Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches
1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes[1][Lit cleans; used to describe pruning] it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean[2][I.e. pruned like a branch] because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of[3][Lit from ] itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove[4][Or become My disciples ] to be My disciples. 9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Disciples' Relation to Each Other
12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 "This I command you, that you love one another.
(John 15:1-17)
As I was talking with Hubby about the Ducks disbanding, I started to weep. And then, lo and behold, I started saying that I felt that God is stripping away lots of things from me. Almost like I am a tree, that is flourishing and is growing new branches that are going every which way. As a gardener, you cannot have a tree that has TONS of new branches and still expect lots of good quality fruit off of it.
If trees received appropriate summer training and pruning, far less dormant pruning is necessary. However, the absence of leaves provides a clear view of the framework of the tree, so thin or head any branches that were not adequately summer pruned.
Pruning Overgrown Trees
Many people have one or more large, neglected fruit trees in their yards. The far majority of fruit from these trees must be picked using ladders, and much of it is even higher. It is very difficult to prune, spray, or thin the fruit in these trees, and high branches often break due to the weight of the fruit. Diseases or borers often invade these trees, and you must assess whether it is worth bringing the tree height down or simply removing the tree and planting a new one. In general, where a large tree is desired it is best to use a shade tree rather than a fruiting tree unless you are able to manage a large fruit tree.
If you decide to work with the tree, there are three main ways to prune it: 1) maintain the tree height and make mostly thinning cuts, 2) reduce the tree height slowly over about a three-year period, or 3) drastically cut back all main branches but one. With more extreme methods where large branches must be cut, wait until February or March – even into the flowering period – in order to allow quicker healing and to reduce the chance of disease organisms entering large pruning wounds during winter rains. Do not paint wounds with anything except white paint. When heading cuts are necessary, if possible cut back to a lateral branch at least one-third the thickness of the branch being cut. Also, if pruning results in exposure of branches to prolonged periods of hot afternoon sun, paint them white with tree whitewash or with a 50:50 mixture of interior white latex paint and water.
1. Maintain the tree height and make mostly thinning cuts. This method assumes that the tree is structurally sound and not much taller than you are able to easily manage with an available ladder. If the tree has been neglected many branches will need to be removed, especially high in the tree. Thin out enough branches to allow sunlight to penetrate to lower wood, but don’t create such big gaps that main branches become subject to sunburn; paint them if necessary. Remove any branches growing beyond the height you are able to pick the fruit. By keeping the tree at this height, it will produce new, vigorous shoots – especially on the top of the tree. These must be removed each year, preferably through summer pruning.
2. Reduce the tree height slowly over about a three-year period. This approach can be successful with appropriate follow-up pruning, especially summer pruning. Determine how tall you would like the permanent structure of the tree to be, and reduce the height by one-third each year for three years until the final height is reached. Vigorous shoot growth is inevitable, so it is essential to remove or head many of these shoots once or twice in the summer to avoid shading lower fruiting wood. Also, thin out branches as needed to allow sunlight penetration.
3. Drastically cut back all main branches but one. This is an extreme method of reducing tree height in a single season. Not all trees are capable of resprouting from large lower branches. Apples and pears will usually work, but old stone fruit trees may not effectively resprout because lower buds may not be able to push through the thick bark. Also, there are often no small branches or twigs low in these trees from which to
EH Note #82 Training and Pruning Fruit Trees Page 4 of 4
produce a new framework. Another concern is that some backyard trees have no main branches below 6 to 8 feet. Such trees are better off pruned conventionally or removed, since the only major cut low in the tree leaves only a stump, which may not regrow.
Main branches are cut with a saw by first creating a deep cut on the underside (to prevent bark splitting) and then removing the limb with a cut on the upper side. If possible, cut above one or more lateral branches – even if they are small branches. Head or thin these branches as needed; they, along with shoots arising from buds on the main branches, will form the framework for the new, small tree. To prevent sunburn, all exposed main branches must be whitewashed.
Because this method removes so much leaf area but maintains a large root system that must continue to receive products of photosynthesis (carbohydrates), it is important to leave one smaller main branch or a large side branch unpruned. This extra branch is then removed the following year, after new branches have formed from the main branch stumps. Follow-up summer and dormant pruning is essential to reform the tree in the desired manner."
written by Chuck Ingels (Farm Advisor) and UC Master Gardener Eleanor Dong
(source: http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/2002/3363.pdf)
So, am I to be flattered that God would take the time to prune me to be more fruitful? Right now, from where I sit, tap, tap, tapping away at this keyboard, I am not flattered. I want to have a big ole crying fit, and I want to tell God that it's not fair that I have to lose this group of girls that have meant so much to me.
But, at the end of the day, do I realize that God is asking me to give up stuff that I already have in my hands so that He can put more into my hands???
So, with a heavy heart, I open my hands and watch the beautiful gift that He blessed me with for the last year - the MommaDucks, fly away into the sky. Be blessed, all of us Duckies. Be blessed. May God prove Himself faithful to all of us in overflowing our cups of joy. May He bless our families, our marriages.
May He one day allow us to finally all meet in Heaven and rejoice together with Him and each
other.
Fly in the Lord, girls. I am blessed to have known you. Thanks for giving me a taste of Heaven within our group.
Love,
C.
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