The Stump ~

Integrity is, choosing to do what is right rather than what is convenient, even when no one is looking .

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone.

He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold

until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a man.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad

must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified.

He can hear all kinds of noises.

Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm.

The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump,

but he sat there, never removing the blindfold.

It would be the only way he could become a man.

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.

It was *THEN* that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him.

He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are *NEVER ALONE*.

Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there.

'For we walk by faith, not by sight.' (2 > Corinthians 5:7)

If you don't read another blog today please make your way over to this one. (http://messythrillinglife.blogspot.com/) You will be inspired and uplifted. I promise ! This young woman at 29 years old is going through some trying times...she lost her job as an oil and gas broker and it has been an amazing journey reading her blog and seeing how God has shown His awesome power to her. I read her last two posts to my husband tonight (March 4 and 5 posts) trying to maintain my composure, but I ended up in a sobbing mess. Brin is truly *SOARING* with God by her side ! Blessings ~