While in Rome, Italy I visited a local wine shop, to find the best Italian wine for Jared. Mona and I were enjoying the host and his delight mixed with national pride in explaining the excellence of the Italian wines. We settled on the best one he recommended, and then the steward gave us an additional bottle free. We left smiling and thankful totally blessed.
We continued to tour Rome by foot and rose early to catch our flight home the next day.
Then to my tear-filled eyes when departing somewhat behind schedule blessing turns to disappointment.  At arrival for our flight home to the States we mixed things up during the check in process and we couldn’t check our bags.  All you airport junkies know, this meant a waste of all our wine. They took those bottles and placed them in the trash.  


After so much travel and missing Jared I just broke down. Tears sprung to my eyes at the thought of not even one person enjoying those gifts. I had imagined a homemade meal, between shared between families you know with me cooking some delicious Italian dish- sharing some flavors of Italy all around our large dining table. 
We rushed off to make our flight. We almost had missed it. 
The flight attendant heard our misfortune and instantly poured us a glass of red wine.  We smiled thanking her for her attempt to console. Then shortly after take off the girl in front of Mona abruptly knocks her seat back, sending red wine all over. I am wearing my favorite white Hudson Jeans instantly soaked like a heavy downpour AGHHH- we race to the back of the plane are further doused in club soda.  A baptism of sorts begins to take place! Club soda, white wine, soap from the airport bathroom, and anything suggested to save my white jeans are applied with vigor! Thank you MONA!! She is such a good friend. We are laughing our heads off, with the attendants and those around looking at all the commotion. I had just thought to myself, how I adored my white HUDSON JEANS and was thankful God had not prompted me to give them away.
OHHH IRONY. 
So quickly the attendant goes and gives us 2 full bottles of bubbly, 1 Italian red, and 7 small red wine bottles. Our bags can’t even hold all this wine. But we being kind hearted accept. haha
We switched seats with a mother and her son traveling from Italy. Who needed to watch the inflight movie (her screens weren’t working) and being mom’s ourselves we totally understood her plight. Turned out we were on God’s assignment to share our lives with hers. Such a beautiful conversation took place, and I thought to myself the ruined pants were worth the reward of sharing Jesus with her. 
Had I gotten all upset about my jeans that may not have happened… I could have complained and ignored every other person in a fit about the wasted HUDSON JEANS. 


However, in all the commotion one simple truth stood fast God’s way of reaching out to impact lives by re-ordering my seat on a plane for this mother.  He faithfully gave purpose to all the chaos.

Getting off the plane we laughed again at the thought of going through customs with little to no wine tasted and a complete smell of wine all over us and bottles of it in our bags. The US customs could be a complete disaster. So we began to unload some of the wine.

In NEW YORK people were complete skeptics of 2 girls giving wine bottles away. OH so sad. So we trashed more bottles a complete waste. However, at this point I was getting used to throwing away perfectly good bottles of wine. 
We figured God must be trying to tell us something.

Later after the trip was over when I was telling my mom the story of the wine wasting, she said “I wonder why you cried”. 
I thought yeah, that’s really not something to cry about, in light of all tears that could be shed over what I saw in traveling to and from Africa.
She said…
Perhaps it is prophetic. 
Jesus being the owner of an excellent vineyard… and His being crushed for us. Made into the perfect wine of God’s love. 
And then we, forsake the gift all together.
We throw it away.
And then when God sent the Holy Spirit, (like the gift of even more wine) we throw that out too.
She shared more… maybe you cried a bit over your gift for your husband, but think how God’s gift is worth so much more.
He separated from his beloved, for so long aching for reunion…GIVES. In His expression of love HE gave His Son, our perfect Savior, the purest love. 
Who then was discarded by his very own when He (the Father) had been so generous.  It had cost Him everything.
Now I thought the whole thing worth sharing…caution this WINE not for wasting! Pour out your life as a love offering. 


Gen:27:28 May God give you of heaven’s dew

Zach. 10:7 The Ephraimites will become like mighty warriors,
    and their hearts will be glad as with wine.
Their children will see it and be joyful;
    their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.


The joy and gladness that is found in Christ is far beyond the merriment of of a good meal and perfectly paired wine. He our great God brings joy to the generations.


Oh and by the way, the stains in my jeans came out!


LOVE YOU and continue drinking in the great love God has for you! Charity