A Carrot, an egg and coffee

Praise the LORD!!!

   A little something that was forwarded to me, that I've thought some may truly enjoy. Especially if facing tough times, trials or tribulations! Enjoy:)))


  

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; 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 insides 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. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.  When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.  Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.  You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.  If you don't (re)send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message!                                          May we all be COFFEE!!!!!! !!

Five year since...

 Praise the LORD!!!

    It has been five years since hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrecked havoc upon the gulf coast! For those of you that know me, you know that I was living in Iowa, La. during these storms. My accounts of what went on during these storms can be found all over the internet. This isn't the reason for this posting though. It's not to bring up the past, for I live in today, striving to change the future of disaster relief.

    Though the face of disaster relief has changed a good bit, it is still far from that which it should(and will) be. If you've stayed tuned in on relief operations to the many disaster since '05', like I have, you'll know that there have been vast improvements in the efforts to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible. Which is a very good thing. There hasn't been an improvement in the overall logistics of these vast undertakings though. Yes, large amounts of money and supplies are donated in a timely manor, but it is their getting distributed to those in need that is really lacking improvement. We saw this in response to the Haitian earthquake and are seeing it in other disasters around the globe.

    I've watched videos of the relief efforts in Pakistan dealing with the current flooding and am horrified at how they're delivering the relief. There seems to be a 'dog eat dog' mentality in the distribution methods. They pull up to crowds of people and begin throwing the supplies to them. People begin to scramble for whatever they can grab a hold of. The neediest of all(sick,aged and injured) are left to pick up whatever was left behind. In my personal opinion, this is totally wrong in many ways. Those that are in greatest of need should be the first to receive, not the other way around. Formal food and medical set ups need to be provided in the quickest means possible. Yes, it does take time to set up a food service operation to feed thousands of people, but in doing so you're making sure that those truly in need aren't left to fend for themselves.

    This is why VCM is working on developing a strategic logistics system. One that will set up quickly and operate efficiently no matter what the emergency. We a Christians have a very high calling to preform differently then those operations of world relief groups. We have the calling to preform everything we do to a level that will bring glory to the name of JESUS first and foremost!!! GOD is a perfectionist and our systems must function in the best manor possible, as close to 'GOD-like' as humanly possible. This can only be accomplished by our remaining firmly seated in our beliefs and adherence to HIS principles set forth for us in scripture. As VCM continues to develop, we'll strive to remain strong in our core beliefs and show the love of JESUS to all of mankind through our proficiency and the labor of our hands.  This is a high calling and one that I personally will strive to meet with every breath that I take on earth!!!

 GOD bless and good day,
 Rev. Marshall Barth
 Vine of CHRIST Ministries
 Vine Ministerial Network International

 Please don't forget, that if you're in need of some prayer, we've a email prayer system set up. Email us at: prayers@vineofchrist.org