THE REVELATION FARM

Faith and Hope are elderly christian lady friends. Both women were raised on farms. Having not been around animals for awhile, Faith and Hope decided to take a day trip to The Revelation Farm. Faith and Hope had always wondered why the farm had such a name. It was on this day the true meaning of the farms name was revealed to Fath and Hope. Faith and Hope walked around the farm. At each set of animals they would stop and chat a bit. When the two ladies came upon the pigs they began to converse. Faith said, "Hope, how have things been going for you?" Hope replied, "Fairly well, except I am still having trouble dealing with the adversities of my past." Faith said, "Hope, I look at a persons past like I look at these two pigs." Hope asked, "Well, how on earth do you do that?" Faith said, "Well, look at them. The one asleep over there in the mud hole is named Down. The one over here standing up and looking out of the pen is named Out." Hope scratched her head for a minute and asked, "Okay Faith, but what does that have to do with anything?" Faith replied,"Down is laying there asleep in that mud hole with slop and waste. Never even got up when we came. Shows no sign of ambition or enthusiasm. Seems content to be down wallering in this pig sty of filth with no regard to a better life." Faith paused for a moment while Hope made observation of what Faith had said. Faith continued by saying,"Now, take a look at Out. When we arrived at this pen, this pig was already up on it's feet. Walking about. Looking out of this fencing. Making observations of what is outside of this pen. Obviously by the appearance, this pig does not spend a great deal of time laying in it's resting hole. The pig food is in one area. And this pig has apparently buried it's own waste because you do not see it laying around." By this time, Hope was a little lost in the conversation, so she asked Faith to further explain her concept. Faith said," People can decide if they want to be like this pig named Down and lay around in the mud hole of their past. Wallering in all of the adversities and mistakes that either they or someone else made throughout the years. They can stay down and never get up. Allowing the slop and waste to be piled up all around them. Never rising up to look out of the fencing. Never having any motivation, ambition or enthusiasm to improve their life. As though they are accepting the pig sty of the errors of the past as their place in life. Never having any hope or faith to strive for a better future." Hope said, "Okay, I am with you to this point. Now, what is the deal on this pig named Out?" Faith said,"People have a choice to be like that pig named Down or like this pig named Out. Like Out, they can rise up. Get on their feet. Bury the waste. Make observations. Look outside the fencing of the pen that is holding them to the past. Apply motivation, ambition and enthusiasm. Giving themselves the opportunity to improve their lives. And because of their hope and faith they can go through each day looking forward to a brighter tomorrow." Hope asked Faith, "What do you anticipate will happen to these two pigs named Down and Out?" Faith said, "Well, I hope Down will let Out be it's role model and one day rise above this life and put this behind as it's past. Then Down can be of some benefit to others while on this earth. But, if Down continues this way of life, that will never happen. I expect Down to end up in a slaughter house. It will be then and only then that it benefited anyone by providing a meal for someone. Other than that, Down's life will not have accounted for anything and Down will have missed the enjoyment of it's time on earth." Faith paused for a brief moment and said, "As for Out. I have faith that Out will continue to rise up and eventually make a way to get out of this pen. I believe Out will enjoy life and be of benefit to others while on this earth. And one day Out will take first prize at The County Fair." As the two ladies exited the farm, they made a special point to look at the sign. The Revelation Farm. This time Faith asked Hope, "What do you make of the name?" Hope replied by saying,"My faith tells me God sent us to this Revelation Farm. Today, God gave me a revelation. I need to hope for a better life by making the choice to bury the past and walk in faith for a brighter future." Faith's response,"A BIG AMEN."