I have been feeling pretty good overall since surgery – really nothing compared to the others. When I came out of surgery on Thursday, the nurse gave me something that she said was “stronger than morphine” – hmm, not sure I needed something that strong but at least I know I could never get addicted – wasn’t that fun :). Friday I felt pretty good and then the next few days have been a bit more challenging with some weird side effects and pain . . . . but I know it is all temporary and I’m sure that in a few days it will all be a distant memory. I’m thankful to have this week off work to recover and take it easy. Once again I know I am incredibly blessed to have my job, my family and friends and most of all the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ to put things in perspective.
I was recently reminded of a favorite talk by Hugh B. Brown: “God is the Gardner” - I’d like to share a portion of it. To those who may feel that your hopes and dreams are being slashed and wonder why God seems to be cutting you down when you are trying so hard to do what’s right and follow Him - I hope you will take courage from this message as I have.
He explains a moment he had while working in his garden and then years later how the same words came flooding back to his memory when he was denied a coveted promotion that he had worked long and hard for – all because of his religion. Here's a small part of the experience:
I went out one morning and saw a currant bush. It had grown up over six feet high. It was going all to wood. There were no blossoms and no currants. I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush. So I got some pruning shears and went after it, and I cut it down, and pruned it, and clipped it back until
there was nothing left but a little clump of stumps.
He explains a moment he had while working in his garden and then years later how the same words came flooding back to his memory when he was denied a coveted promotion that he had worked long and hard for – all because of his religion. Here's a small part of the experience:
I went out one morning and saw a currant bush. It had grown up over six feet high. It was going all to wood. There were no blossoms and no currants. I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush. So I got some pruning shears and went after it, and I cut it down, and pruned it, and clipped it back until there was nothing left but a little clump of stumps.
It was just coming daylight, and I thought I saw on top of each of these little stumps what appeared to be a tear, and I thought the currant bush was crying. I was kind of simpleminded (and I haven’t entirely gotten over it), and I looked at it, and smiled, and said, “What are you crying about?” You know, I thought I heard that currant bush talk. And I thought I heard it say this:
“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. I was almost as big as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are inside the fence, and now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me, because I didn’t make what I should have made. How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”
That’s what I thought I heard the currant bush say, and I thought it so much that I answered. I said,“Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and some day, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down, for caring enough about me to hurt me. Thank you, Mr. Gardener.’
I thank God for loving me enough to cut me down. I know that He lives!
For the full talk, here’s the link:
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