incredibly cheap labor for the university. Everything from pruning trees, gathering eggs and milking cows. Now those were the day's huh Janet!
Anyway, there is waiting that has to occur with the art of pruning. You don't just keep at the pruning! You stand back and give it a rest and see what happens now that you've loped 40% of the tree off.
Now there is one kind of tree that I don't know much about, didn't have the opportunity at college to study many of these beauties. Citrus trees. So what does Preacher man go out and do a few years ago? He goes out and gets a lemon tree. I tried so hard the first year to treat it good and give it everything I thought it would need. That winter, it dropped leaves and just looked bad. Next summer I cut it back some and that winter it faired much better.
This last summer, I trimmed her up some but mainly, I just let her go, I waited. This fall, we've moved her back inside the house and this is what's happening now...
Can you believe that? And smell good, whatcha talking about, it smells just like Hawaii! I don't know what kind of crop we're going to have, I'm just so excited about the flowers that I can't think straight!
God showed me, this is what happens after pruning and waiting, not only in the lemon tree, but also in us, in me...
So when I smell this gift, I think about the fragrance God is creating in me. The Lord knows all about the pruning we're going through. He did it! He knows us better than we know ourselves. He stimulates us to be the very best tree we can be!
So I get my encouragement from the lemon tree today!
Keep waiting in hope. God has not forgotten His promise.
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