Tag! You're Pruned!

We had a family dinner on Sunday, delayed from Christmas as the extended family wanted to wait for John to feel better, which was sweet. Nice to see everyone and enjoy the lovely home of my cousin and his wife (although we all know it is the woman who creates the home!). Unfortunately, I felt under the weather due to a tooth infection and although it is not behind me, I am improving and see the dentist again on the 16th. All the antibiotics and pain meds have left me feeling out of kilter.

The dinner wore John out, even with our lovely driver handling transportation, and he spent Monday feeling extremely fatigued. JR did the driving for him to do some work things and also took me to the dentist. Tues was a MUCH better day and he seems to be springing back with a little more consistency. Thank you, Lord.

Missed bible study on Monday night due to tooth infection and son JR popping in from KY, but am doing my bookwork in preparation for next week and wanted to share these verses. We've all read them but they are really leaping off the page for me this time. I think I'm in a time of a severe pruning and it shows. The kids and John have been really loving and I'm very blessed by all of them - their guidance, counsel and wisdom - beyond their years.

John 15:1-17

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]">[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.

⁹"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ¹⁷This is my command: Love each other.