New Experiences, New Perspective

Last night I helped my husband clean a deer.

Is that even the right term?  He had already skinned it when I arrived home... but I did help cut deer meat off of one deer leg.  Is that cleaning a deer?  That's what you call cleaning a fish... but I don't know what exactly I helped do to the deer.

Don't worry, I will spare you of photographs, although, I've got to say, it was really cool.

I always enjoyed biology and I loved the opportunity to dissect things in biology class.

Seeing the way the muscles were attached the bone, and studying an animal from the inside out is something I find really fascinating.  It made me excited for Chris and me to have children and involve them in this process.  Learning about anatomy while we're providing food for our table.

All that to say, this new experience of cleaning a deer opened my mind to a few new perspectives... mostly new perspectives of appreciation.  Below are listed things I appreciate more now having experienced the deer cleaning:

• I appreciate the ability to shower at any time of the day or night -- specifically the chance to shower immediately following the deer cleaning
• I appreciate 21st Century disinfecting products -- specifically for our kitchen table after parts of a deer carcass has been cleaned on the kitchen table
• I appreciate butchers and all the knowledge they bring to their profession -- I had no idea which direction I was supposed to cut to create the natural slabs of meat... most of my meat pieces came out looking like venison ceviche
• I appreciate my husband who knows how to kill a deer (and with a really accurate shot that killed the deer instantly), gut a deer, hang a deer, skin a deer, clean a deer, and dispose of a deer.  None of those skills are in my current range of knowledge -- maybe someday, but without my husband, there would be no fresh deer meat
• I appreciate the deer who gave her life to be our protein.  We are so grateful to God for this provision.

Well, there you have it.

New experiences.
New perspective.
New appreciation.

I love new experiences.  I hope to continue to have them (and have them with my hubby) for the rest of my life.