One day our neighbor handed me a magnet that reads, “Eat Veggies Not Friends.” No explanation as to why was needed. She knew of the fate of a lamb on our franch. You may ask, “How can you eat your own animals?” We wanted to teach our children that if you couldn’t raise your own animals for meat, then you shouldn’t eat meat. “Don’t be a hypocrite,” instructed my husband. Our eldest daughter expressed the tug-of-war happening in her heart, “I love that lamb, but I really love meat.” When you raise your own animal to one day be on your table, you learn to fully appreciate the life that is given for the nourishment of your body. It gives you another reason for finishing what’s on your plate – if the reality of so many malnourished children in developing countries isn’t enough motivation. Our children do not whine about how they are too full to finish their lamb dinner but still have room for dessert. Not a single crumb is left as we remember how we poured time and love into that lamb for the past year. It is definitely easier on your spirit to mindlessly roll through the supermarket aisles and fill up your cart with chuck roasts, chicken breasts, and pork tenderloins. But, then you don’t know who to thank. We can thank Augustus. Though I must admit, it isn’t easy. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I think I may soon need some recommendations for vegetarian cookbooks…
Our life verse up here is Acts 10:13,” 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
We firmly believe there is a place for all of God’s creatures, right next to my mashed potatoes. Thanks for speaking the truth.
A friend of ours named his cows, “Porterhouse,” “Filet,” and “Sirloin”. I guess the next one might be “Burger.” Quite mature of the kids to accept the realities of raising livestock.