growing in the heat

Summer is rapidly approaching its end for us. Actually, I feel like this summer was on a race to the end, since the beginning. We've had so. much. going. on. It wasn't a summer we're accustomed to, but a lot happened over the past couple of months, and we grew.

How we grow
Sometimes with growth, we see quick blooms. They are beautiful and we are thankful. Other times, growth comes after of period of being hard-pressed or intense heat or even a dry plateau.

I see this each year after I plant flowers in the pots on our front porch. The initial blooms are lovely and colorful! I water the flowers pretty regularly and they thrive. And then, somewhere in the middle of summer, they suffer through the intense heat and dry up. The blooms have to be dead-headed to make room for new blooms.

This summer has been exactly that for us. A little exhaustion and dry spell at the summer's beginning (coming off of Way's surgery and some other uncertainties) led to a beach vacation that provided some quick blooms. Summer took off with VBS and swim lessons and my trip to Kazakhstan, all of which provided growth for each of us. Then there was time at the lake, a camp, a trip to London, a retreat and we were blessed with more growth!

But the heat has been setting in and our weary blooms have been wilting a tad. I know the bright, purple blooms of our flowers on the front porch are coming, but we've had to be pruned and learn to cling to the Vine. School starts in a few days, Luke returns tomorrow (I'm sure jet-lagged from his first overseas trip), and a new routine is coming quickly!

Clinging to the vine
John 15 has been my focus the past few months. As we reach the end of a fun and exciting, yet tiring and challenging summer, I am reminded that I will not continue to grow and I cannot make it without Him. He's been dead-heading me and I need Him to satisfy my thirst and help me grow. My entire family does too. All of us do!

⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. -John 15:4-5