Pruning

I love spring. Vibrant green leaves. The smell of new grass. Tulips. Turned earth in the garden. Dirt under my nails. Planning the vegetable garden, the herb garden and the flowers (this year's colors: red and deep purple!).

But last year I messed up. I forgot to prune the lilacs. I got busy. I got distracted. I thought it wouldn't matter. I was ignorant. I was lazy. Whatever the excuse, I messed up last year and I'm paying for it this year.

If you know anything about lilac bushes (which I do NOW), you know that in order for a lilac tree to bloom in early spring you need to prune them the spring before, immediately after the flowers die. Cut off the dead stuff early on and your tree will be thick with flowers the next spring. So, while my neighbor's trees are blooming away mine look a little sad, still covered in dead flowers from last spring, one or two branches ready to bloom. But, oh so sad.

As my kids are getting older and delving into the social world of emails, clubs, friends and BFFs (best friends forever!) we've had to do a little pruning. We've had long talks about how to be a friend. We've cried with the girls as they relate stories of being hurt by other girls. We've talked about what to do when you hurt another person. We've disciplined. We've helped them change direction. We've pruned.

And like my dear lilac tree we've had to prune early on so that they will "bloom" later. We can't ignore the pruning, we can't hope it will take care of itself, we can't get to busy to deal with it, we can't be lazy. If I want them to "bloom" now and later I need to do the hard work of pruning.

It does hurt a little and it's not easy. In my google search of "how to prune a lilac" I discovered an article about what to do with a neglected lilac tree, one that has gone without pruning for many years. They suggested a three year process that involves heavily pruning 1/3 of the tree one year, the next year another 1/3 and the next year the final 1/3. And then, maybe after 3 years you will have a thriving lilac. That sounds like a LOT of work and a LOT of pain - makes you wish you did the little bit of pruning faithfully every year and early on . Like I've told the kids, better to learn these leasons at 9 years old than at 29 years old. There is more grace and more opportunity to bloom when you are pruned at a young age.

Here's the rest of the story, I'm like that lilac tree too. I'm not quite young anymore but I still need pruning. Everyday (not just once a year!) I'm pruned. I hope and pray that I am receptive to the pruning and that I too may bloom with gorgeous flowers and an amazing aroma.

"No discipline (pruning) seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12: 11