growing pains

it's a shame that the television shows i grew up watching are now played every night on nick at nite. i'm really not that mad about it; it just makes me feel old. 

one of my favorite TV shows from back in the day was growing pains. i still remember the theme song; 

"show me that smile again...

the luckiest dreamers who never quit dreamin'

we can take anything that comes our way

baby, rain or shine, all the time

we got each other sharin' the laughter and love."

sometimes i think about my life as a sitcom and i decide who would play all the important people in my life. it usually ends up with me laughing or calling my bff to tell her about my scenario. i digress. 

the point of talking about growing pains is because they are real and they suck. granted, i want to grow, really i do. but i just wish it didn't hurt. however, i guess that's a part of the process. my blog friend angie, talks about this process of growth, when she paraphrases what henry nouwen said,

"pruning means cutting, reshaping, removing what diminishes vitality, we can hardly believe it will bear fruit. but when the harvest comes we realize that the pruning allowed the vines to concentrate their energy and produce more grapes. grateful people learn to celebrate even amid life's hard & harrowing memory because they know that pruning is no more punishment, but preparation. when our gratitude for the past is only partial our hope for the future can likewise never be full. but our submitting to God's pruning work will not ultimately leave us sad but hopeful for what can happen in & through us. harvestime will bring its own blessing." 

this pruning doesn't produce results as quickly as i would like it to. but that's probably the point. however even admist the pruning & growing pains i am so thankful for the undeniable grace of Jesus and his blessings in my life.

i did not study much at all this week. rather, i read a simply brilliant book, the furious longing of God (which is another post for another day), spent time with new & old friends, did a little arts & crafts with dru hill on saturday, and spent some well needed time on the phone with good friends across the country. i just realized how utterly blessed i am to be in this season of life; the depth of both pain and joy grows me like nothing else could. 

growing pains to be continued...hopefully.