Around dinner time

We've had some interesting "conversations" before and around dinner the last few nights: 1. Found out that Kylie will maybe? become a vegetarian... It hit her for the first time that a precious chicken actually had to die so that we could eat some of it for dinner. Being the animal-loving and very deep-feeling person she is, this dinner prep ended up being quite a scene - with intense, heart-broken, traumatised-type of sobbing for at least 10 minutes! First when the chicken was cut up and then a whole new wave of grief and shock hit her when it was tossed into the frying pan. To our amusement, though, when the chicken pieces were served with lots of vegetables, guess what she picked out first to eat? The chicken - somehow she didn't get the connection... hmmm 2. Conversation between Nathalie and Jeremie: Nathalie: "So, are you gonna become a missionary, Jeremie?" Jeremie: "Don't know. Don't think so. Nathalie: "Why not? Jeremie: "I just prefer a more settled life and not moving around so much." Nathalie: "When I was your age I didn't want to become a missionary either. I wanted to live in America and make lots of money. But that's changed now." Jeremie: "Hmmmm." 3. Tonight's conversation started with the remark (by Nathalie) that we've all put on weight since we came to New Zealand (arrgh - she's right, too!). She remembered how she used to be so very skinny in Tahiti - probably because there just wasn't that much food available in our house(there was always enough). She realized how she doesn't like the materialsm in the Western World and that she was happy in Tahiti, not having very much and that she wants to raise her kids in a non-western/not-so-materialistic country. I threw in that I had felt that way too before I had kids and really did prefer raising them in a less wealthy context. I'd just been thinking today about how blessed we are in New Zealand. I can go to the library with Kylie and pick out 20 books, CDs and DVDs, all for free and keep them for 6 weeks! In Tahiti a trip to the library was a special treat because it was a 1-hour drive from our house. The kids were allowed to choose only 3 books, that's it. And they could keep them for max. 2 weeks. I find myself thinking about the orphans in Africa very often, and how I could bless them when the Lord releases me to go there for a visit. When I learn new recipes at Playcentre for fun things like playdough, goop and bubble liquid etc. I think of how much those things would bless the orphans. But how they would probably rather use the money spent on those things just for food... for survival. Interesting food for thought these days - - - Rich left for Fiji yesterday early morning. He'll be gone for 2 weeks and we'll miss him!