A Lesson in the Garden

As I rounded the corner of the house to fill my watering can, I stopped dead in my tracks - shocked by what I saw. A rose bush in bloom isn't unusual in May. But this wasn't just any bush. This was the most stubborn, resistant, obnoxious plant I'd ever encountered. I'd wanted, even begged my husband, to cut it down and pull the roots out any number of times during the past nine years.

At our first house we had roses, planted by the previous owners, and were always amazed at how little work they required. We did nothing; yet they bloomed radiantly in a rainbow of colors each Spring. So, when we moved into our current house, we knew we wanted to include those "beautiful, low-maintenance roses" we remembered so fondly. We promptly planted the aforementioned climbing bush right outside our bedroom window.

The first year it did nothing. No growth, no buds. Nothing. We watered it faithfully and "fed" it rose food. Year two - still nothing. Year three - nada. Year four - zip. "Be patient," Steve said. "It will bloom when it's ready." (He knows me better than anyone on the planet, except you- Mom, and he still used the "p" word. Patience is not a virtue of mine, to say the least.) Year five. Eureka! A couple of buds formed. We got excited, but they never opened into full flowers. That's when I got mad - and serious. This thing was not going to beat me. I Google'd "roses" and read everything that popped up. The recurring theme in each article was pruning - a fancy term for "Cut the heck out of the plant every year."

I've been gardening for a while now, but apparently I still had a lot to learn, and the concept of chopping something up to make it grow bigger and stronger didn't make sense to me. It seemed unnecessary, even harsh. But, my husband's grandparents had a fruit orchard, and he was all too familiar with the pruning process. He explained to me the benefits that fruit trees and flowering plants derive from pruning, including ridding it of the unproductive parts and helping it to conserve resources to maximize its new, healthy growth the following season.

So, after carefully studying the recommended rose-pruning procedures, he sharpened the clippers and went to work. He cut and chopped and clipped until the poor thing looked pathetic. "Trust me," he said. "Next year will be better." And, sure enough, he was right! The next Spring, one or two of those buds did open up into a gorgeous pink bloom. Progress! We have pruned it every year since with varying degrees of success, but I hadn't paid much attention to it so far this season. Hence my shock when I rounded the corner. It was stunning! There were six flowers in full bloom and at least as many buds ready to open any day. The foliage was vibrant and green, and it had climbed almost to the roof line.

Right then and there, I learned a life lesson that I'm sure I'll never forget--the value of pruning. Not just in gardening, but in life. Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit; and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit" (John 15:1-2, Amp). I thought back over my own life and all the cleansing and pruning God has had to do. He has chopped away at self-destructive habits like overeating and overspending. Every day, He clips off unruly thoughts filled with selfishness and pride. He digs up the weeds of worry, criticism and unforgiveness, bringing me to a beautiful place of repentance and restoration, like a spring rain washing over my wilted leaves.

I wish I could say my pruning days are over, that my life continually bears rich, excellent fruit. Alas, that's not the case. BUT, when I think back over all the mistakes, poor choices, and trials, I realize that those pruning incidents have caused fruit to grow. Owing only to God's grace, my marriage is still strong and loving after 15 years. I don't overeat or overspend anymore (okay, okay, rarely). I love being my kids' mom, and God has blessed me with several close friends. Most amazing to me are the many times He has turned pipe dreams into reality. Just like that rose bush, I'm still stubborn and obnoxious at times. But God sees the beautiful flowers trying to bloom through adversity and thanks to the faithful pruning of a loving gardener, I believe I'll see them too.