"Back in Line" with Dr. Mosier: Hogs, Hamburgers, and Hometown Wisdom

A Meaty Story About Freezers and Uplifting Others

Auctions are fun—maybe a little too  fun for someone with a competitive streak. And when you mix that competitive streak with food? Well, that’s a dangerous combination.

Ellen and I had the honor of attending the 4H Livestock Auction at the end of the Washington County Fair this year. I’ll admit, I didn’t realize the kids who show livestock have the opportunity to auction off their animals afterward. It turns out, this is a great way for them and their families to recover some of the costs—buying the animal, feed, and caring for the animal all adds up.

So really, we were buying high-quality meat and supporting a 4H student. I’m 100% in for next year.

Two weeks later, we got the call from Lyndel’s Processing that our order was ready. We casually hopped in Ellen’s SUV and headed out. Somewhere between bidding and pickup, we forgot we had purchased a 1,500-pound cow and a 300-pound pig…

The young man at Lyndel’s kept bringing bag after bag—after bag—of meat from the freezer. Ellen’s eyes widened as she watched the back end of her SUV squat lower and lower under the weight.

And that’s when we realized…We didn’t have nearly enough freezer space.

So, we did what any reasonable meat-hoarding couple would do: bought another deep freeze.

All that to say—the meat is amazing. It’s helped me stick to my weight loss goals: high protein & low carbs. And we’ve also taken to heart the wise advice we received early on… “Check your freezers. And check them often.”

Speaking of advice, when Ellen and I first moved to town, someone told us, “Be careful what you say—you never know who’s connected to who in a small town.”

We weren’t planning to talk bad about anyone anyway, but it was good to know.

It’s true: bad gossip travels fast. It always finds its way back and carries a sharp sting in the back of the individual being gossiped about.

But what about good gossip? Is that a thing?

We all need encouragement from time to time. But there’s a difference between a shallow, polite compliment (“I like your hair”) and a deep, specific, and meaningful one (“The way you handled that situation at work was incredible”).

Now imagine giving that kind of compliment—not directly to the person, but aboutthem to someone else. That’s what I call good gossip. And trust me—it’ll get back to them. And when it does, it will have a powerful & lasting impact.

Your friend,

Dr. Mosier

P.S. Let’s make good gossip  a thing. Let’s be known for lifting people up, not tearing them down. Be an encourager—not a Negative Nancy.