Fall/Winter 2010

"Finish Strong" by Teena Hildebrand

Life in the vineyard mimics the reality of our day to day. We awake to the mystery of the weather, the awe of nature, the reality of man's influence, the challenges of "staying alive", the stress of growth, and both the joy and agony of bearing fruit.

And throughout this lifecycle weakness threatens to take root. But if weakness did not exist would there be a measure for strength? How would we know a strong, healthy vine if it weren't for the weaklings struggling along the edge of the vineyard? Likewise, how could one say, "I'm doin' fantastic" if never tested by terrible?
 
This is the flow of 2010: We like to call it a real "Act of God" (not the kind the insurance companies cover). Like the vineyard, many of us were hit by the unexpected, pressed beyond recognition, & tested to the point of complete exhaustion.  The late winter, two spring frosts, a cool summer, excessive rain & moisture, and a population explosion of...you name it....anything that breathes and loves messing with one or more components of the vine seems to be a "model" for real life ....but, fortunately, life in the vineyard encourages us that no matter what, at the end of the day, month, season or year we have an opportunity to finish strong.
 
Our prescription for a less than perfect day has historically been this: "No matter what disappointment or challenge comes our way, at the end of the day we can say, "bye, bye, day all gone", set the table, light a candle, open a bottle of wine, sit down and give thanks to God that although we are stressed, although we are disappointed, although the fruit we bear is significantly less than past years (with painstakingly more effort), the opportunity to turn what remains into world class wine has never vanished.
 
Though the farmer can be discouraged as he searches over his field trying to find the healthy clusters amidst poor fruit set, stressed berries, & uneven ripening, he still goes through the motions - the pickers arrive at sun up and to make matters worse the temperature plummets to 32 degrees - but they carry on and the once planned overflowing bins arrive to the winery half full. Everyone is still scratching their heads, this doesn't make sense: the workers are plenty but the harvest is few?
 
Although the 2010 harvest turned from a celebration of blessing to a "pulled from the wreckage" approach to making the best of a trying situation it is also where the art of the Winemaker is activated and the seed of desire to finish strong sprouts.  This is by design (remember the wedding at Cana when the grown up baby Jesus turned water into wine). This is a time to remember God can do anything. We declare the 2010 vintage not a disaster but a "Beauty from Ashes" vintage. Those clusters that survived are the most intense, most flavorful, most luscious fruit we've seen. The wine to come, although, less quantity, may very well turn out to be the best quality yet. Our lives are no different. Finish Strong.
 
..."My grace is sufficient for you, for My power* is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power* may rest on me.
 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV (*power = Dunamis)
 
Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas 2010!
 
Frank & Teena Hildebrand
Narrow Gate Vineyards