A Jerk Making Jerky

I am getting ready for our men's coaching backpack trip in two weeks. I wanted to spoil them a little bit, so I am busy making beef jerky today. I know that you can buy the stuff for $4 at any grocery store, but it tastes more like beef manure than beef jerky. And the things they put into it! You think hot dogs are bad?

So I go get round steak and have it sliced, then marinate it for a day or so (custom creating the marinate of course), drip dry it all, put it in a smoker, and finally dehydrate it. It is quite a process. If you ever tasted it, you would see it was worth it. Every one of the guys on the trip - 10 of us - will get some of the home made jerky in their food bag. Some will like it. Some won't. I'll shoot the ones who don't, probably taking the jerky out of their packs before pushing their bodies off a cliff somewhere in the back wilderness. (Not really :))

As I labor, I ask myself why I don't just go get jerky from the store. Besides the obvious answer that what I am making is a heck of a lot healthier, I sit and wonder why I am working so hard and long for something they might not even appreciate.

For years everything I did had to benefit me somehow. If I wasn't going to get something out of it, I wouldn't do it - whether a friendship or a job I was doing or anything. I guess I was sort of a jerk (more than I am now that is). I might get something out of this - guys might stop midway on the trail, pause as they chew their jerky, and shout from the top of their lungs "This is the best jerky I have ever had!!", but I doubt it. Or one of them might read this blog and make a big deal about it just to give me a hard time. I don't know. What I do know is that I am making the jerky because I want to love these guys. It is a way of serving them. What's cool is that for the first time in my life I am cool with not getting noticed or appreciated or praised for it. I just wanted to serve.

I have always been one of those up front kinda guys. I do well leading, but not serving. I like being noticed I guess. This time it feels good to serve without the notice. And without as much 'jerk'.

And besides, I really like beef jerky.