"I am the vine, you are the branches..."  Until you actually see a vine up close and personal, like those I saw and learned about in Tuscany, you really can't comprehend those words.  Those grapevines in Italy, as well as other places in the world, prove to be a valuable lesson of the Christian life.  My tour guide in Rome, told us all about the soil and every detail about those vines and what makes them grow.  His purpose was to show the quality of the wine produced.  I learned so much more than that.

Let's see, where do I start?  Let's start with the soil.  Did you know that the best soil to grown grapevines in is clay and rocky soil?  That's right!  Now don't think that just because you live in the south and have clay soil you can make grapes grow. (Well, maybe you can...) Here's the reason.  The clay and rocks make the roots really work to get down deep and strong. The deeper the roots, and the stronger, the better the fruit!  Now, I was told, it does take time for this to happen.  It doesn't happen overnight.  It could take YEARS for those roots to get deep enough to be strong.

OK. This is all nice and good, but how does this affect me, a person who doesn't have any immediate plans to go and buy a grapevine right away?  Well, as a woman who has been through a lot of "rocky" places in the last few years, I can tell you that I can see where my roots in the Lord have definitely gotten deeper. Some of the relationships I have have gone through in this muck of the soil, have made me stronger.  I am able to get my "grounding" once again.  What is the result of this?  Well, according to those winery afficianados, I will have sweeter fruit!  Wonderful!  I could use some sweet fruit!

Now let's go back to that vine reference.  Many of us who have grown up in church have heard about the pruning process.  It is a nice little "story", isn't it?  Only if you, yourself, haven't been through that pruning process!  I KNOW that Jesus is the vine and I am a product of His doing.  There is NOTHING I could have done to earn my place as a branch.  I just "am."  But along with that rocky, clay soil, I have been pruned.  People, places, and things have been removed from my life.  For what reason?  For that sweet fruit, again. 

What do I want from my life?  I want others to see sweet, juicy fruit!  I don't want people to see the scarred branch.  I don't want them to even see the clay, rock-filled soil.  I want them to see that gorgeous Vine and the luscious grapes dangling down, ready to be harvested!  When that happens I will know that all that root-growth and pruning that took place in my life was all worth it!

Now if I could just understand what that "fruit" is.  Or is it even important for me to know?  Hmmmmm.