I am having a crisis of conscience right now, that is somewhat related to the direction I want this blog to go...but it may take me a while to get there, so bear with me.
My daughters want to rescue a horse from going to the meat market. (Sigh). While I do think it's a nice idea in theory, there are other factors that young people don't always take into consideration. Like the fact that it's a stallion and that we only have mares on our yard. But whatever...that aside, I just want to say that the biggest reason I am saying no is because I just don't really have a huge problem with horses going to the meat market. I also think that anyone who does have a problem with horses going to the meat market should never eat any store-bought eggs, chicken or beef products. I have been in barns with 10,000+ chickens in them, and it's not pretty. Do you know what they do with them when they stop laying eggs?? I have family who have worked the kill floor of a meat processing plant....even worse. Actually I think it's all bad...I can guarantee you I will never send a horse to the meat market! And we rely on our laying hens for our eggs, I have got some nice steers that should be ready right about BBQ season next year, and at the moment my hubby is out hunting us some nice big game to stock our freezer for the winter. I really like animals a lot. In fact almost every animal on my yard has a name, and we spend time with each and every one of them on a daily basis. On my yard, our food is loved! So, I really don't want to rely on animals for food that have been raised in an Intensive Livestock Operation any more than I want to see a horse go to the meat market. It's all nasty! But I guess it's a matter of removing the plank from your own eye before you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's. If I run out of hamburger meat, you can bet I will be heading on in to Safeway to get some. Do you see where I am going with this? From my point of view, I just don't have a leg to stand on to be fundamentally opposed to horses going to the meatmarket, because I support meat markets every time I go out for wings.
So, this got me thinking more deeply. I would equate that line of thinking to the same line of thinking that causes people to feel good about having a monthly payroll deduction to go to their favorite charity...let's say the United Way, that one's pretty common. Many people will happily contribute money from their paychecks to be sent to the United Way, but how many people would actually go down and volunteer at a shelter, or a soup kitchen? How many would really go down and fraternize with "those" people? The scriptures tell us to have mercy on widows and the fatherless, but how many of us do? Or better yet, we will send money to World Vision, but wont serve breakfast for the untamed and unruly children of our own streets.
So this got me thinking more deeply. What am I doing to have mercy on the widows and the fatherless?? Can I really bear the idea of putting money from an already tight budget towards feeding and caring for another horse, when it could be better used to improve the life of a fatherless child? Or a lonely widow with no family to share her burden?
Sorry girls, the horse will have to wait. I have something in my eye....
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