God is Using Joel Salatin

 

Some videos I thought I'd pass along to you today, whether you're into sustainable agriculture or not. Some dear, God-given friends introduced us to Joel Salatin years ago and ever since, we've been studying his methods and practices, watching his videos, taking notes from his website and reading his books. I truly believe that God appoints certain people in life to accomplish BIG things. Things that can't be done simply by human intervention, but with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit and God Himself. Joel Salatin is one of them.

 

{Get your notebook and pen ready cause there's some valuable information about to enter your brain and you'll kick yourself later for not taking notes.}

 

Sometimes I think about what it must be like to be this amazing, all-knowing Creator looking down on how we treat His creation. Kind of like a kid's artwork. Little Johnny creates this amazing sketch drawing, brings it to Mom or Dad and after a "great job son", gets placed on the kitchen counter as dinner is being made. Gravy from the turkey roast is splattered on it as well as drippings from the tomatoes that were just sliced for the dinner salad. The wind from the nearby fan flies it to the ground below where the family dog takes off with it, chewing on it and slobbering on it. It then makes its way to the garbage after being picked up by a family member and is never seen again.

 

 

I know that the good Lord gave us this earth to use and take care of, but I think we're doing a terrible job, just to be honest! I watch these videos and see such value in being a steward of God's creation. I see the value in hard work. I see the value of teaching our children how to grow food, the very sustainer of life. I feel comforted knowing that even if our children grow up and God doesn't have it "in the cards" for them to be farmers that they will at least have the knowledge and respect for local farmers and choose to support them by purchasing their goods. They will know how to grow sustenance for themselves should they ever have to. Should groceries ever rise so high that they can't afford Publix or Sweetbay Supermarket anymore.

 

Bottom line. God gave us this amazing gift of His creation and we're ruining it. A little gravy here. A few drips of tomato juice there. And some slobber there. Pretty soon, we won't be able to recover ourselves. We're almost to that point.

 

So, what can we do about it?

 

Be a "doer"! 

 

People talk the talk all the time, but it's RARE to see people walk the walk. We want to be comfortable. We don't want to be put out having to rely on ourselves to provide. We don't want to sweat or get dirty. We don't want to put the time into learning what we need to learn about soil, sunshine, crop rotation, cover cropping, composting, etc. We want the government and grocery stores to do it all. We want fancy cars and cruise ship vacations. We want other people to educate our children so we don't have to "deal" with the correction of their sin during the day.

 

We want our "me time". Oh, how that can become an idol in our lives. A powerful idol. We think we're entitled to FREE. Ahh, yes...the motto "Anything free is for me!" Well, freedom isnt' free. Everything cost something to someone or something. (I won't get political here, I promise.) :)

 

I'm so moved and have have enjoyed watching how God is using this man. I remember when I had the distinct privilege of meeting Mr. Salatin when he came to our area awhile ago. I remember talking with him about how he has so many followers of so many faiths, but how the Christians get it. They get it. They have a respect for creation that others will never understand. They want to be good stewards of it for different reasons. Honorable reasons. God is constantly teaching us thing through His creation if we would just listen and observe.

 

I pray for the Salatins as they continue in their ministry and look forward to a new book that Joel is writing. A faith-based book in which he's going to get REAL with farmers and wanna-be-farmers. I hope you've enjoyed these videos as I have. I hope that this post (or any post for that matter) hasn't come across as cross to my readers, but as an encouragement to continue learning about food, where it comes from and how we are to be good stewards of the land God has given to us.