IN AND OUT, UP AND DOWN

Life has a funny way of throwing us curves, surprises and puzzling situations.  Here is a cute story I have heard before and I pass it on to you.  Please know you are not the only one who deals with the ups and downs of life.

Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched on his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problems began when Chippies owner decided to clean Chippies cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said "hello" when sssopp! Chippie got sucked in. The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do. She reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who initially wrote about the event contacted Chippies owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore he just sits and stares." It’s not hard to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over. That’s enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart.

Maybe that’s the way you feel.  A disciple of Christ has many ups and downs in life.  Being faithful through them all is the true challenge of a true disciple of Christ.