It is Spring! I love Spring. There is a freshness and a newness that comes with Spring. My daughter, most mornings, will wake up and ask if today is Summertime. I like the summer, but Spring is still the time when you see the grass green up again (hopefully), trees are getting their leaves, the birds are out again, there is a new life about Spring. Synonymous with Spring is growth. I have been thinking a lot about growth lately. My yard is not much to look at. The grass is too tall right now, I need to mow. The landscaping needs major attention, because there really is none. I have two shrubs. For those that care... a variegated dogwood and a "burning bush" (whatever the real name is). Both of these are growing great, but I love great landscaping. It hurts to look at my feeble landscaping and know what it could be. One of the most planted shrubs is a spirrea. They are a fairly durable shrub. You shave them off in the Fall and new growth comes every Spring. If the dead Fall growth is not cut off it chokes out the new growth. I am not a landscape expert, but I do know that the purpose of the shrub is to grow.

Our reason for existence is to grow. I want my kids to grow. I want my relationship with my wife to grow. I want to grow to be more like Christ. Have I been willing to let God trim off the "dead stuff" to make room for new growth? Are we truly committed to growth? Growth looks good but it is hard work. How often do we give up/stunt our growth? I am committed to GROW! Get out and enjoy the Spring!