It Comes with the Territory

It was bound to happen sooner or later. A response to a friend's Facebook post explaining why the use of animals for clothing -- in this case, sheep -- is not necessarily a good thing, at least for the sheep, resulted in a backlash of negative responses and name calling.  Me, a vegan Nazi?  Hardly.

In my short experience as a vegan I have learned that there are many who question my decision or feel as though they are being judged if they don't do as I do. Christian friends have been quick to point out in scripture the biblical justification for eating meat and wearing wool. That's not the issue here, but one I will address in another post.

No matter what we stand for in life -- whether it is our faith, our veganism, the LGBTQ agenda, or who's running for President -- people are going to come at us with negativity.  The question is, will you continue to stand and fight for what you believe is right according to your values, or will you cave in and back down from that for which you are so passionate?  Negativity comes with the territory.  No matter how nicely we try to position our point of view or live out our convictions, there will always be people who oppose us.

It's up to us -- to you -- to decide where you truly stand in the fight for animal rights and to be ready to give an answer in defense of your position.  It doesn't have to be a hostile defense, but we all need to be convinced that advocating for animals, the environment, and better health by embracing a more compassionate lifestyle is so important that we cannot be swayed from our conviction.

Don't let others shame or berate you. Often their negativity will come from eyes that haven't seen -- or choose not to see -- the atrocities committed against God's non-human creatures. Or they may oppose you simply because they do not understand how a vegan lifestyle can benefit them. All we can do is share what we have come to understand.

It is my desire to present what I have learned as lovingly and compassionately as I can, hoping that others will embrace a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle so that animals can have better lives, humans can have better health, and our environment will be sustained for the next generation. But that is all I can do. It's really all any of us can do. We are not here to judge or criticize anyone but to live as an example and hope that others will catch a vision of what could happen if they choose to leave meat off their plates and switch to cruelty-free products.

For a better life, better health, and a better world --

Dee Dee






Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

It's Not That I Can't

Slowly but surely people are beginning to understand that we have embraced veganism, and to have some idea of what that means. Most of them understand our dietary choices in terms of what we can't have versus what we can have.  (There are so many good choices!)  I suppose that is partly my fault because I have often said, "I can't have that because I am a vegan," but nothing could be further from the truth!

It's not that Joy and I can't eat a hamburger or any other food made from animals because we are vegan, but rather it's that we choose not to eat them. Yes, that's right. Veganism is a lifestyle choice -- not a diet or a bunch of restrictions, but a choice.  We often choose what outfit to wear based on the occasion, the season, or how we feel when we put it on. The same is true of what we eat.  Joy and I choose to eat a plant-based, meat-free diet because of how it makes us feel -- healthy, peaceful, and aware of the good we are doing for our planet and the animals who share it with us.

You are free to choose as well. We may not agree with your choice any more than you agree with ours, but we will respect your freedom to choose.  It is our prayer, however, that you will learn, as we have, that certain choices are worth whatever you feel you may have to sacrifice if you decide to become vegan. We pray that you will experience better health and the loss of unwanted pounds, as we have, and that you will find yourself craving plant-based food that is good, nutritious, and produced without causing harm to animals.

We continue to be amazed at the variety of foods we have discovered that have made this journey much easier -- and more fun -- than we ever thought it could be!  That we could make from scratch an easy and delicious Alfredo sauce from cashews still surprises us! Yet here we are, three months into our vegan journey and loving it more than ever.

We are here to encourage you any way we can. We don't have all the answers -- not by a long stretch -- but we are eager to share what we are learning along the way and so excited to be part of a growing movement toward healthier, more compassionate living.  If you have questions or just want to follow our journey, please visit our Facebook page or drop us an email.

Please don't arbitrarily decide that being a vegan is too difficult, too expensive, and not worth the sacrifice. Instead, dare to believe, like we did, that you -- and the animals -- are worth it and that you can make a big difference by choosing to make some positive changes. We encourage you to watch some of the documentaries linked on our Links & Resources page and to take the 30-Day Vegan Challenge to see if a vegan lifestyle is right for you. We think you'll find it can be.

Next to our faith in God, the Creator of all things and of all creatures great and small, our choice to embrace a vegan lifestyle is the most significant choice we have ever made. Please know that we are here to help in any way we can and that we will be praying for you every step of the way.

For God's glory, and for the animals --

Dee Dee and Joy




Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com