Sometimes you have to remove some old dead stuff to discover new life. Remove the dead things so the shoots of new life can sprout up.
I have this strawberry plant that I've had growing in a large container for 3 years now. It's resided on a few balconies/decks throughout the years.
Over the winter months I don't pay it much attention. Dead leaves fall from the oak trees above filling the strawberry container and providing a great insulator for the harsh winter weather. The 
leaves on the strawberry plant turn completely brown & look to be 100% dead. If it weren’t for my dad telling me about this, I would have chunked the whole plant that 1st winter.
But I have learned to wait for new life. Because like clockwork each March I start seeing bright green shoots springing up though the brown dead leaves. I love this sight!
Today I sat out on the deck for a few minutes in the sun. Butterflies were fluttering around. A noisy little bird was trying to communicate with me as he sat on the banister chirping away at me. One of those pesky carpenter bees was annoying the heck out of me. As I glanced over at the sad sight of my strawberry plant covered in death, I decided to love on this faithful plant & do some Spring-cleaning. It took me about 30 minutes to clear out all the dead leaves & vines. At one time I thought, well is it ALL dead? But I kept digging out the dead to reveal the life.
I was surprised to see at least 20 clusters of new blooms. Bright white flowers with yellow centers just waiting to be pollinated.
As I was digging out the dead stuff I also found a little surprise! In the very center of the 
pot I found a large seed looking thing about an inch long. It's cracked down the middle & out of the crack 3 or 4 roots have shot out & already planted themselves deep with the soil. I suppose it is an acorn that happened to fall in my strawberry patch. I decided it could stay. Perhaps I'll grow a tree with my strawberries. 🙂
As I was doing all this Spring cleaning and pruning this afternoon I started thinking about how this strawberry plant represents so many things in my own life. Sometimes I need to move aside, uproot, & dig out the dead things in my life to make room for the new shoots of life springing forth.
It's not that these dead things are bad, it's just that they were for another previous season and their time is done. They birthed new things and that's how it all works. I love that in the midst of removing the dead decaying material, I found so much new life.
My plant has plenty of room to grow now and I can't wait until I'm back here on this deck eating strawberries.
As I reflect on this God fills my mind with all sorts of “new life” things in me he’s springing up. Seeing that new life fills me with hope and expectancy of what’s to come.
