we are the branches

Mary Beth's sermon today was based partly on John 15 where those famous words were "I am the vine and you are the branches."  As any good gardener knows, you must cut off the dead limbs but also prune the healthy ones to produce more fruit.  I have these little bitty peaches on a tree here at the cabin on a three year old tree.  There will also be apples.  I picked them last year before I was even living here.  I deadhead my flowers religiously so that they will multiply and get bigger.  Truly the farmer's daughter, I was taught by an ag major and lifetime expert on all things outdoors.  

After church I went to Kroger and took my time getting what I've been unable to order online.  It was worth my time to stock the pantry, so to speak.  I grinned and talked back to every little person there with their stressed out parents.  My favorite guy who used to be a bagger is now a checker and I must say he is quick.  One of the things I picked up was a pack of tennis balls for Bubba's puppy Sadie.  On the way home I stopped by the old house and dug up all the tulips that Reaves and I planted plus an iris or two and some herbs that made it through the winter.  They are currently sitting in a bucket in the rain.  Again.

I look at life like the pruning story.  If there's a dead part of you, God will remove it.  But he will also continue to prune the healthy parts so that you may be more abundant which is what it's all about.  

Keep the faith ^j^