annieap
January 22nd, 2005, 02:19 PM
Many years ago three soldiers, hungry and weary of battle, came upon a
small village. The villagers, suffering a meager harvest and the many years
of war, quickly hid what little they had to eat and met the three at the
village square, wringing their hands and bemoaning the lack of anything to eat.
The soldiers spoke quietly among themselves and the first soldier then
turned to the village elders. “Your tired fields have left you nothing to
share, so we will share what little we have: the secret of how to make soup
from stones.”
Naturally the villagers were intrigued and soon a fire was put to the
town's greatest kettle as the soldiers dropped in three smooth stones.
“Now this will be a fine soup”, said the second soldier; “but a pinch of
salt and some parsley would make it wonderful!” Up jumped a villager,
crying “What luck! I've just remembered where some has been left!” And off
she ran, returning with an apron full of parsley and a turnip. As the
kettle boiled on, the memory of the village improved: soon barley, carrots,
beef and cream had found their way into the great pot, and a cask of wine
was rolled into the square as all sat down to feast.
They ate and danced and sang well into the night, refreshed by the feast
and their new-found friends. In the morning the three soldiers awoke to
find the entire village standing before them. At their feet lay a satchel
of the village's best breads and cheese. “You have given us the greatest
of gifts: the secret of how to make soup from stones”, said an elder, “and
we shall never forget.” The third soldier turned to the crowd, and said:
“There is no secret, but this is certain: it is only by sharing that we
may make a feast”. And off the soldiers wandered, down the road.
Author Unknown
NOTE: Be encouraged to open your heart and share with others what God has freely given you. Our possessions will not be with us a hundred years from now, but what we do for others in the name of the Lord will be a shining reminder that our heart and life belonged to God while we were on the
earth.
small village. The villagers, suffering a meager harvest and the many years
of war, quickly hid what little they had to eat and met the three at the
village square, wringing their hands and bemoaning the lack of anything to eat.
The soldiers spoke quietly among themselves and the first soldier then
turned to the village elders. “Your tired fields have left you nothing to
share, so we will share what little we have: the secret of how to make soup
from stones.”
Naturally the villagers were intrigued and soon a fire was put to the
town's greatest kettle as the soldiers dropped in three smooth stones.
“Now this will be a fine soup”, said the second soldier; “but a pinch of
salt and some parsley would make it wonderful!” Up jumped a villager,
crying “What luck! I've just remembered where some has been left!” And off
she ran, returning with an apron full of parsley and a turnip. As the
kettle boiled on, the memory of the village improved: soon barley, carrots,
beef and cream had found their way into the great pot, and a cask of wine
was rolled into the square as all sat down to feast.
They ate and danced and sang well into the night, refreshed by the feast
and their new-found friends. In the morning the three soldiers awoke to
find the entire village standing before them. At their feet lay a satchel
of the village's best breads and cheese. “You have given us the greatest
of gifts: the secret of how to make soup from stones”, said an elder, “and
we shall never forget.” The third soldier turned to the crowd, and said:
“There is no secret, but this is certain: it is only by sharing that we
may make a feast”. And off the soldiers wandered, down the road.
Author Unknown
NOTE: Be encouraged to open your heart and share with others what God has freely given you. Our possessions will not be with us a hundred years from now, but what we do for others in the name of the Lord will be a shining reminder that our heart and life belonged to God while we were on the
earth.