Friday, March 20, 2009

“For a long time I have been preaching the doctrine “That we get out of life just what we put into it.” A neighbor of mind heard me make this statement several times, and one day took me to task as follows: “Say Cox, tell me how you are ever going to collect from these little sparrow and robins and wild canaries I see you feeding every morning?”
“Well”, I replied, “I don’t know how or where or when, but you can rest assured I will be paid in full all right.” He just laughed and went on, but a few mornings later he stopped and was admiring the roses in our garden, when all of a sudden he discovered there were no bugs on our bushes and right away he wanted to know what kind of spray we used, declaring the bugs were destroying every plant he had. I told him we had never used a spray, and explained it to him after this fashion. “You see we have a hundred or more birds breakfast with us every morning and they sing us a song or two, but they do not seem to feel that their songs are pay enough for what we do for them, and in wanting to do more, they have undertaken the job of freeing our plants of insects, that they may not destroy them as they have yours. It always works that way. We get out of life just what we put into it.” With a smile he said, “Cox, you win.”

Coleman Cox - Photo by Ruud Albers




3 comments:

MaryMGlynn said...

LOVE IT!!!

Mel said...

It's kind of a "what goes around comes around" sort of tale, isn't it? It also reminds me of the parable of the guy who was walking on the beach throwing stranded starfish back into the water after the tide had receded. Someone saw him doing it and asked why he was even bothering, because he couldn't possibly throw them all back in. He looked at the guy, and at the water, and at the starfish in his hand. After throwing the starfish into the water, he said, "It made a difference to that one." And kept right on going. God cares for His creatures in so many ways, one of them being through us.

FCB said...

Hi Mary,
Glad you like it! I'm sure it is one you can relate to on your little farm, with so many living things to bring you blessing, and help keep you fit with their needs.
Love Fred


Hi Mel,
That's a great story, and if I were the starfish I know full well I would appreciate the effort.
I'll bet you rescue many starfish before it's over, God speed!
Fred