Since we've decided to focus on selling wine and not as much about working on the house, lots has been accomplished. We really needed that push as much as I don't want to admit that. We now have a website up and running, that was huge and took a long time as we had to make it so that you could purchase from the site - easier said than done. We have received a really positive review which was also a big accomplishment as now we have outside sources that say our wine is great. We are waiting on a review from another big reviewer. We have been in touch with distributors and even international sellers. We don't know how far that will go, but it least it keeps our mind in the game.
We still have lots of wine still to sell and it kind of brings me back to last winter when we had this crazy idea that we should sell garden shares when we didn't have a single vegetable in the ground. As I sat there in my chair each morning feeling the pressure of growing vegetables, I was reminded through Scripture over and over again, it wasn't my garden, it was God's garden. I wasn't the actual gardener, He was. I was reminded how we stood at the edge of our garden last Spring after the vegetables were planted and we took off our shoes in front of "holy ground" and we committed our garden to the Lord. Then, after we had surrendered our garden to Him, the only One actually had the power to grow vegetables, He took my pathetic garden beginnings and multiplied them so amazingly that even today I still marvel that I not only sold all the shares, but had extra vegetables each week for others. So why do I worry? I think deep down I think well, I know He cares about vegetables, but wine? He probably doesn't care about wine. That is probably where He draws the line. So, then, in my best human way, I take back my love for worrying (worrying is so comfortable, oddly?) and I realize it's my job to worry. If I don't worry, who will?
But then, yesterday - church - ugh....however, first a quick back story -
We used to be the most hospitable people, but when covid hit, we took the time off and actually kind of liked the break. But something horrible happened. We became reclusive - well, not me so much, I still enjoy people, but we didn't see people nearly as much as we used to and some of the people in my family liked their new reclusive life. How awful! I didn't push too much. I sure hoped covid would stop so that we could go back to our busy, full life of people coming in and out of the house. In the "olden days" I would simply tell RM that I had invited people over and he would say, "ok". Last week I started up the hospitality train again. I had been talking with a friend and I said to her without even thinking about it, "Want to come over for dinner?" "The WHOLE FAMILY?" She couldn't believe it. A large family rarely gets invited over. "Sure!" I said. "I'll have to check...." She also likes being reclusive and is happier at home, but I've been on her case.....Finally they agreed and I told RM that they were coming over. He had half-hoped it wouldn't work out as he is one of the people who loves being on his own. He is not energized by people the way I am.....except when he is......I know this and so I encouraged him to look forward to it.
They came over on Friday night with their 5 kids and within minutes the husband was asking a million questions about the winery and the process, etc. Guess who was engaged and enjoying his time? He loves talking about what he does and appreciates so much when people appreciate all the work that goes into making the wine. As the evening went on we encouraged them to come to church. Covid, as well as moving, had stopped their participation in church. Isn't that what Satan does? By the end of the evening we had them pretty convinced to give it a try, even the early service. On Sunday morning, I was sooooo happy to see them there. My kids were thrilled - friends! And what a sermon - they needed to be there to hear that. The power of hospitality was shown again. Simply by having people over, sharing a meal, talking about things like church....it may have changed a family's life. I pray that we'll be able to make it a regular thing again....back to the sermon now.
Robbie was there - what a powerful preacher and he spoke about bringing the loaves and fish to Jesus. "Bring them here to me." But before he told the disciples to do that, He said, "You feed them." I think that is my favourite line in the text. You do it. It's almost laughable because obviously they can't. You can't feed 20,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. But of course, with Jesus you can. Ok, Ok....I'm starting to see the pattern in my life. I can't homeschool on my own, but with Jesus I can. I can't grow a garden on my own, but with Jesus I can. I can't get my husband a contract, but with Jesus I can (I prayed him into many over the years). So we can't sell the wine on our own, but with Jesus we can. As Robbie spoke, he made it clear that Jesus set the disciples up in a way. He made them see they couldn't do it. He made them realize how hopeless and helpless they were without Him. "Bring them here to me". So they brought Him the loaves and fish and He took them and blessed them and multiplied them. Multiplied them by dividing them. This is the kind of math I like. We need to acknowledge that we can't do it. We must surrender the winery, the wine, the whole process, over to Jesus. He will take it and He will sell it. Worrying actually isn't my job, though I do love worrying. My job is to bring what I want for myself and lay it at Jesus' feet. It's His job. Fine, I'll do it again for the second Winter in a row and I'll watch what He is going to do. This should be good!
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