Pruning

In my short-lived first blog I did a post about the crazy-growing plant in my living room. Being a science teacher and my mother's daughter, I am pretty observant of the natural life around me (see previous posts), that and it's summer and I'm at home more often to pay attention. My garage apartment becomes a mini greenhouse in the summer because I don't run the AC often due to being cheap (I am also my father's daughter) and I get cold so easily. So the warm temperature and lots of windows makes my plants very happy. But instead of just growing taller it's starting sprout vines along the floor. My pictures don't do it justice. Something that I've noticed though is that as new leaves are created I have to remove a few dead yellow ones. They don't all make it, because in order for the plant to stay alive and have enough nutrients it has to get rid of what's draining it of available resources.

John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more fruit."

A friend of mine told me yesterday that being married is like having a mirror in front of you all the time, your spouse reflects back everything about you, good and bad. In my single years I prayed that God would put me in a relationship if that is what would make me more holy, and I got what I wanted. My fiance and I recently spent 6 days traveling together and I learned a lot about my day-to-day selfish tendencies. Yesterday we weren't even together but after reflecting on a phone conversation we'd had I was humbled yet again by the sacrifices he is making for us and our future while I still often live in single-mode thinking of myself.

Just as I prune my plant to make it grow healthier and stronger, God is pruning my heart to prepare me for my upcoming marriage.