The Thornbushes

      The Thornbushes

      When we moved into our new home, there were two large thornbushes, one in the backyard, next to the back foundation of the house, and one in the front, between the sidewalk and fenced-in vegetable garden. Each thornbush grew to about four feet high, with a spread also of about four feet wide.
      As the seasons passed, we saw that the bushes only bore thorns, no fruit or flowers. The plant, next to the garden, was a refuge for rodents, allowing them shelter, to get into the fenced-in garden and nibble away the vegetables. For that reason, we regularly clipped this thornbush, and in the process, despite wearing protective gardening gloves, usually, I would receive a handful of painful splinters, sometimes even a dozen at a time! This made trimming the bush a hazardous, painful job.
      After several years of fighting with the thornbushes, I decided to try the impossible—dig one up by the roots! Early in the spring, I clipped all the branches off the one in the backyard, and got three splinters in the process. Surprisingly, two of the splinters came out, by themselves, before my very eyes, but the third one, I did have to remove with a needle and iodine, the usual minor surgery, which takes several days to heal.
      Much to my amazement, I was able to dig up that plant entirely, by the roots, without receiving any splinters, and yanking the plant up by the roots, dragging it to the refuse pile.
      The next week, emboldened by the unexpected success, we tackled the task of removing the larger thornbush, from next to the garden. That bush was also removed, with more digging and strenuous labor, but without any splinter, by pulling the plant out by the roots (which have no thorns).
      Now, in place of the thornbushes, we will plant flowering shrubs and fruit vines, peonies, azaleas, lillies, grape vines and roses, in back of the house and next to the garden.
      Our heavenly Father also delights in removing those thorns from our hearts, even receiving the "splinters" Himself in the process (Yeshua, Jesus', wounds and crucifixion). He replaces those thorns with beautiful flowers and healthy fruit, far more luscious and beautiful even that the most gorgeous roses, lillies and azaleas.
      Sometimes, it seems to be impossible, but He can accomplish His perfect plans, in spite of our imperfections.