Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

I received this in an email, and unfortunately I do not know the author, but I wanted to share it with you.


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. 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?

Mom, I'm Ready

“Mom, I’m ready to start having quiet times,” my 7 year old said quietly, as he entered the room at 6:30 AM yesterday. I was just getting into my own devotions but decided this was not one of those times to shush him. “That’s funny, I’ve actually been thinking a lot about that,” I told him. He continued, “When I wake up I want to stay up and not got back to bed, so I think I’m ready.” The rule at our house is before 7:00 it is “quiet time”, so daddy and mommy can get their devotions done in peace without questions, wants or demands. It doesn’t always happen but the kids know it is a rule.

The last time I was at my parents home, I found my “children’s daily devotional’s” that I used when I was a kid. I asked my mom to give these to him for his 8th birthday. I also asked her to write about the importance of spending time reading the Bible every day.

You see, when I was eight years old I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come into my life. I thanked Him for what He did for me on the cross and I gave my heart to Him. Then, in order to get to know Him better I started having quiet times every day. I explained all this to Little Professor telling him how Grandma was going to send him the same books I used. His eyes lit up and he smiled real big. “But, if you want, in the meantime, you can start a journal and begin reading Proverbs” I told him.

“This is something my dad showed me,” I began, “the book of Proverbs is full of wisdom and there are 31 chapters. Look at the calendar and tell me how many days are in this month.” Little Professor cheered and noted that there are 31 days in October. “One for every single day!” he said. I gave him a black spiral notebook to use as his journal. Telling him that every day he could write in it what he wanted. He could write how he felt or anything at all, but to also write the verse he liked best from his reading and the date. I told him I still had one of my first journals.

So, my Little Professor started his journey yesterday October 1st, spending quiet time reading scripture. His 8th birthday is only 5 days away. This was an answer to a fervent prayer from a mother’s heart, who desperately wants all of her children to seek the Lord and follow hard after Him. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was for him to ask on his own!

“Mom”, he said, “I guess I have a head start on you, because I asked Jesus to come into my life when I was like two” I smiled and said, “not quite that young, but yes you do”

Not ten minutes later he had his verse, Proverbs 1:19. “This is a great one Mom, listen to this verse”. “All greedy people end up this way. Greed takes away the life of the greedy person.” “That’s really powerful, isn’t it mom?” I raised my eyebrows and said “wow, that sounds serious”. He shook his head and said “yeah, pirates really need to hear this one!”

The First Day Of School

Curious George started kindergarten Monday and was inspired to write this song. He had a great day which must have really sparked his creative juices.

(Sung to… lala la laaaaa)

It was the first day of school
When the bus came here
I was going to go to school
Until the bus broke down on me
And then the bus started going
But they didn’t fix it
and the driver was still in
and they saw a face
and a body in the air
And it was stealing the bus
And then the teacher said
EVERYONE!

GET OUT OF THE BUSS
A GHOST IS INSIDE !
And then this is happened
We were driving to school
And then the bus broke down again
And the ghost flew out
And they started to build the buss
And they were building the buss
For days....
And the days went by slow
And then the months went
It went summer, fall , winter
And then monsters existed
And monsters can break the doors
So I ran back to my house
And drived my car back to school
And the teacher was with me by my side
And I was old enough to drive a car
I drove it to school
And we found all these ghostest
At school and the ghostest were nice
But no one was at school everyone
Was gone including my teacher
My teacher drove away
And I wasn’t in the car
And then the ghostest flew out
And chased the teacher to her house
And the teacher ran and ran and ran
And ran to her house
Her house was across the world
So she ran so far
She bought a car
That didn’t’ have any gas
So she pushed it to a gas station
And pumped up some gas
And went to her house
And the ghost chased her back to school
And the car broke down
And then tow trucks didn’t exist
So she ran to school
She ran so far
She bought two cars
And left one at home
But she shouldn’t have done that
The ghost was chasing her
In a race car
And she was driving
She drove so far
She bought another car
And left it there
And more ghostest went
And that was a race car
And then she drove and her
Car blew up
But before... she ran out
(sing the last line very slowly)
And all the students were on the buss
The end

Living In Christ

Living In Christ
Let every part of your life--your person, your style, your direction, your flavor—be in Him. When you’re in Him, then you’re based on truth. You’ll be honest and genuine through and through; you’ll be coordinated, all of a piece; you’ll be in harmony with yourself. And then you can grow within yourself to unlimited dimensions—and all because you’re in God.

Faddish lives age quickly. They’re not based on God, who is greater than all culture and all generations, so twenty years from now they’ll seem faded and “out of it.” Anchor yourself to the great “I AM”, and you will develop more and more into a woman who is ageless, whole, true, and at rest.—ANNE ORTLUND Disciplines of the Heart

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9-10

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. 1 Corinthians 3:4-5

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5

Lord, You know my desire is to follow You. Help me to stay the course and keep my eyes focused on You no matter what goes on around me. Give me strength not only when I am weak but always. You’re strength is what I want to rely on not my own. Open my eyes so that I may see how you are at work around me and through me. Help me to be faithful in seeking You. I thank You for Your sacrificial love. And I thank You for Your patience with me. Mold me and make me according to Your will.

I hate footprints

My conversation with Lover Boy started when he was talking to himself as he painted a picture. He kept saying over and over to himself “Me hate footprints”. I decided to talk with him about it.
ME: What are you saying?
LB: Mommy, me hate footprints
ME: you what?
LB: Me HATE footprints
ME: I hate footprints
LB: you hate footprints too?
ME: no silly, say I hate footprints instead of me hate footprints. Umm why do you hate footprints?
LB: I hate footprints
ME: I know but why?
LB: ‘cause I hate footprints, I hate mommy footprints, dada footprints, brother footprints and sister footprints. I hate all those (he doesn’t have a sister)
ME: Is there a reason you hate them
LB: yeah
ME: why?
LB: ’cause... I hate footprints
ME: what do you hate about footprints?
LB: What I hate about footprints is I hate moner footprints
ME: did you say monster footprints ?
LB: yeah, not people,.. actually I do
ME: What does hate mean
LB: hate means bad, me tell my teacher , teacher, does hate mean bad and she say (different voice) yeah hate means bad. See, hate mean bad.
ME: What is a footprint?
LB: footprint is... is... see these (points to feet) um... um.... no tell you yet follow me (walks outside) mama help me find mud
ME: what? Why mud
LB: I need mud to put my feet to make footprint
ME: does water work?
LB : no must be mud
ME: let’s just try water
LB: (steps in pool) see, no make footprint
ME: step on side walk right after you get your foot wet
LB: oh yeah, but not good because disappears
I never did find out why he hates footprints, but it was a precious conversation with my three year old.

Soggy Mac 'n Cheese

Little Professor decided that he would make himself some Mac 'n Cheese for lunch. I've been trying to slowly teach him how to cook, so I let him do it all. I kept telling him he needed to check and recheck the instructions.

Little Professor new best and skipped the "drain the pasta" part. He added the fake powder cheese and butter to the swimming elbow macaroni. I didn't know what he had done until he asked when it would get thick.

No worries, I scooped up the excess water and he thought it was the best ever because he had made it himself. It was just a little soggy that's all.

They Sure Do Love Their Daddy

My boys sure love their daddy
I’m glad they do too
sometimes it is a little comical
sometimes I have to really focus out
instead of in.

I know they love their mommy too,
Not always as obvious,
especially day in and out
spending all day together
sometimes it’s hard
not to be selfish
I see their little excited eyes light up
Daddy walks in the door after work
Those mornings, trying to comfort them
Missed out on his goodbye hug
Time alone with Daddy
Mommy comes home to tears.
tears that mark the end of “boy’s night”
not because I was missed
My boys sure do love their daddy

This is a conversation that happened on our way to church Sunday morning.

Curious George: Daddy, these samwiches are yummy!
Little Professor: Yup, you are really a good chef
Curious George: Maybe you can teach Mommy to make these.
Little Professor: Yah Mommy, you should really learn to cook from Daddy, he’s the best.

Kirk and I exchange glances,
he knows as well as I
I have made those same egg sandwiches before
I am the better cook
Well… I do cook most of the meals
But, everything Daddy makes tastes so much better
I smile now
sometimes I do feel a jab in my pride
but at the end of the day
It does bless my heart to know
My boys sure love their daddy

I sure love their daddy too!