People who have vineyards and orchards have the responsibility to prune their grapevines and thin their peaches, apples, and other fruit so that the remaining fruit will be large and flavorful. When a metallurgist refines gold, he has to heat the gold to a very hot temperature so that the impurities can be removed. A woodworker often has to apply rough sandpaper to a piece of wood to help smooth and finish it into a beautiful, decorative piece.
Recently, Patsy got into some burrs to the point that her ears were all matted. As hard as we tried we were unable to get the burrs out and untangle her matted hair. It was time to take both pups to the groomer to see what could be done. Generally, when they have been groomed, they come back with a basic trim. However, we got a call from the groomer stating that Patsy's ears were so badly matted that she was going to have to be trimmed very close, almost shaved. Obviously, Penny would have to have the same cut, even though she wasn't as bad. Needless to say, drastic measures had to be taken in order for the matting to be removed. In a few short weeks, we are hoping they will return to their normal look. We sense that they are a bit embarrassed about how they appear.
It has been determined that our grandson, Darien, needs braces for his teeth. The dentist is concerned that his adult teeth will need to be straightened in order to have a proper bite. The past month or two he has gone through the preparation procedure to have the braces applied. This past week Darien had the braces installed. For the first few weeks the braces will be uncomfortable and annoying, but Darien will soon get use to them as part of his mouth. Certainly, this temporary discomfort will create a much better oral situation for him in the long run.
In our lives God often takes us through a pruning or refining process so that we come out much better in our walk with Him and our relationship with others. When we are going through these difficult times, we don't realize that it is for our best, but God has promised in I Peter that "this is a spiritual
refining process, with glory just around the corner."
Blessings and Encouragement,
Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny-
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