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 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!
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
I Wonder
I wonder what I would have done,
Had I been there in that crowd;
Would I have spoken up for Him,
In a voice clear and loud?
Would I have walked beside Him,
Down that dirty, rock-strewn road?
Would I have tried to steady Him,
As He stumbled with His load?
Would I have let Him lean against me?
Would I have gladly borne his weight?
Could I have helped in anyway,
To ease His great heartache?
Could I have said the proper words,
To comfort His aloneness,
To show I shared His sorrow,
To attend to His forlornness?
I wonder if I'd been there,
Would I have stroked His tear-stained cheek,
And kissed His bloodied hands,
And washed his bloodstained feet?
Would I have rubbed His aching shoulders,
Put soothing lotion on His back,
Tended to His open wounds,
And supplied the water that He lacked?
I know I was not good enough,
To volunteer to take His place,
But could I have helped Him bear that cross,
And kept the sweat from His dear face?
Would I have put my arms around His mother,
And hugged her to my breast?
Could I have shielded her from viewing,
Her precious Son's tormented death?
Could I have helped prepare His body,
And have bathed Him with perfume?
I wonder if I'd been there,
Would I have waited by His tomb?
No doubt that Easter Morning,
I would have shouted, "HE IS RISEN!"
And I know I would have thanked my God,
For that most joyous of occasions.
I'm so sorry that He suffered,
And I am sad it was that way,
But I know it was God's plan for man,
And because of it ... we're saved.
The only thing I could have done,
I suppose, had I been there,
Would have been to state my love for Him,
And tell Him I cared.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Had I been there in that crowd;
Would I have spoken up for Him,
In a voice clear and loud?
Would I have walked beside Him,
Down that dirty, rock-strewn road?
Would I have tried to steady Him,
As He stumbled with His load?
Would I have let Him lean against me?
Would I have gladly borne his weight?
Could I have helped in anyway,
To ease His great heartache?
Could I have said the proper words,
To comfort His aloneness,
To show I shared His sorrow,
To attend to His forlornness?
I wonder if I'd been there,
Would I have stroked His tear-stained cheek,
And kissed His bloodied hands,
And washed his bloodstained feet?
Would I have rubbed His aching shoulders,
Put soothing lotion on His back,
Tended to His open wounds,
And supplied the water that He lacked?
I know I was not good enough,
To volunteer to take His place,
But could I have helped Him bear that cross,
And kept the sweat from His dear face?
Would I have put my arms around His mother,
And hugged her to my breast?
Could I have shielded her from viewing,
Her precious Son's tormented death?
Could I have helped prepare His body,
And have bathed Him with perfume?
I wonder if I'd been there,
Would I have waited by His tomb?
No doubt that Easter Morning,
I would have shouted, "HE IS RISEN!"
And I know I would have thanked my God,
For that most joyous of occasions.
I'm so sorry that He suffered,
And I am sad it was that way,
But I know it was God's plan for man,
And because of it ... we're saved.
The only thing I could have done,
I suppose, had I been there,
Would have been to state my love for Him,
And tell Him I cared.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Almighty God
On a Saturday night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late at Almighty God Tabernacle, his church, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, "God, if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now." At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, "God, if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now." At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Almighty God
On a Saturday night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late at Almighty God Tabernacle, his church, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, "God, if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now." At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, "God, if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now." At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Small Miracles
Two years ago in downtown Denver my friend, Scott, and I saw something tiny and insignificant change the world, but no one else even seemed to notice. It was one of those beautiful Denver days. Crystal clear, no humidity, not a cloud in the sky. We decided to walk the ten blocks to an outdoor restaurant rather than take the shuttle bus that runs up and down the Sixteenth Street Mall. The restaurant, in the shape of a baseball diamond, was called The Blake Street Baseball Club. The tables were set appropriately on the grass infield. Many Colorful pennants and flags hung limply overhead.
As we sat outside, the sun continued to beat down on us, and it became increasingly hot. There wasn't a hint of a breeze, and heat radiated up from the tabletop. Nothing moved, except the waiters, of course. And they didn't move very fast, either.
After lunch Scott and I started to walk back up the mall. We both noticed a mother and her young daughter walking out of a card shop toward the street. She was holding her daughter by the hand while reading a greeting card. It was immediately apparent to us that she was so engrossed in the card that she did not notice a shuttle bus moving toward her at a good clip. She and her daughter were one step away from disaster when Scott started to yell.
He hadn't even gotten a word out when a breeze blew the card out of her hand and over her shoulder. She spun around and grabbed at the card, nearly knocking her daughter over. By the time she picked up the card from the ground and turned back around to cross the street, the shuttle bus had whizzed by her. She never even knew what almost happened. To this day two things continue to perplex me about this event: Where did that one spurt of wind come from to blow the card out of that young mother's hand? There had not been a whisper of wind at lunch or during our long walk back up the mall.
Secondly, if Scott had been able to get his words out, the young mother might have looked up at us as they continued to walk into the bus. It was the wind that made her turn back to the card -- in the one direction that saved her life and that of her daughter.
The passing bus did not create the wind. On the contrary, the wind came from the opposite direction. I have no doubt it was a breath from God protecting them both.
But the awesomeness of this miracle is that she never knew.
As we continued back to work, I wondered how God often acts in our lives without our being aware. The difference between life and death can very well be a little thing.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
As we sat outside, the sun continued to beat down on us, and it became increasingly hot. There wasn't a hint of a breeze, and heat radiated up from the tabletop. Nothing moved, except the waiters, of course. And they didn't move very fast, either.
After lunch Scott and I started to walk back up the mall. We both noticed a mother and her young daughter walking out of a card shop toward the street. She was holding her daughter by the hand while reading a greeting card. It was immediately apparent to us that she was so engrossed in the card that she did not notice a shuttle bus moving toward her at a good clip. She and her daughter were one step away from disaster when Scott started to yell.
He hadn't even gotten a word out when a breeze blew the card out of her hand and over her shoulder. She spun around and grabbed at the card, nearly knocking her daughter over. By the time she picked up the card from the ground and turned back around to cross the street, the shuttle bus had whizzed by her. She never even knew what almost happened. To this day two things continue to perplex me about this event: Where did that one spurt of wind come from to blow the card out of that young mother's hand? There had not been a whisper of wind at lunch or during our long walk back up the mall.
Secondly, if Scott had been able to get his words out, the young mother might have looked up at us as they continued to walk into the bus. It was the wind that made her turn back to the card -- in the one direction that saved her life and that of her daughter.
The passing bus did not create the wind. On the contrary, the wind came from the opposite direction. I have no doubt it was a breath from God protecting them both.
But the awesomeness of this miracle is that she never knew.
As we continued back to work, I wondered how God often acts in our lives without our being aware. The difference between life and death can very well be a little thing.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Monday, April 26, 2010
Prayer For My Witness
Dear God,
Please forgive me. I sometimes look at those I see and get frustrated by the way they are. Some are angry and act ugly and even curse. Others have no desire to do what is right. Some just want to "party" and live like the world all the time. Some are lazy. Some are hurting and holding on to bitterness. I don't always understand why they are that way. Then I, in my frustration, become angry and grumble. Forgive me for my ungodly attitudes and complaining. I am sorry. Help me to see the potential in others and to pray for them more and criticize them less. I pray that through my prayers to you and through my Christian testimony and example and through my words and deeds, these people would come to know you or come back and lay their issues on the altar. I pray that we all will lift our burdens to you and drop them at your feet, so that you can take them away and guide us in the way everlasting. Please relieve our grieves and burdens and replace them with your peace. Please bless us as we serve you. Please help us and pick us help when we stumble. Thank you for your mercies.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Please forgive me. I sometimes look at those I see and get frustrated by the way they are. Some are angry and act ugly and even curse. Others have no desire to do what is right. Some just want to "party" and live like the world all the time. Some are lazy. Some are hurting and holding on to bitterness. I don't always understand why they are that way. Then I, in my frustration, become angry and grumble. Forgive me for my ungodly attitudes and complaining. I am sorry. Help me to see the potential in others and to pray for them more and criticize them less. I pray that through my prayers to you and through my Christian testimony and example and through my words and deeds, these people would come to know you or come back and lay their issues on the altar. I pray that we all will lift our burdens to you and drop them at your feet, so that you can take them away and guide us in the way everlasting. Please relieve our grieves and burdens and replace them with your peace. Please bless us as we serve you. Please help us and pick us help when we stumble. Thank you for your mercies.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Friday, April 23, 2010
Giving Blood
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liz."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liz."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
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