Shedding Season

When I was a child, my mom used to take me to this kiddie salon to get my hair pressed by a woman named Ms. Regina.  I liked Ms. Regina a lot.  She knew how to get my kinky hair bone straight, and, unlike my mother, she didn't slip the hot comb and accidentally burn my ear or neck in the process.

Every once in awhile, she'd notice that my hair was coming out, but would assure me with these words--"It's ok; it's shedding season."

I thought about those words, "shedding season," the other day when looking at the flowers on my balcony.  About 3-4 weeks ago, I looked out my window & noticed that NO flowers were growing, which shocked me.  I saw this:

Most of the flowers had died & dried up on the stems

I decided at that time that I needed to prune my little plants, so that (without getting too scientific) new growth could form.  I pulled off all the dead flowers & hoped for the best.  Several weeks went by & nothing happened.  Then, the other day when I came back from my FABULOUS vacation to West Michigan, I looked out and saw the following:

New life formed!

Forward movement has been on my mind a lot lately...frankly, all year.  The verse that I decided to "claim" for 2011 has been Deut. 2:3, "You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward."  I have been declaring that I would move "northward" in all areas of my life, no matter the cost.

Honestly, moving forward can be a bit painful.  It's easy to get comfortable where you are or to hold on to unnecessary items.  But, what I am learning, is that God can't bless you with something new if you're still holding on to the old.  It's shedding season, y'all.

Stay encouraged.