ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG OR A CUP OF COFFEE?

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee... You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; with out saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. This reminds me of a verse of Scripture in James 1:2-4 Take time to read this! May we all be COFFEE!

Hello to all we hope this all finds you well and having a wonderful new year. We want to praise God for what he has done. Most of you know that Christy has had 1 major knee surgery and 2 minor knee surgeries in the past 3 years. Since these surgeries she has always walked with a limp. She fell in the kitchen the other night when her knee locked up and hurt her knee again and she was having a very hard time walking. She was hurting this morning and so she has to get her cane out to help her walk. Today at church we were taking up the offering and God came by and touched the brother that was taking up the offering. He had a backache and was hurting badly and right there during the offering he was instantly healed. Our pastor felt lead to have that brother pray for Christy. He then asked me to bring her uo to the front of the church and we were praying for her and God HEALED HER instantly. She now walks with no pain and absolutely no LIMP!!! They asked her if they could have her cane and they have put it up on the wall at church. We are expecting great things to continue on in 2008!!!!!!

Baby Jesus - Pure Innocence

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. The Pastor of the Church was looking at the manger scene when he noticed that the baby Jesus figure was missing from the cradle. He immediately turned and went outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon walking down the street. And in the wagon, was the figure of the infant Jesus.

He walked up to the boy and said, “Son, where did you get that little baby Jesus that's in your wagon?”

The little boy replied, “I got him from the Church.”

“And why did you take him?” asked the Pastor.

The little boy replied, “Well, about a week before Christmas, I prayed and I told Jesus if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride in it!”