by jennie becker April 16, 2021
We recently went to a birthday party for a 1 year old...and came home with 2 piggies. Then a while later I gladly accepted a gift of 2 sows So, I guess you can say we are pig farmers now. While I love new adventures and I love animals…Pigs are going to be a whole new adventure.
I have never been more grateful for our social media community…and unsolicited advice. Once we posted about pigs, I was getting loads of tips and ideas for raising pigs! It was so helpful. I am not usually a lover of unsolicited advice. In fact, I sometimes make a fuss about it. Most of the time is ruffles my feathers. I try and stop my mouth from running unsolicited advice and opinions through it as much as possible, because I like living by the standards I set.
However, this round was so helpful, welcoming and warm.
So what is the difference? Why am I ok with some unsolicited advice and not others. Maybe the difference is when the advice is given in a situation where judgement and criticism are close by…the advice is harder to accept or take in. But when it is done in a spirit of love, concern and compassion…the advice is welcomed with open arms. I feel like that could be generally applied across the board. Were love, concern and compassion are involved it is always more uniting.
When I served a mission in South Korea, I learned that lesson. When we first got to the country, we were paired with someone who was senior to us in their length of time living in the country and when we became Senior, we were often pair with someone who was new. It was a tough relationship of the need for giving advice and education and the motive behind giving it. Cultural rules needed to be taught, mistakes in speaking the language needed to be correct, expectations of missionary conduct needed reminders.
And yet with all this, that relationship between the unsolicited advice, opinions, education and the motive attached to it were so important. If the motive was to show case seniority, superiority or just plain power over the person it was and will never be accepted well. If the motive was love, compassion and concern then the advice, education and reminders are more easily accepted.
Just like what I learned being a new missionary and being a senior missionary, being a first-generation ranch family offers a lot of opportunity to for that unsolicited advice. There are so many things we need to know. There are so many things that have made our live so much easier because someone was kind, loving and concerned enough to share.
And so I have seen with the pigs, that delicate relationship when getting and receiving advice.
We have no clue what we are doing. The best education I for how to raise pigs is “Charlotte’s Web”. I am sure while that is a pretty good education it probably isn’t a complete one. People have reached out to us with so much kindness and concern and have been so helpful. And in turn, I have felt so comfortable calling on them for further help! The advice given hasn’t been condemning. But rather, “try this” or “this might work for you” and when we find our own way…”oh that’s a good idea, glad that works for you”.
I hope I never get to a place in life where I think I am done learning from others. There’s so much good advice, wisdom and education out there.
Its funny how lessons keep popping up in life!
by jennie becker April 25, 2022 9 Comments
by jennie becker May 20, 2021
We have seen snow in every month in North Central Montana.
As far as I can remember we usually get a snow storm in October interrupting any nice autum weather we might be experiencing. We usually get a big spring snowstorm as well. It usually includes power outages, frozen blossoms and flowers, and icy roads.
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