Facing Adversity

[Guest guest]

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

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.

In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and

the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil

without 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 a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, " Tell me what do you

see? " " Carrots, eggs, and coffee, " she replied. She brought her

closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they

soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling

off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked

her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich

aroma. The daughter then asked. " What's the point, mother? "

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same

adversity--boiling water--but 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 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 a 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 to another level?

How do you handle Adversity?

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

[Guest guest]

Verlene,

Thank you for this.

God bless with love and gentle hugs,

Belinda

> FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

> 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.

> In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and

> the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil

> without 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 a bowl.

>

> Turning to her daughter, she asked, " Tell me what do you

> see? " " Carrots, eggs, and coffee, " she replied. She brought her

> closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that

they

> soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling

> off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked

> her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich

> aroma. The daughter then asked. " What's the point, mother? "

>

> Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same

> adversity--boiling water--but 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 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 a 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 to another level?

> How do you handle Adversity?

>

> ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?