So this is a post republished from CV NEWS....it is written by Genevieve Pylypiw. My summer youth coworker. She is telling a story about our recent discipleship time with God in nature.

It was a beautiful day, a perfect day to work outside. I was standing under what appeared to be an apple tree, though before that day I had not realized the existence of it's fruit bearing abilities -- a strand of Macintosh at that. It had been a couple of weeks since Rob had announced to me that we were going to prune the apple trees on the property. "Apple trees," I had exclaimed, unknowing that we even had one. We have four! Four (decent kinds of apple) trees in the backyard of the Cambridge Vineyard. One more new discovery since I've started working here six weeks ago.So, there I was standing under the first chosen tree to prune, apparently a first experience for both us. Rob was already fully immersed in chopping off limbs and branches at the top of the tree when I walked over.

I had a memory flash of an apple orchard and thought out loud, "Aren't apple trees supposed to be fairly sparse in branches?" Rob grinned and chuckled as he jumped out of the tree and answered me, "Yep. Apple trees are generally sparse -- we've got a lot of cutting to do," and he handed me the clippers.For the trees to bear good fruit they need partial sun and partial shade, so the branches need to be spaced in a way that allows the sun to shine through, yet at the same time provides some coverage from too much heat. This is why typically the structure of an apple tree is shaped like a pyramid/triangle. The tree we were standing under was shaped like a big sphere. It took me a little while to figure out "what branches would get to live or die," as Rob so eloquently put it.

At first I was timid and thought I was going to screw up the tree if I cut the wrong branch, but after my first few cuts I started seeing and understanding the process a bit more. As I looked up from the ground and surveyed the direction the branches were growing in, I was able to recognize what branches were good and what one's were deterring healthy growth."This is why we can be thankful that Jesus is gentle and only prunes us a little bit at a time." Rob's one sentence sermon ended as he finished sawing through a large branch with a 3.5-4" diameter. I should say it was more like the top of a limb he was cutting off. It was full of leaves and looked healthy, it had many smaller branches sprouting from its thick trunk. The limb fell to the ground with a thud. The leaves rustled and shook from the impact, then rested peacefully. "Yea, it's a good thing Jesus is gentle," I thought as I witnessed what looked like harsh treatment of a perfectly fine living structure, "..because the chopping off of a limb that size on my own body would really hurt."I think it's hard for us to recognize pruning because all it really feels like is suffering. We may have a branch that is bearing good fruit of love and joy, but because of the great abundance of goodness there begins to sprout a lot of branches. So many, in fact that the weight of the branches become overbearing and because of the coverage, the limb begins to die from lack of warm sunlight. This may look like weariness, bitterness, resentment or frustration.

This is a good branch that the Father needs to prune. Pruning may be Jesus asking you to step back from leadership for a while, or it may be needing to ask your son or daughter to choose only one sport per season. It may be making the decision to commit to only two nights out a week and the other three you stay home or it may be resolving some conflict between you and someone. Whatever it is, it is usually uncomfortable, hard and possibly hurts a little bit depending on the situation.Well,

I have now turned Rob's one sentence sermon into a six paragraph thought. I'm going to bring it to a close by saying, I'm really glad that I have Jesus to stand under me, look up and see the branches that are deterring good fruit from growing. And I'm really glad that He doesn't just walk away and leave me to grow into something that the Father did not create me to be. He only asks me to trust and obey.Over-growth and bad fruit is self produced.

The garden

I love olive trees. They are so old and gnarly. They are a picture of something that grows well-in an orchard. An orchard is a managed space, not a wild one, or a free market to use an economic term. In fact olive trees will grow for 1000's of years. Not many things seem to grow well on their own. Most things, like you and I, need pruning (amongst other things). Pruning makes us like plants, send roots down deeper, spurs growth in healthy directions, creates opportunity for more fruit, and produces more consistent fruit production.

What happens when we are not pruned? Well, we grow in unhealthy directions, fruitless directions, we tend to be full of leaves and only have a little fruit. Ever felt like you had a lot of stuff going on and not much to show for it? Not pruning also produces one other ill effect that few consider. A garden that is left to itself, that is unmanaged usually grows to the detriment of something else. Some other plant will get squeezed out. An unchecked garden is a place only the strong survive. Ultimately we need to be pruned for the sake of others. Our ministries, our pride, our productivity left unchecked will squeeze the life out of other plants, other good things. Things that are still small, tender and undeveloped may not develop because they are not in an environment where they can thrive.

Think about our economy, our lifestyles, do we think we can grow, consume and have and not hurt, not crowd others around us? Our pruning is ultimately for the good of others, so that others can grow.

For me this revelation is hitting home as I consider my role as a pastor, and leader. In helping people live with one another. In creating a place for people to grow, pruning is one of the most important things I can encourage, because if I don't the plants in the garden will compete, fruit will decrease, and only the strong will survive.

cheers

A little humour

If you have never checked out Dave Hayward, he is worth it both on the web and in life. I love this, it just reminds me that God is interested in presenting me perfect. Asking for His help is asking for my life to change.