One of my listers sent this to me and I wanted to share it with all of you.
Vicki
Gibson Co. TN Coordinator
USGenWeb Project
http://www.rootsweb.com/~tngibson
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles W. McCollum <Enolaren(a)Bellsouth.Net>
To: Glen&Cheryl Dickerson <Mrsglen(a)Juno.Com>
Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 10:50 AM
Subject: My sermon for today:
The Mule in the well
A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.
The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer
heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do
when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing
the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule,
but decided that neither the mule nor the well was
worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called
his neighbors together and told them what had
happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to
bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the
farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and
the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It
suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel
load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD
SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did,
blow after blow.
"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step
up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to
encourage himself. No matter how painful the
blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old
mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING
IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!
You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and
exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed
like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all because
of the manner in which he handled his adversity. THAT'S LIFE! If we
face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in
to panic, bitterness,
or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG
TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE
POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!
Remember that FORGIVENESS-FAITH-PRAYER-
PRAISE and HOPE...all are excellent ways to "SHAKE
IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find
ourselves!
The TRUTH is not positive or negative, it's just the TRUTH.
And if the TRUTH hurts say OUCH!!!!!!!!!!! Then,
SHAKE IT OFF & STEP UP!
In other words if the world seems to give you a lemon, squeeze the thing
and make lemonade.