If you know us, you may be aware that my wife
Vicki was a vegetarian for many years and, for the past seven years, shifted to
a vegan diet. With an exclusively plant intake, she is slowly eating her way
through the Amazon Jungle, while I’ve been consuming mostly red meat ever since
I can remember. No doubt, I have made a big dent in the Brazilian Beef
population. We have a friendly bet in play as to who will outlive the other.
While she enjoys her recipes of leaves, nuts, and vegetables, I love an
occasional Coke, and eating animals that were
vegetarian.
Married almost 45 years, we continue learning
to adjust to each other’s dissimilarities. Culinary choice is only one of our
differences. Others include driving styles: I call tailgating, NASCAR precision
driving, what she calls irresponsible. Conversations about attire for any given
event used to be disagreeable. Vicki is highly organized and operates from a
checklist. Her shopping is determined days before entering the supermarkets vs.
purchasing what looks good at that moment. Well, I’m sure you got the drift of
some of our differences.
Where the two of us do align, is in our innovative
and exciting ways of guiding people to Christ. Our Biblical instruction is not some
sort of pragmatic quick-fix to
problems. Rather, it is based on a consistent teaching that the long-fix is a
life influenced by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:20, 21).
Both of us hurt for those who suffer, especially Christ’s church and the poor. We continuously look for healthy balance between becoming too sensitive or becoming too cold toward those who are suffering.
This past year, I participated behind the
scenes so that Vicki had her desired opportunities to speak to hundreds of
young people in public and private high schools. She was able to reach almost
3,000 students in seven area schools. The Gospel is always embedded in each
lecture. It has also been fulfilling to work out logistics so Vicki could
minister to women at events with our local churches. 2019 brings us more
opportunities to expose people to Christ’s Good News.
So yes… a carnivore and a vegan can differ on eating while working together on feeding. by tim reiner
