A post from almost exactly 7 years ago:
March 28, 2018 Sharpen
There’s no getting around it – when you sharpen a pencil, some of the good stuff has to go. It seems wasteful, but it’s part of the cost of getting a sharp point with which to draw and color (notice how I avoided leaving a dangling preposition there, and do likewise). It’s interesting how so many things have to be sharpened to be at their best: knives, arrows, scissors, people… Yes, I did that – I added people to the mix. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another, said the Preacher. Being sharpened usually doesn’t feel good, but it equips us to be better tools for God’s service. Put me up against that whetstone; sharpen me like a pencil. The stuff that grinds off or peels away isn’t essential and I’m better off without it. Give me a nice, sharp point and set me loose.
I’ll probably delete this in the morning.
Lynniebeemuseoday 
Now I’m a little afraid to get together with you next week. You might be so sharp it could be painful for me 🤣😂 The pencil shavings brought back memories of having shavings from crayons. There was so much I could do to recycle those in art projects. But I’ve never found anything to do with colored pencil shavings, as pretty as they are.
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I need more sharpening than you do, friend. ❤️
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You expressed courage and boldness by asking God to just go ahead and begin the sharpening!
My prayer would most likely sound like this: “Ok, God, I know I need sharpening, but be gentle, and give me grace. Hold my hand. I’m afraid of the process!”
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Yes, there is always an element of that, too. I’m with you on that.
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