Thursday, December 11, 2008

Coffee

My dad, once again, sent me an incredible thought.... you may have heard this before - but its a good reminder.

A young woman went to her mother & told her about her life & how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it & wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting & sturggling - it seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water & placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second, she placed eggs, & in the last, she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit & boil - all without saying a word.


In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out & placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out & placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out & placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see"

"Carrots, eggs & Coffee" - she replied

He mother brought her closer & asked her to feel the carrots. She did & noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg & 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?"


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 & unrelenting - However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened & became weak.


The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through 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 like the carrot? You seem strong but with pain & adversity, do you wilt & become soft & lose strength?

Are you like the egg? You start with a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, do you become hardened & stiff? Does your shell look the same, but on the inside, do you become bitter & tough?

Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that brings the pain!!! When the water gets hot, its releases the fragrance & flavor it holds within itself! If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better & change the situation around you! When the hour is the darkest & trials are at their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?

Will you ever look at a cup of coffee the same now?


15 comments:

  1. I LOVE this story...we heard it in a sermon a few months ago!

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  2. awesome story I've never heard it.

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  3. Rebecca,

    I had goose bumps reading this. As you know this is one that hits home in the current season I'm in. Bring on the coffee!!!

    Thank you for sharing it today.

    Love you sweet friend, Dawn

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  4. I've never heard this before!!

    What a great story, and one that my kids can understand because they can relate! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  5. never.

    I've never heard that before? What a great analogy! You are so inspiring to me!

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  6. Wow, that is such a cool story. I"ve never heard that before! I know I struggle with how I respond to adversity and I love the imagery here. Thanks for sharing this!

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  7. What a great story! I've never heard that before!! Thanks for sharing!

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  8. I have never heard this illustration before, but I will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again!

    Thanks for sharing this!

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  9. Thanks for stopping by my blog...glad you like my star. I'm from WA State, but guess I would fit in with the big state of Texas...LOL!

    I totally needed to hear this...awesome. I've been going through the doldrums and emotionally going back and forth...knowing that I can change those that I am around instead of letting circumstances change me is a gentle reminder that My God is bigger than all the 'stuff' I'm going through...thanks!

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  10. So awesome Rebecca...thanks for sharing. I see myself as the coffee bean....I can't say I was always that way, but I think God has changed me and my outlook on life.

    Thanks again...you are a blessing!

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  11. u know i have deep passionate coffee love already, but now, i can make it part of my morning devo too! i love it. thanks for sharing that...have a good day

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  12. You know, I so need my life to be like the cup of coffee. Thanks for that story. You know the good thing is, that we have a choice in how we respond. The carrot, egg, and coffee bean didn't!

    Love you honey!

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