It’s been several weeks since I’ve updated the blog - weeks filled with finishing things up from the school year and beginning my summer “to do” list. Who said summer was a time for relaxing?
The last two weeks have been spent on outside projects - power washing and staining/painting the deck and patio, weeding and thinning out the garden, planting flowers and laying out mulch. All very physical labor; quite different from my schoolwork. And my body can definitely tell the difference: I think every muscle aches. But I found working outside gave me time to think and reflect on God’s work in my life.
Power Washing
Power washing a deck is slow, tedious work. You need to pay constant attention to the hose, making sure to hold it close enough to spray the dirt off but far enough to keep from damaging the wood. My tendency is to rush through, spraying quite rapidly back and forth. I found, however, that when I rushed I ended up missing quite a bit of the dirt and had to go back over those areas again. And when I moved the hose closer to the deck to get at the dirt, little flecks of wood chipped off. Gradually I learned the best height and angle to hold the hose. As I spent most of the afternoon cleaning the deck (yes, it was quite dirty), I was thrilled to see the dirt slowly disappear and a sparkling clean deck emerge. Later I also power washed the deck furniture. I found a sharper stream of water worked better in this case in order to remove the dust and insects accumulated through the winter. This short blast was much quicker and required less patience but would not have worked on the deck. Power washing reminded me of the way God works in my life, “power washing” away my sinful habits and tendencies. He knows when I need a quick, sharp blast and when the slow but steady pressure and flow will work best to draw me closer to Him and away from sin. Although the pressure can be painful at times, it will cleanse me so I can sparkle for Him. This week I’ve been praying that God will pressure-wash me and make me more like Him.
“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalm 51:2
Pruning
I have two rose bushes that thrive in the sunny backyard near the house. Thankfully they bloom year after year without much extra care from me, but I was amazed at how tall and spread out they were this spring. I realized I needed to prune them before they took over the entire garden. As I clipped branches and reshaped the bushes, a Bible verse came to 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
Although I’ve heard these verses before (and even had my students memorize verse 5), they came alive in a new way as I looked at my freshly pruned rose bushes. Instead of looking wild and sprawling, they now are a highlight of the garden and I can’t wait to see the next group of blooms. And, along with power washing, I want God to continue pruning me, working in my life so I can bloom and bear fruit for Him.
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