Our baby vineyard we planted last year is happy for all this rain! Right now, the vineyards in our area are saturated, and some are even completely flooded. Thankfully, ours is NOT since it’s on the side of a hill, but the rain just keeps on coming!
Plentiful rain every winter is important to refill the aquifer from which the long roots of the vines draw up water during the hot, dry summer months. But does it hurt the vines to be flooded in winter?
Even though there may be some danger of soil erosion and floating debris that could damage a vineyard during flooding, dormant winter vines generally sleep undisturbed.
The key is, of course, the vine is dormant, resting. The canes from last year’s fruitful harvest have been pruned back, and all the sap is safely held deep inside the trunk.
Sometimes life can feel like a flooded vineyard for a day, a week, or longer. The circumstances around us are completely out of control, and we become disoriented.
Taking a cue from the vineyard, one strategy we could employ to survive a “flooded winter season” is simply to take a “dormant pause.”
The soul at rest is a soul at peace
during any storm that rages.
Next week, Christians all over the world will begin a slow, thoughtful journey through 40 days of Lent as they prepare for Easter. Some Christians will fast; they will pause some activity or habit that distracts them from being present with God. Others will incorporate a new practice that will train them to become more present with God.
During Lent, I like to slow down and open myself to a deeper, fuller relationship with the Triune God. Usually, as I give myself to this process over the span of 40 days, the floods subside, and the spring sun begins to coax the buds out of the dormant vines. As the days lengthen, my soul becomes increasingly alive, ready to receive the joy of Resurrection.
Would you join me on this Lent journey in the Vineyard?
I’ve written 40 days of Lent Meditations in the Vineyard. Starting on Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday, all the way through to Easter, each of the meditations is centered on a Bible passage or a verse (mostly from John 15:1-17), together with a vineyard metaphor, to inspire our imagination. A short reflection follows with an opportunity to stop and enjoy fellowship with God. My hope is that this short pause of about 5-10 minutes each day will reorient your heart and give you strength for the next season.