Deer Harvest & Lemons
posted on
November 18, 2025
When life gives you lemons…
My husband cut his thumb recently on our meat slicer. He cut it well enough to require surgery to repair the tendons, putting him in a wrist splint for weeks with limited mobility. I should have known if he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it right. There is no good time for anyone to face an injury, but this time of year feels especially poor. We are busy sorting turkeys, creating a brand-new birthing center on the farm, and it’s prime time for Nick to hunt the woodlands to harvest deer for our family and farm dogs.
The injury slowed our family down, but presented an opportunity to adjust and help – sometimes even with a willing heart. One late afternoon Nick successfully shot a whitetail deer with aid from his newly purchased tri-pod. In a normal year, he would track down the deer, gut it, then drag the heavy body to the nearest pick-up truck. But this time, we all joined the adventure.
I watched our 4-year-old walk up with reservations about the blood-soaked animal at first glance. Then watched those reservations naturally turn into curiosity – then curiosity to understanding, as he proudly offered a deer leg to our dogs as a late-night snack. I stood there, watching my kids learn about what it means to respectfully hunt and harvest a beautiful animal for food. I stood there, watching my uncles, cousins, and brothers wander in from the woods to stand by a dimly lit fire, mutter words of wisdom and bellow big bold laughs. I stood there, in awe of my oldest daughter who was elbow deep inside the body cavity of a whitetail deer, with zero signs of hesitation.
After I skipped my way down the dirt road under the dark sky toward the centennial farmhouse, I couldn’t help but notice my thankful heart, a heart that knew we most likely would never have ventured to the woods that night if Nick didn’t injure his hand. That’s the sweet stuff of life, isn’t it? The way joy intertwines through apparent suffering, and the way God uses it to make an impact on one’s heart in one moment.
