Too Much!

So here I sit with piles of things all around me.  I remember looking in my closet the other day and noticing my dresser full of jewelry and being ashamed at all the “junk” I have cramed into my tiny apartment.  My apartment is an indication of my life.  Jenny and I were praying the other day and she encouraged me and said that my passion for "diving in" is a strength.  It was such a blessing to get a perspective of me from outside of me.  And it really blessed me.  But I also felt the tugging of the Lord when this was read at the women’s luncheon on Monday.

John 15:1 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.

I am currently: A wife, A Christ –Follower, An athlete, A volunteer, A researcher, A friend, A sister, A daughter, a grand-daughter, A worship leader, A cook, A cleaner, A theologian, An interpreter, A student, A seeker,  A crafter, An artist, A reader , An educator, A book club member, , A belly dancer,  A belly dancer in a community troupe, A leader of a  belly dance troupe, and a citizen.

This is what struck me yesterday.  It says, “He prunes so it will be even more fruitful.”  With my limited  understanding of gardening , Jenny let me know if I’m wrongJ,  part of pruning is cutting back good branches so the vines energy will not be overextended.  And that struck me.  Long ago I read a book about teaching and it asked about four quadrants of our life and what we are doing to learn and grow in each: spiritual, emotional, physical and mental.  I would also add social.   So at the time I had these four quadrants and I listed what I felt  God has given me in each of these area.  Or what am I doing in each of these areas.  It changed my perspective and my life.  I saw two things: first that I was already doing a great deal when I felt like I was “wasting” my life (waiting for those amazing things everyone told me I was going to do when I grew up) and second that God wants to work on me holistically.

 Maybe you are rocking the spiritual quadrant but neglecting the physical or social.  Then that is where some of your extra energy should be focused.  Still to this day when I feel stuck I will make a list of my different known roles within each quadrent.   And so now it is time that I do that again and allow him to prune back some of the good things in my life so that I will be even more fruitful.

Love to each of you,

Hil