Unexpected Pruning

My yard seems to be teaching me lots of lessons lately. It's a fact that pruning is often necessary in order to help plants thrive. Sometimes it might even seem painful and unnecessary and unexpected. 

I enjoy working in my rose garden but am not a huge fan of weeding. A couple Saturdays ago I decided it was time to devote my morning to our yard and once I began I made a lot of progress.

The perfectionist in me wanted to get EVERY WEED! After an hour in the front yard, I turned the sprinkler on our Dahlias and Black-eyed Susans, (we don't have an in-ground system at this house) and went to the back to prune the rose garden.

I lost track of time and totally forgot that I'd left the water running in the front. I immediately noticed the river of water flowing down the driveway toward our garage door, but then I saw that our tall healthy Dalhia plant was snapped in half and lying on the ground!

I accidentally KILLED MY BELOVED ORANGE DAHLIA!

Do you remember the Charlie Brown Christmas movie when the tiny pathetic decorated tree bends over under the weight of the ornaments and Charlie yells, "I've killed it! Oh, everything I touch gets ruined!"

Apparently, the thick, strong Dahlia stems weakened due to too much water.   How could I be so dumb? How could my efforts of trying to beautify our yard turn into such a disappointment?! I said naughty words and almost cried. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything I could do to "save it." My husband was very understanding and said to enjoy them in a vase and that they would return next Fall.

Too much of anything can be overwhelming. When my retail position I loved came to an end, my friends began offering lots of ideas about what I might do next. They shared their thoughts and words because they wanted to help, and yet I began to feel that too many voices were speaking to me and I wasn't feeling stronger. 

 I really only want to hear ONE voice. God's voice.

It might be awhile before I "hear" where God is directing me to next. My pretty orange flowers are now bringing me joy inside the house now instead of out front. 

My hope is to bring joy to something new...

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19 ESV

In His Grip,
xo Jane

Even though Christmas is a few months away, watching this will bring you JOY!