setup: [E-Mail Ministry] Shake It Off

The following is an E-Mail Ministry message.

Like us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/E-Mail-Ministry/146699155358855
Follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/EMailMinistry
Download the smart phone app (for iPhone, Android and/or Blackberry) at:
http://localfreeapps.com/market/install.php?appid=220

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

SHAKE IT OFF

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 it 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!

-- Author Unknown

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT VIA YAHOO GROUPS

Visit our website at: http://www.emailministry.org

Like us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/E-Mail-Ministry/146699155358855
Follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/EMailMinistry
Download the smart phone app (for iPhone, Android and/or Blackberry) at:
http://localfreeapps.com/market/install.php?appid=220

HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE? Send a blank e-mail to:
EMailMinistry+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Messages are sent out on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays. Subscribe now, it's
FREE!

HOW DO I UNSUBSCRIBE? Send a blank e-mail to
emailministry+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
If this message was forwarded to you from another person, please notify them
that you are not interested in receiving any further messages.

LEGAL STUFF: E-Mail Ministry and its sponsor run this message as submitted
and do not claim to own any copyright privileges on it. The work was
submitted to us as an item for distribution, and it was posted solely on the
basis of its quality. It is the belief of E-Mail Ministry and its sponsors
that this message is in the common domain.

"E-Mail Ministry" is a trademark of E-Mail Ministry, Inc.
-- Doug Boebinger
-- The entire Staff of E-Mail Ministry

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]