Don’t allow the crows to persuade you.

There is an old Persian fable of a hen, a mouse, and a rabbit who lived together in a little house in the woods. They shared all the work and lived in harmony. The chicken found the firewood, the mouse brought the water from a nearby brook, and the rabbit cooked the meals. Each did his work faithfully and contentedly.

One day, while the hen was out in the forest looking for wood, a nosy crow approached her and asked what she was doing. When he heard, the crow began caw, “That’s not fair! You’re doing the hardest part of the work! That rabbit and mouse are taking advantage of you!

The chicken continued about her work, but try as she would, she could not stop thinking about what the crow said. These feelings festered and festered, and by the time she got home, she was so upset that she burst out in tears, screaming, “It’s not fair! I do the hardest work of the three of us! That’s it! I’m not going to gather this heavy firewood anymore!”

Discontent spreads, as you know, and immediately the rabbit and mouse also began to argue that they had been doing the hardest work and that they were not going to do their jobs anymore either. The three argued until they were tired and finally decided to switch jobs – from now on the rabbit would gather the firewood, the hen would bring the water and the mouse would cook.

As the rabbit hopped into the forest for wood, a fox trailed him, caught him, and ate him. The chicken put the pail into the creek, but the current pulled the pail down under and the chicken with it. The mouse, while sitting on the edge of the big pot of soup, lost his balance and fell in.

Discontentment not only destroyed their happiness but their very lives.

We all have a job to do here. No job is greater than the next — no person is greater than the next, no matter what those crows might tell you. We are all working for the same King and we can worship Him even while gathering firewood, if that’s what He’s called us to do!

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Whine, or lemonade? What do you do with the lemons you get in life?

Whenever we’re disappointed with our spot in our lives we should stop and think about a little girl Jamie. Jamie was trying out for a part in her school play. Her mother told her husband that she’d set her heart on being in it, although she didn’t think she’s get the part.

On the day the parts were handed out, her husband went with the mother to collect her after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.

“Guess what Mommy,” she shouted, and then said those words that should remain a lesson to us for a lifetime: “I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer!”

Sometimes we think we’ve been handed a lemon in life, when we have really been handed the ingredients for lemonade. I guess it’s all how you look at it.

Remember that God has chosen a certain path for us to take in this life, make the best of it by honoring His choice and path for you. God will not pour fresh, creative ideas and blessing into old attitudes. Have a glass of lemonade.

Philippians 4:11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.