Reflections on the Great Spring Ice Storm of 2013

Here it is, April and we are in the middle of a storm.  The storms I am used to in the spring involve lots of rain, wind, possibly a tornado warning or something like that.  However, this storm did not bring those things.  It brought ice - a lot of ice.  So much that power lines were down and beautiful trees are broken.  It is like a war zone here.  Trees are down everywhere.  Big beautiful trees are down, some of them by the roots.  It is unlike anything I have ever seen.  The following day, we added about six inches of snow onto the ice.  So, again, power lines were down as more weight was added to the trees.  What makes me the most sad are the trees.

Our pastor posted something on facebook that I have been mulling these past few days - "As I see all of the tree branches breaking under the weight of the ice, I am reminded that there are some things that we were never meant to carry, or we will break as well.
#castyourcaresonhim"  (Thanks, Pastor Beard!)

Wow, that hit me!  As someone who has carried a lot of things she wasn't meant to, I knew exactly what he meant!  It made me think about the things I have carried and what I do with them.  I am at a point now where there is more pruning to be done.  I have been pruned before, trust me, and I liked to think I was done with the process!  However, God has shown me He has more work to do.  Ugh, I don't like that and I don't want that, yet I need it.  It made me think about the trees that are down, all over our city.  What if no one picked them up?  They would continue to be on the ground, which is ok for a while, but eventually, they would wreak havoc.  They are somewhere doing something that is not beneficial.  Yes, they broke under the weight of things they were not meant to carry.  However, once the pruning has taken place, they will come back, strong and healthy.  Lives will continue to go on and people will benefit from the trees being where they belong. 

It is much like us, we can choose to be pruned, refined, made new, etc. and like the trees, come back stronger.  Or, we can continue to be in the mess we are in, and do nothing.  I suspect the trees whose damage isn't dealt with will perish.  It is much the same with us - we may not perish in the literal sense of the term {however, I am sure some have}.  But we could perish emotionally or spiritually or even to some degree, physically.  {Our physical health is tied to our emotional health}.   One man at the gym even commented "It is nature's way of cleaning up."  Interesting, isn't it?

So, what will you chose today?  To be pruned for your benefit and the benefit of those around you?  Or will you continue to sit in your broken mess?  The choice is yours, friend.  I know what I'm choosing......