Ugly: Truth Identified

Hands-On Learning: weed roots are outed with careful extraction

There I am, scraping through the soil, encouraging  vine root zones by removing evil weeds when God gave me a bugger of an education. Nothing teaches quite so well as hands-on experience.

Caterpillars look innocent enough.  Some can be beautiful. This cute little tyke was a bright chartreuse green with red, yellow and black dashes forming two tracks along his back.  All I knew was that he didn’t belong by the vines. That concept alone did not warrant his death, so I hurled the cavorting worm beyond the outer border of precious vine rows. Today I know that was a reckless mistake. White lined Sphynx moths will eat – among other things—grapes!

The beetle I found, on the other hand, looked menacing. Pincers, jags on its legs, huge inch long purple iridescent lined armor; pretty but scary. I have heard that some beetles will bore into vines causing damage so friendship  with this guy wasn’t even a consideration. But since I’m trying to be a good care-giver, I set him aside for later identification – into the small metal measuring cup he went so that I could continue weeding.  This determined little bugger found a way out of his metallic confines.  I wasn’t going to stop weeding to find out whether he was friend or foe because I wanted to finish this section ahead of the next downpour. Instead, I took a picture then squashed his fat behind.

Oh my goodness! Purple ground beetles eat slugs.  Scary though he was to the invertebrates in our rows, this guy was good for the eco system of our vineyard. Lord, help me. I killed the good guy! The real threat I whimsically threw to the far side, out of vineyard space proper. Ignorance can be damaging. I’m so ashamed.

Looking back over the years I can describe myself as a slow growing cynic.  With an astounding rate of regularity, people I’ve chosen to trust weren’t worthy of the honor. Recently I’ve pondered the possibility that I simply trusted the wrong people. Perhaps taking time to clearly identify trustworthy people would’ve saved me from the aching pain of betrayal just like killing the right bug would have been better for Weaver’s Hill, saving the fruit.

I can identify with my violet friend. When I try to do what is right in the natural course of this life, at times I get squashed by well intentioned folk who are not able to look beyond perceptions, understand my   actions, realize my value and praise God for the blessing of my existence. Apparently, that’s asking a lot.

Wisdom, knowledge and insight come from the LORD. The one who exists and causes all things to exist already knows the good guys from the bad ones. From the human line of sight, proper identification takes time and a willingness to learn. Once I learn the difference, that knowledge should influence my actions because the end result is at stake. Now I know one bad guy who looks cute and one good guy who looks stylishly wicked and scary. What do I do?

“What is that?” asked my husband.

Washing the cloak of moist soil from the skin of a green caterpillar… wait…. that sounds too nice. I actually dumped him into the well of an old tire filled with rusty rain water and flipped him around so I could see if it was the same dastardly creature I’d just learned about.

“Oh! It’s a bad guy. See the markings on his back?” Steve bent forward, away from his chopping wood, to get a closer look. Sure enough, there were the tell tale two rows of colorful dash marks forming a road down his back.

“What are you going to do with it?” Steve’s interest was now fully engaged.

“I guess I’ll throw him in the trash can.”

“No. Give him here. Put him on the rocks right here.” I obeyed Stephen’s instructions despite the inner twang I felt to protect living creatures of any kind.

Down came the axe head. Green caterpillar guts squirted and blobbed out in folds to the side of this once viable body. It fell again. More ooze. Flat carcass. Totally dead. Threat of one — GONE!!!!

Now that I know who’s who, I will keep those alive that should live and guiltlessly kill those who shouldn’t.  I praise God for Steve’s bold, decisive move because I am a better wine grower for it. This is one way that we are able to protect the crop we hope for. That is a very good thing.

In my new social adventures I pray that I will slow down enough to properly identify good-at-heart  people and promote their value. I also want to recognize the bad guys; not only till them out of their comfort zone but rid myself of the damage they cause. (You know what they say…. “an ounce of prevention….”)

Yes. Pray. Because God is the only one who knows hearts and he is the only one who can teach me to sort the good from the bad in the vineyard at Weaver’s Hill and in the vineyard of my life.