April,
Thanks for sharing this.  It is so true and it comes at a good time for me.
Virgie and Hoshi
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "April Reisinger" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 23, 2006 1:30 AM
Subject: Shake It Off


> Hope this will help and bless some of you when you are in situations where 
> you feel there is no way out or it is difficult to find.
>
> 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
>
> Skype Name:  april_r
> MSN: No e-mail please:  [log in to unmask]
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> "God is still on the throne!"
> April and Miss Flurrie
>