And This Little Piggy...

I started my third week at Conestoga Meat Packers today. I seem to have a knack for finding the unusual employment options and this one is certainly no exception. At Conestoga, we kill pigs. Lots of pigs. Over 3000 a day! Then other people cut them into pieces and other people like me package them. Then people like you and me buy and eat. I remember taking my first full tour of the plant and actually seeing for the first time the rows and rows of slaughtered pigs and being surprised that inasmuch as the sight is disgusting, it's the smell that makes the biggest impact. But even that I am sure, as with other things, you get used to eventually. Though there is no denying it does something to a person to witness death on such an extensive scale, even if they are only animals. I don't think I could ever again read about blood or sacrifice, or mass execution without being reminded of what I have now observed.

But on a lighter note, to answer that ever present question, "Can you still eat pork now that you know where it comes from?" The answer is yes. I love pork. And my employee discount will certainly see good use during my time here. To close, I am submitting my list of top pork puns that have come to mind during my shifts.

Monotony: It's a boar-ing job but someone's gotta do it!

Monopoly: I have hotels on Boar-walk and Pork-place!

New Testament: What you Sow you shall Reeeeep!

Old Testament: [File not found]

That's all folks,

Blessings,

Jake Rivers

Vacation!

This weekend will mark the close of my first summer vacation in several years. Not to mention my first summer vacation with my wife! Although fairly humble to some standards, for me, these days of rest have been life-changing. What began as a plan for a week away at the cottage eventually metamorphosized into a seventeen day venture between Orillia, the aforementioned cottage, and our lovely home.

For the past several months I've found my energy levels steadily decreasing from 12 hour days and fluctuating shifts at work. As mentioned in the previous blog, I've been wanting to get out from where I worked for a while now! The real angst came with finding out my current job had scheduled me for two days right in the middle of our time at the cottage, which would have left us with only five days away. I don't know if this really exposes my human weakness or not, but I was so discouraged when I found out. Probably more than I have ever been for a long time. But like many of the seemingly despairing situations in life, all one can do is trust that the Father to know better than we do.

How stunned and amazed did I feel, when an unexpected offer for a new job, mere hours before my "final" shift before the weekend, signify the Lord's grace in this circumstance. A new job and the offer to delay my orientation 2 weeks! Needless to say the Rivers' apartment was quickly transformed into a bouncy, worshipful, hustle and bustle as we proceeded to adjust the rest of our plans for an early morning departure as soon as I finished my final shift that night.

There's no time to adequately surmise the many adventures we had! Suffice to say it was a very restful, very relational, very refining, very worshipful, and very transformational experience! I'm excited to see what other surprises are in store for this summer!

Blessings,

Jake Rivers