Phew. There, I said it.
If you have been reading my blog for a while now, you might know that I have done experiments with vegetarianism in the past. Experiments that were meant to last 30 days lasted 2 weeks. I determined that I was just not the kind of girl who was going to cut anything out and call it a full life. I had cut too many foods, calories, and joys out of my life in my past, and I was not about to commit to doing it again.
When my sister came home from her last semester of college, she decided to try veganism. Her courage to try something different and difficult, in the face of family dinners and meals at Olive Garden nudged me.
I really wanted to cut meat out of my life. By this time, it had been awhile. I had read many times that it takes several pounds of grain to create one pound of meat. Meanwhile, too many people are going hungry. Those thoughts tug at my heart. Because my love language, if I had to pick one, is food. That's how I love people. I want to fill everyone up with good food and good company. I want to see them smile and laugh and sit around a table telling stories and discussing life.
I just didn't think I could give up meat. I thought my body needed it. I thought I would end up even more tired than I already was.
But Katie's choices encouraged me to get back on the vegetarian horse. So, on December 26, I did. And so far? It has been a really great ride.
Up until now, I haven't made my choice public. Mostly, I have mentioned it as it has come up (such as when I have been invited to dinner). I have chosen not to discuss it a whole lot because I am not trying to recruit people to adopt my conviction. After a lot of trial and error, I have come to strongly believe that in addition to being created uniquely, every person has been given a heart that beats louder and faster for different reasons. Everyone has the capacity to care about a lot of things, but no one can carry that interest far enough to do something about everything. But in each heart, there are convictions. A different set. (And they may change.) It is those convictions that must be acted upon, because it is the actions taken based upon what the heart is truly convicted of that make our stories great.
Most of us (maybe all of us) have heard the questions, "Where was God when..." "Where is God?" I think it is fine, and even great, to ask tough questions. Those questions aren't too difficult for God, and he knows our hearts already. But when we ask those questions, we also must ask if we've acted upon our convictions. (And I realize I'm talking much more than vegetarianism now.)Because he has handcrafted each of us. He has put his thumbprint on each of us, whether or not we choose to call his son our savior. And with that, he gives us the ability to make changes in the world around us by acting on the things that really nag at us. Not jumping on bandwagons, but really paying attention to how we've been created.
So we can ask God questions. But we also have to ask ourselves questions. Have we acted on our convictions?
1 comment:
good for you Sarah! While I honestly have little convictions about meat/veggies, we still only eat one or two meals with meat in them a week. It's interesting to me that making a change in lifestyle such as vegaterian (spelled that wrong!), cloth diapers and other things seem to require much explaining to others - or we think that there is a need to do so. People often ask me about diapering or not using paper towels/napkins and such, and I've decided to simlpy say, becuase we do. I didn't think I hopped on the 'paperless kitchen' bandwagon (who know there was one, until two weeks ago!). Do i explain that it is because I hoestly forget to buy them, they are pricey, and I love paper so much i hate throwing it out!!! love the pictures, especially the fish xoxo,sarah
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