- ***First things first. Most importantly, that cheesecake is from.... Cheesecake Factory! *sigh*
- *****************************************************************************
- Main Entry:
- 2prune
- Function:
- verb
- Inflected Form(s):
- pruned; prun·ing
- Etymology:
- Middle English prouynen, probably ultimately from Old French prooignier, alteration of *porrooignier, from por- completely (from Latin pro-) + rooignier to cut, prune, from Vulgar Latin *rotundiare to cut around, from Latin rotundus round — more at pro-, rotund
- Date:
- 15th century
- transitive verb1 a: to reduce especially by eliminating superfluous matter <pruned the text> <prune the budget> b: to remove as superfluous <prune away all ornamentation>
My pastor has been leading us in a study called "Radical." Sounds fun, huh?
A question has been rolling around in my head. "How am I different than the rest of the world?"
I lay in bed last night, listing the ways that I am just like the world.
Again, the bullet points just make sense here:
So instead of being overwhelmed with what I am NOT, God gently and graciously allowed me to focus on the areas that I am not like the world. I'm not going to bore myself and list them here. In that grace, I heard Him very clearly ask me when I was going to let go of some silly areas that I was clinging dearly to. What was I going to sacrifice that meant something to me? Was I going to limit my computer time? (You know, there ain't a lot to limit. Have you met Zane, God?) Was I going to severely limit my television watching at night? (I don't watch it much during the day. I speed past the Today Show when I'm getting Zane down for a nap and listen to the local news while I'm cooking dinner.)
But give up my relaxing snuggle-in-the-bed and stare at the television time? Great. God had whittled down my Tivo list to bare bones to begin with. There are a couple of sweet things He's allowed me to hang on to, but scantily clad celebrities shimmying suggestively to music had to go. And God seriously had to ask me if I was going to pout about it.
My point is, how am I going to win the world, the 4.2ish billion people who don't know about Him, if I look just like the world? What do I have that will make them want what I have? Will God be impressed when I get to heaven that I could name in chronological order all the winners of the DWTS mirrored globe?
So He's pruning me. I need to spend more time reading the book of the God that I claim to love so much. I need to read books written by people who desperately sought after Him. I need to use my time on the computer to be a shining light for Him instead of going to People.com to see if Shanna rushed to Travis Barker's side.
Even my People magazine is losing it's luster. I'm so glad that I got that 3 year subscription.
It's about asking God what he wants me to give up to SHOW Him that I love him more than my stuff. It's about fasting from anything that threatens His first place spot. I can say that I love Him most of all, but if I spend all of my time caring for my family, and myself, then I'm not showing with my actions that I DO love Him most.
I'm struggling to see this in action. The Spirit isn't letting me get overwhelmed. It's showing me tiny steps at a time how to get to be holy. There are two kinds of holy, you know. The kind you get when you accept God's gift, and the kind you actively strive to be.
My one tiny step today was limited computer time *cough* and no Dancing with the Stars. I'm watching in muted silence PBS. Ronald Regan is president and people are being interviewed about it. No gyrating on PBS. No sir, not a single hip.
A question has been rolling around in my head. "How am I different than the rest of the world?"
I lay in bed last night, listing the ways that I am just like the world.
Again, the bullet points just make sense here:
- I like stuff. My cameras, my phone, my Ipod, certainly purses and shoes. I like to decorate my house, I like to shop. I like to amass things. I need things. I like my closets and pantries to be full.
- I read what the rest of the world reads and watch what the rest of the world watches.
- I dress like the world.
- I talk like the world.
- I spend most of my money on me and my family.
So instead of being overwhelmed with what I am NOT, God gently and graciously allowed me to focus on the areas that I am not like the world. I'm not going to bore myself and list them here. In that grace, I heard Him very clearly ask me when I was going to let go of some silly areas that I was clinging dearly to. What was I going to sacrifice that meant something to me? Was I going to limit my computer time? (You know, there ain't a lot to limit. Have you met Zane, God?) Was I going to severely limit my television watching at night? (I don't watch it much during the day. I speed past the Today Show when I'm getting Zane down for a nap and listen to the local news while I'm cooking dinner.)
But give up my relaxing snuggle-in-the-bed and stare at the television time? Great. God had whittled down my Tivo list to bare bones to begin with. There are a couple of sweet things He's allowed me to hang on to, but scantily clad celebrities shimmying suggestively to music had to go. And God seriously had to ask me if I was going to pout about it.
My point is, how am I going to win the world, the 4.2ish billion people who don't know about Him, if I look just like the world? What do I have that will make them want what I have? Will God be impressed when I get to heaven that I could name in chronological order all the winners of the DWTS mirrored globe?
So He's pruning me. I need to spend more time reading the book of the God that I claim to love so much. I need to read books written by people who desperately sought after Him. I need to use my time on the computer to be a shining light for Him instead of going to People.com to see if Shanna rushed to Travis Barker's side.
Even my People magazine is losing it's luster. I'm so glad that I got that 3 year subscription.
It's about asking God what he wants me to give up to SHOW Him that I love him more than my stuff. It's about fasting from anything that threatens His first place spot. I can say that I love Him most of all, but if I spend all of my time caring for my family, and myself, then I'm not showing with my actions that I DO love Him most.
I'm struggling to see this in action. The Spirit isn't letting me get overwhelmed. It's showing me tiny steps at a time how to get to be holy. There are two kinds of holy, you know. The kind you get when you accept God's gift, and the kind you actively strive to be.
My one tiny step today was limited computer time *cough* and no Dancing with the Stars. I'm watching in muted silence PBS. Ronald Regan is president and people are being interviewed about it. No gyrating on PBS. No sir, not a single hip.
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