Pruning has a Purpose

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This summer, my family and I had the privilege of visiting the University of Minnesota Arboretum. I convinced my wife and kids that it would be a worthwhile day trip during our annual visit back to what I like to call the “Maui of the Midwest”—Minnesota. The Arboretum is truly magical: 1,200 acres filled with more than 28 specialty gardens, 44 plant collections, and nearly 6,000 species, cultivars, and hybrids. The landscapes are flawless, and the dedication of the crew members, donors, and volunteers is inspiring. Whenever I walk through places like this, I’m reminded of the deep parallels between plants and life.

Inspired, I came home eager to get to work in my own yard. Late summer is when I prune our citrus trees in preparation for a February harvest. The hard part about pruning is that you’re intentionally wounding something that appears healthy—only so that it will produce something greater later. I planted these citrus trees nearly five years ago, hoping for the occasional Meyer lemon or Cara Cara orange. Now, after years of care, watering, fertilizing, frost protection, and yes, pruning, our family enjoys more than 15 wheelbarrows of fruit each year. The crop is so abundant that we share it up and down the street with neighbors and even nearby restaurants.

The truth is, we often go through our own seasons of pruning. The cuts in life are never easy, but they are always purposeful. In time, they yield a bounty that not only blesses you but also overflows to impact your entire community.

@MONARCHENVIRONMENTAL

@LANDSCAPECONSULTANT

@ARBORIST

#MNarboretum #MinnesotaVikings #Skol

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Be a Truck not a Train

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My wife and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary with a trip to visit our oldest daughter in college. At first, we considered taking the train, but once we realized we’d be hauling a good amount of gear to her new apartment, the truck made more sense. We set our alarms for 4 a.m., hit the road heading north, and made a couple of quick stops along the way—trying to beat the inevitable LA traffic.

A train runs on a set schedule, leaving and arriving at a specific time, traveling from point A to point B at a speed chosen by the conductor to meet the promised arrival. A truck, on the other hand, leaves when you want, stops where you want, carries what you need, and keeps you mobile when you arrive.

Not long after that trip, a friend’s son asked me for advice as he prepared for college. I told him, “Be a truck, not a train.” Yes, set a destination and have a goal—but stay open to the detours. Pull over for the unexpected. Because often, the best parts of life happen in those unplanned moments along the way.

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Head to Heart

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Transferring truth from the head to the heart is one of the shortest routes—but also one of the hardest journeys. Knowledge and belief sit close together, but they are not the same. Knowledge can come and go with the seasons, but belief endures.

There’s a depth to hearing someone say, “I believe in you,” that “I know you’ll do well” never reaches. Belief looks beyond facts and sees something divine. It has the power to reshape families, transform neighborhoods, and influence entire cultures.

The only way to move knowledge toward belief is through testing. When knowledge is shaken, it’s belief that holds the line.

So, what do you believe?

 

 

 

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