A carpet of golden leaves...

November 11th weekend...full...
Remembrance Day...we remember our war veterans and those currently in war zones...
...my son's Bible quizzing competition in Ottawa...
...my birthday...
As I was driving today under grey skies and intermittent rain,wondering how I would tie all my thoughts together from such a mish-mash of happenings, my eyes were drawn to the sea of golden leaves lining the streets. A touch of gold in the grey. How like God! I can't help but reflect that as part of His creation, we humans parallel this process of shedding, death and rebirth in new glory. My birthday is usually a time when I love to reflect. In recent years, it has become a time of grieving, for the loss of dreams that I had hoped to fulfill by a certain time. This year, however, I realize that like the trees, there has been much shedding going on in my life. At times the shedding of leaves were painful and I wanted to hold on. But as Beth said in one session, we can get splinters from holding on to what He wants to prune. He is in the business of cutting out that which has become our 'energy-wasters', another season's fruit. He prunes to allow profound effectiveness. John 15:1-3 (NIV version, The Holy Bible) says:
John 15
The Vine and the Branches
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
(www.bible.com)

Our response is to simply abide in Him and persevere. This is my determination for my next year of life, to continue to abide and seek out what is choking the life of the Vine in me. Beth gave the image of God watching each of His children closely to see His purposes being fulfilled, much like a child with his nose up against the window glass. Jeremiah 1:12 conveys this image: "I am early on the watch to carry out my purpose." (NEB version, The Holy Bible) It is a picture of a Father excited to watch us grow and glow in His glory. How comforting to me.

Father, thank You for Your faithful watch over us. Many times, I forget that as long as I have surrendered my concerns, my ambitions, my dreams, my life to You, You have taken over the controls and I can rest in the fact that You are allowing what I am presently experiencing. May I learn what it means to abide in You, rest in You, submit to Your trimming and pruning, remain in Your love. Here I am. Continue to teach me. How I marvel at Your goodness, Your God-ness. Thank You for carpets of golden leaves. Thank You. I worship and adore You. All my love, dear Lord. I look forward to so much more abiding with You. How sweet it is to be loved by You. Until we meet again, sweet Jesus.
Sita