Of Rosehips and Second Blushes

We have a climbing rose on the front wall of our house. It is a beautiful pink colour and during its first blush I diligently dead-headed the spent roses and, as a consequence, had a fantastic second blush. However, clearly I missed some, and they have turned into absolutely stunning red rosehips. So I won't be deadheading my second blush so that by Christmas the front of the house will be covered in festive buds. Pruning achieves some things as we know - usually greater fruit in the long run. But sometimes things need to lie fallow and mature so that a different kind of fruit can form.
How true this is for us. Our loving heavenly Father disciplines us as His children and often this involves painful pruning, so that He may bear greater fruit through us. But sometimes He calls us to take time out, to stop striving, and to cease our anxiety, and just lie fallow for a time. What He brings forth out of that time who can tell? It will be different to what has gone before. The fruit will look strange at first, and feel as though it doesn't quite fit, and yet over time, it will prove to be the making of us... Let us abide in Him and give ourselves to our perfect Gardener to tend as He sees fit.

Of Baking Bread and Letting it Rise

I was up early this morning and by 10am had baked some very yummy bread with enough sponge to impress even Paul Hollywood. Being a firm follower of Jamie, I had always applied a generous layer of flour or even sometimes semolina flour, to the top of my rising bread but today I followed Mr Hollywood's advice and kneaded with oil. It worked a treat!
But you know I was also thinking about John 13 and how the Lord Jesus didn't cling on to anything that was His, but gave it all up in order to serve. Knowing that a servant isn't above her teacher or a messenger above the one who sent her, I was challenged this morning about what I am willing or not willing to give up, especially as I've been given it all anyway.
What has this to do with baking bread I hear you say. Well, there are many important ingredients in yummy bread and they all have to be thrown in together and then offered up to rise... Ok, a tenuous connection but the oil makes me think of that lovely line, "Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You," in I Will Offer Up My Life. There is something about mixing and kneading and watching and waiting for it to rise and then that moment of joy when you take it out of the oven... It just reminds me of sacrifice and service. And just how worth while it all is in the end.