Pruning

I've read that February is a good time to do pruning of many of the bushes we have. And they really needed it.  Last weekend we had a beautiful day; a taste of spring in the air!  A great day to get out to prune, rather than some cold, nasty day like we will have this coming weekend.

 Lots of dead branches and ones that were not in the right places.  Snip, snip!

We got rid of one bush altogether.

 Ready for burning.



It is the branch that bears the fruit, 
    that feels the           knife,
To prune it for a larger growth,
    a fuller life.

Going to the brush pile, the geese who were lazily floating on the water took off at the sound of the truck.

 

 Al gave us a ride in the back of the pickup until we got back to the highway.

Now that the out-of-control rose bushes have been pruned back, 

we can once again see the rocker bench!

 Look at these silly girls without jackets!  A reminder of the nice warm day - this is February!  But this weekend it will be single digits again as a polar vortex comes through Kansas.

 Papa gave Claire a little ride in the back of the pick up too.  She wasn't too sure about that!

                                                                
                                                                     

Rejoice, though each desire, each dream 
               Each hope of thine
Will fall and fade; it is the hand 
         Of Love Divine

That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
                  With tenderest touch,
That you, whose life has borne some fruit,
              Might now bear much.
                                      Annie Johnson Flint

                                                             

Friends - Old and New

This past week as I was visiting my mother at the rehab unit of the nursing home, a lady walked into the room.  She said "You don't know me.  I'm from Nebraska and I read your blog."  

This is my new friend, Jo

She knows my young friend from church, Andrea, as she is from the same town in Nebraska.  Andrea says she went to school with Jo's son!  She "found" me through Andrea's blog.  We have similar interests so she has continued to read my blog.  

Her mother lives around here and recently had a fall and broke her hip.  When they were at the hospital, she saw Al and thought he looked so familiar.  It dawned on her that he was my husband (I put his picture on the blog regularly). 

Then she saw my post of my mother and recognized her as the lady across the hall from her own mother in the nursing home!  Small world!  

Tonight my "old" friends got together to celebrate one of our "sister's" birthday.  

Helen went through a very scary time and we thought we were going to lose her.  Well, as a Christian, she wouldn't be lost!  Not sure why we use that term.  We would know she would be with the Lord, safe in His arms!

But we are blessed that she is recovering from her infection and surgeries!!   

We surprised Helen on her special day.  We all met at the home where she is recovering and went into her room singing "Happy Birthday".  

We couldn't all fit in her room so went to the dining room where we visited and had cake.

We each shared a verse of Scripture with her and then covered her in prayer.

Here is a picture of some of us.   We started out over 20 years ago with just 6 of us.  It evolves year to year. There are 17 of us in the "old ladies" Bible study this year (that is how I distinguish it since my friend Sarah and I lead a young mom's Bible study too).

 I don't mind being called "old".  I grew up in Japan where old age is revered.  And after all...

" White hair is a crown of glory and is seen most among the godly." 
 Proverbs 16:31

Psst - I know.  My hair isn't gray.  But it would be if I didn't use a box.  My children think I should let my hair grow gray, but I can't.  Not yet.  Maybe in 10 years.

Thanking Him for friends, new ones and old ones!