Family

By Yanavey

Life has a way of throwing things your way that seems absolutely unbearable and you think that you just can't get through. My life is not very normal; my family is not at all ordinary. Somehow through all my afflictions I've been blessed to meet wonderful people and gain a great deal of strength. So the generalization that families are only perfect if they have a father, mother, sister and brother is very wrong. Families work differently for everyone and that's okay. Always be thankful for the family that you do have. Try to be nice and see what happens when you give a little - you just might change your whole family.

Here is a story that I absolutely love. It's encouraging and very inspirational hope you like it.

Shake It Off And Step Up

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. Suddenly it 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 mater 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 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 the potential to benefit and bless us!