Pruning and Growth

About seven or eight years ago I began to "see" that I was going through a different season in my life. We just started homeschooling which was different and not like most of my friends. Because of my falsely perceived judgements of "strangeness", I harbored great resentment, anger and frustration. All of these caused a great sadness in my relationships. My little world was just that, constricting, limited and stuck! During this process I was praying and I only seemed to grow more bitter and frustrated.

I was only set free when my heart was so burdened to seek forgiveness in private as well as public for my pride and unforgiveness. Since this time, over and over again the grace of The One that created me is what heals my soul, not someone approving of my choices, what I think, say or do, ONLY what the LOVE of my life says about me... Do I struggle? ABSOLUTELY!!! This is where I have the freedom to choose to sin (miss the mark) and put distance and darkness between myself and "others"--(LOST reference) or choose life and hope.

Without the many painful, dreary, lifeless winters in my own life, how could I possibly know the goodness of a refreshing rain, a flower poking up from the dirt or the simplicity of a child's smile??? Isn't this where we all are, just in different seasons?

Embracing the "good" and the "bad"...

Today, my daughter and I were outside and after only a few short minutes she saw a very small butterfly fluttering about. Just then she looked down and witnessed another, just as lovely butterfly lying on the ground, still, dead. An ugly beetle enjoyed what seemed to be a "tasty treat". Her disgust with this "rude" behavior was interesting to me. She loved the butterfly but disliked the beetle. Wasn't he only doing what he was created to do?

I reminded her that that the beetle was created for a purpose just as the butterfly and though I do love butterflies they both have their own niche in this big world. With much disdain my sweet girl walked away.

This theme remains in my own life. Can I choose to embrace painful circumstances and maybe even "rude" people in my life? Yes!! I do have a choice! It's my calling... "Love your neighbor as your self." Aren't people in almost all of our circumstances. What is the Spirit of my Lord wanting to do through us in those tough spots?

There is power in getting past my flesh of self and knowing my "self" or inner man, where the Holy Spirit resides in my being. Oh, what joy if we were all "perfect" and never human...but wait, it seems to me that's exactly where this shift to the Kingdom of God converge! I love this amazing opportunity for transformation in our lifes!!!

This day has reaffirmed in so many ways what I know to be true. I can resist what is... or...I can seek and knock and the Kingdom will be revealed... What will you embrace today?