Vegan? Really? Who?

So I had a weird day today.  It started last night I thought I would read a bit before I went to bed.  Well the book "Skinny Bitch"  I already decided I didn't really care for.  I don't really like skinny bitches, nor do I want to become one.  But it was a gift, given with purpose.  So I felt the obligation to complete it.  The chapters so far had warned away from eating sugar, and artificial sugars, and the chapter I was about to read was about meat.  So apparently the skinny bitch way to tell you about how meat is not healthy is by scaring the crap out of you.  And it worked.  Their descriptions of how animals are treated in farm factories was so graphic, I felt like I had just read about a pedophiles actions or the horrors of war.  The worst part about it all is that I knew it.  I'm not an idiot who believes that the stew meat I'm eating came from a happy cow hanging out in the green, green grassy fields until one day he lands in the butcher shop. 

I felt a lot more terrible than I thought I would.  Very insecure, it's just pointed out a huge flaw in the way I think and, how I choose to ignore something I know is bad, so I don't have to change my life.  But I woke up in the morning questioning my own every movement.  I feel also embarrassed that this revelation occurred by reading a book I don't even like.  I guess I had to be caught off guard.  If there was a documentary on t.v. I wouldn't have watched it.  So I got out my vegan cookbook, and planned a meal for tomorrow.  And all the meat food I ate today seemed gross, even the milk.  I'm really annoyed at this book, I was doing a good job of ignoring all of this stuff for a long time.  Now what do I do?  I can't go back.  I realized that all along I never really liked meat, I always felt confused, and partially grossed out in the butcher section.  But I don't know how to get protein without it.  The idea of some manufactured meat substitute seems like a less healthy alternative, but it is probably not, just worse tasting. 

I asked Abel this morning about being a vegetarian, and he doesn't really seem to care.  The thing I think I would have the hardest time are eggs.  But that would probably be easiest food to find from a neighbor.  I don't think they are gross.  But Andrew is allergic to them so I couldn't use them to replace everything.

So here I am in a spot I thought I would never be, and yet is not all that surprising, just terribly annoying.  I don't even really like animals that much. Sheesh!


Almighty and Generous Providence
how great the variety of living things,
You have put at our disposal!
You told our first parents:
"I give you all the animals of the land."
Some can be used as food,
or for labor or transportation,
but also for our companionship and recreation.
Bless animals.
May they carry out the function they have been given
and may they aid us to think of You its Creator
and give praise and thanks to You forever.
We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord.
Amen.