What's up?!?

First off, I just want to thank everyone for their prayers. We've definitely felt them over these past several days. What a blessing to be able to rest in the arms of our Savior.

We had some beautiful weather over the weekend, so I've been reassured that spring really is coming :) We were able to play outside and I even grilled. Today is gray and dreary, so it's time to do laundry and some more sorting/purging.

Hubby made it safely home, and things are returning to some degree of normalcy. He's back at work, of course, but thankfully is off on Friday so we're definitely doing some sort of family outing thing. Also need to figure out what we're doing for our son's 5th birthday, which is coming VERY fast. I had held off on planning anything until we knew hubby's travel schedule - it now looks as though he won't be leaving for China until April, so we're going to try to squeeze in a little party.

In other news, our friend who was hospitalized last week does seem to be improving, although they don't have a lot of answers yet. Sadly, on Sunday I learned that another friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully it's early and the doctor is very optimistic, but obviously it's still difficult. I'm still doing a lot of praying.

Finally, I'd like to share a bit more from the book Naked Fruit, this time about spiritual growth.

"God tills the soil of our lives until we begin to grow qualities that resemble his nature. By his interest and effort in us, we grow into holy orchards. By our own efforts, based on our own natures, we'll grow fruit of the flesh. It might be nice, but it won't look like Jesus. It won't be naked fruit. Our best efforts won't grow godliness, because the fruit of the spirit comes forth only from godly seeds... Our job in spiritual growth is to cooperate with the gardener."

Elisa Morgan goes on to explain what cooperation looks like: we're receptive, we endure pruning, and we stay connected. Kind of reminds me of something another famous person once said:

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." ~Jesus (John 15:1-5, NLT)