People who know me will tell you I am not a gardener.  My family laughs every year when I bring home plants.  My husband refers to them as "sacrifices."

    This year I once again vowed to do better.  So far, so good.  The tomatoes are small and green, the squash and cucumbers are blooming.  Every plant is still alive, having made it past the 4th of July.  This may be a new record for my garden.

I've taken good care of the plants this year.  I have carefully watered them.  I have pulled the dead blooms off the flowers.  Most important, I have removed the dreaded "suckers" from the tomatoes.  In past years I have often let the suckers grow.  They looked healthy and green.  They made the plants seem full and balanced.  But this year I have removed them.  The plants are growing tall toward the sun.  They are putting their energy into positive growth and bearing fruit.

This year I am learning from my garden.  I need to do for myself what I am doing for my plants.  I need to remove the "suckers" from my life, getting rid of things that drain my energy and inhibit my growth. Then I, too will be able to grow toward the Son and bear fruit.