Dead Wood

If I could transfer my thoughts onto this computer screen, I would have several posts by now.


But since that technology has not yet been developed, I will type and try to get my thoughts in order.


This week I have been doing lots of "yard work". For some it's work, for me it's therapy. And believe me, I have lots of reasons to need therapy, but that's another story. In one of my "sessions", I clipped and pruned dead branches from my azaleas. Looking at the bushes I could not easily see the dead branches, but when I crouched down, pulled the branches aside and got to the heart of the bush, there is was! Deadwood. Oh, I love to prune! I know you don't prune azaleas at this time of year, but I'm pretty sure there will be no spring blossoms on the dead branches. When outside, I usually spend time with God. I leave my ipod off so I won't be distracted by Brad Paisley. As I was cutting and talking to God, I thought about all the deadwood we all have hidden under our pretty branches. All the sins. All the bad thoughts. All the bad deeds. All the good deeds gone undone. We're just like the azalea bushes. The deadwood needs to come out in order for the light to reach our hearts. The pruning took place over a couple of days and each time I went back to a bush, I noticed more and more tender, new leaves that were hidden deep within the dead branches were now flourishing. In my pruning, I let more sunshine in so those little guys could grow and not be crowded out by the all deadwood. I kept thinking about us, God's people, and how we all need more light to shine through our exterior and reach our hearts. Like the azaleas, we never stop growing. By getting rid of our deadwood, we will be happier, healthier Christians.