How much is a Good Character Worth?

   This morning I am terribly disappointed, and growing a little more jaded the older I get. I have a story to tell, and hopefully, like the storytellers of old, you will see the moral behind it when I am done.
As well as know a little bit more about rabbits. :) LOL.

http://www.glimmercroft.com/Rabbits.html

   Arent these rabbits beautiful? This is a breed (Creme D'Argent) I have wanted to raise for a couple years, but sadly, they are rare and one of the breeds, while ancient, are in a restoration process, meaning there are only about 3000 or less here in the US at this time. Thanks to some wonderful and dedicated breeders, such as the rabbitry breeder above, they are becoming more and more available on the market. Here is a picture of a doe like what I want:

http://www.glimmercroft.com/Rabbits.html

   So here is where the story starts.
   About a week ago I was scrolling through ads here on Craigslist for my area. I live in a notoriously difficult area to find anything within an hour. I was SOOOOO excited to see an add for this same breed, as well as a note from the breeder that she had them available. Sure it was a two hour drive from my home, but to get my rabbitry started, I was just excited to see that this person was close enough for an afternoon visit, and pick up.
   I contacted her, and a flurry of emails came back and forth as I  tried to arrange times, cost, reserve the number of animals I wanted, etc.
   In the second or third email she stated that they were leaving on a vacation this Friday and would be willing to go down to $5 per rabbit if I were able to pick up before then.
   First lesson: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You would think at 36 that is a lesson I would have learned. However, I am also an incurable optimist who approaches everyone on the premise that they are good-willed people who care about relationships to some extent. Most of the "rabbit people" I have run into over the years have been amazing, honest, down-to-earth reliable kind of people.
  Another flurry of emails went back and forth, we changed some scheduling with schooling and such to be able to make such a long trip with the kids. My husband downloaded plans for expanding the rabbitry we have so we would have cages. We borrowed kennels so we could pick them up.
   Then I opened my email last night at around 9:30 to find an email from this person. Roughly paraphrased, this is what it said: " You know, before you drive all the way up here, I want to tell you that these rabbits are not purebred D' Argent. They are mixed with English Lops, and they all have the ears and such as English Lops. (in other words, I would have been able to tell immediately that they are not purebred D'Argents as she hoped to pass them off as)." Just for kicks and laughs, here is a picture of an English Lop:

http://www.infomascota.com/articulos/generales/pmamiferos/2002/12/9/conejos_grandes_1/

   Now, am I going to argue with someone that this rabbit is cute and would make a good pet? nope. Not at all. But we are talking about a HUGE difference between that rabbit and the ones I want to breed for show and meat purposes. These rabbits, while the sweet icon of English childhood books, are a lot of work to take care of, their ears double each week from birth to 16 weeks, and frankly are what I would term "high maintenance". Not anything I am looking for, in any way.
   I searched through every email, clicked on the original ad in the listing, etc, and not once was this mentioned. I showed it to my husband, and he agreed it was incredibly deceptive and that we can only be thankful she actually owned up to her duplicity before I made a four hour round trip with two two-year olds in the car, as well as my oldest, who was also very excited about the new additions.
   So I sent her a polite but firm email telling her that while I appreciated her honesty, now, that I felt her original ad was not accurate, and that this is something that should have been revealed in the beginning, as well, as mentioned in the ad. The saddest part of the whole thing is that there was no remorse on her part, no agreement that perhaps she was blurring the lines a little bit. What her statement was :"Well, there is not a market for English Lops, but many people are looking for the Creme D'Argent" rabbits, and they ARE half Creme D'Argent".
   Wow.
   It is amazing to me to see how far people will go to convince themselves and others that taking the high road of honesty in all things is way too much work.

   For a $5 rabbit, she will never get my business, and she sold her good character.

Personally, a good character and good reputation is far harder to repair than maintain.

So next time you want to make a small decision and just blur the lines a little bit, 

remember this proverb from a wise King from many years ago:

 "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,

 but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones." (Prov. 1:24)

or this one:

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."

(Proverbs 31:10)

or this one:

A good name is better than fine perfume...." (Ecc. 7:1)

   So, disappointment reigned last night and my husband and I talked it out, prayed about it, and I went to sleep. I do not have to do anything to bring destruction on another person like that, because they are their own worst enemy, and the truth will eventually come out. However, I also believe that good-willed people will lead me to those who are genuine and honest, and we will get the rabbits we are looking for.
   Have you ever had an experience like that with someone? Seems they are getting more and more frequent in my life. :(

Hope you all have a lovely Thursday,

Many Blessings,

Heather