By Jan Penton Miller
Columnist

The oppressive heat caused perspiration to run in rivulets across my face as I staunchly wielded my nippers. Eddie wrote in his gardening instructions for the month that roses should be cut back again for another fall blooming season so I braved the heat to do so.

I thought he also mentioned cutting leggy zinnias and vincas for another show, but I wasn’t exactly sure. Since I was already hot and sweaty I pruned a few zinnias that were not exactly looking their best.

The roses had grown so tall that I actually wore my large gardening gloves to protect my hands and arms from thorns. Usually I just take a thorn or two for the team, the gardening team, that is.

After a video or two I have refreshed my knowledge of the difference between deadheading and pruning and have decided to go with a light pruning since it’s so hot. I don’t want to shock theplants, but they do need a little more work than deadheading.

For those who don’t know, deadheading is not much more than removing the faded flowers before they go to seed. This encourages more blooms, but when the plants get too tall or leggy and start to take on an unattractive shape more pruning is required.

Hmmm.

The garden always seems to bring my mind back to the Master Gardener, not the group of plant enthusiasts that go by this name, but the One who created it all in the first place.

When I see the constancy of nature and the change of the seasons I recognize the magnitude of planning and order in the universe. The riotous color and endless variety of plants reminds me of His creativity and great love for all of us to gift the world with such simple beauty.

When I snip off the dead and reshape the plants into a lovelier version I think about how God in his wisdom and love for His children removes things from our lives that would cause us to stumble. His pruning is always meant for us to become a lovelier version of ourselves.

Of course, no one likes to have to make changes when our lives are comfortable, but God wants us to show off and bloom for the world to see.

I have always been a DC Talk fan, and I’m reminded of a song called, “What If I Stumble”. There is a lot packed into the song. The intro talks about how much the world needs Christians to live a different life. Young and old are looking for the Church to live so that the lost know Jesus is real.

It is a reminder that all of us stumble, but God knew what a mess we were when he died for us.

That’s why he did it. We need Him to guide us when we don’t quite know where to turn or which path to take.

The world is watching.