Roots, Shoots, Pruning & Blossoming, and... FRUIT!

So, I've already made the "official" announcement that the sign is in the yard... read that post first!

Now, less than a week later - I get to announce that the sign is leaving the yard, after it gets a pretty SOLD sticker on it!  Yeah God, just 4 days on the market, until an offer - what a miracle!

All this flurry of change has gotten me thinking... and praying.  I'm sure that God is in every detail of this move already,  like how HE personally sent a "welcoming committee" ahead of us to San Antonio.  (I promise to get to that story... I just got to share this one first!)

When I was praying for guidance, and for God to "show" me what he wanted us to do,  I got this picture:

Roots  

Our roots began in Minnesota,  both our families were from there.  Both my husband and I grew up in that wonderfully frigid state.  We both were blessed with strong Christian families and married to start our own legacy.








Shoots 

Our 8 beautiful "shoots" sprang up in Minnesota as well. (they must have strong roots to survive there!)  This was a busy time of life - baby, after baby, after baby... all 8 of them.  It was a time of growing and stretching, and growing again!  We outgrew our little garden spot (Farmington) and transplanted to a larger plot (Savage).  Our homeschooling season began as well.






Pruning & Blossoming 

 This season took us to Conway, Arkansas.  Leaving everything comfortable and well-known behind, we headed south to a more friendly "growing zone".  God also allowed the painful pruning that comes before the blossoming... we experienced four miscarriages, and the end to our fertile times with a medically necessary hysterectomy. We faced a fearful diagnosis of breast cancer. We learned new dependence on God for all our needs, and watched his never-ending provision front row.

 As our "shoots" began growing - we also started to see the buds of blossoms beginning! We joined a homeschool co-op - where each of us thrived and developed.  It has been a wonderful greenhouse of learning for us - covered in friendship and abundant grace.  We developed deep, sustaining friendships.  Our church has also been a safe place to grow for each of us.  Sam and I were able to take the long awaited mission trip to India to realize a dream that had been planted in his heart back as a "shoot".  We have truly begun to blossom in Arkansas!

I asked God, "What comes next...?  What do you have in store for us now?"  I heard a one-word answer...

FRUIT

I can't wait to see what unfolds in the next season for us!