The Old Mule in the Well

I thought I would take a second this morning before my day got started to share yesterday.

So, yesterday morning we were on our way to Church. And of course Justin and I got to talking about our finances again. And I finally just said something to the affect of, I can't talk about it anymore, it stresses me out too much. Well, Justin started in on how I should give that stress up to God and that is what I need to do. And I kept telling him that if I knew how to do that, then I would have given it up a long time ago. And that Justin can lecture me all day long on what I "need" to do and what I "should" do, but if you don't tell me how to do it, then I can't!

I got really upset. I even cried a little. It's not that I don't want to give it all to God. I do, more than anything. I just don't know how. Honestly. I struggle with it daily. Because I trust that God will provide for us, he always has. And I trust that God watches over us, and is on our side. I just don't know how to give things to him, like these financial issues!

Well, we were in a hurry. So, we decided to talk about it more later. We all go to our Sunday School classes and then to service. When I arrived at service Justin asked if I had read the "Lifeline" and I hadn't. Well here is what the front of it said:

The Old Mule in the Well


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 how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!

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. If we face our problems, 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.

May God bless us this week as we “shake off the shackles and step up out of the wells” in which we find ourselves! “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” -- Phil. 4:13

Ya, so this hit home! I fought back tears as I read it! I know God knows all things. But he really showed me that yesterday. He knew I needed to read that story, and hear, once again, that he's got our best interests at heart and that he'll always take care of us!

Any who, I had to share. It really touched me!

Our memory verse for our Sunday School class (the debt one) is Proverbs 22:7:
Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

The chapter we are studying next is about debt. God specifically says several times in the bible not to borrow money or owe anyone anything. So, hopefully we'll get our debt taken care of and we can tech our children never to borrow!! We don't want to be slaves anymore!!

Well, it's time for my day to start. I have both boys this week. Maddy also has her dance recital on Sunday and her rehearsal is Tuesday evening. I'm also having my physical for my life insurance policy this morning. I can't eat until after she does blood work. I can't even have coffee. I'm starving!!! Pray the physical goes well!!!

~Blessings~

Leslie