Carrots, Eggs & Coffee

I received this the other day and it really hit home with me regarding how others see me when I'm faced with adversity. Do they see Jesus? Or do they see me trying to take control and making a mess of things?

CARROTS, EGGS & COFFEE

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; 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 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.

************

I unexpectedly picked up a trip this week so I'm traveling sooner than I thought I would be, but praise the Lord it's a SHORT trip! Just an overnighter to St. Louis. See you all on Sunday! Unless my sister in law somehow scores free tickets to the race for us and someone takes pity on us and watches Brooke! :) What a ministry opportunity! he he!

Praises to Him,

Susan