Sunday, November 20, 2005

From this morning's sermon

                                                                                                 

                                          

                  Take Your Goat into the Room With You

In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?" The rabbi answers, "Take your goat into the room with you."

The man is incredulous, but the rabbi insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week."

A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the rabbi. "The goat is filthy." The rabbi then tells him, "Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week."

A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, "Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there's no goat, only the nine of us."

George Mikes, How to be Decadent,  Deutsch, London

Our pastor used this story in his Thanksgiving message, and I got such a lift out of it that I googled it so I could share it with my readers.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...



This sermon is to teach you to appreciate what you have because it can always be worse.  You would have though they would have given the GOAT a bath.

Anonymous said...

YOU KNOW THAT IS SO TRUE! ...IT CAN ALWAYS BE WORSE
WE SHOULD TAKE A MOMENT A COUNT OUR BLESSINGS!

Anonymous said...

Seems it has been said a time or two...."the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence"....and I guess this little story proves that it isn't so....thanks for sharing...Hugs...Ora

Anonymous said...

Where do you find the time to write your stuff.
I do mine between bites at meal times. hehehe

Anonymous said...

That is so true.  It's hard to remember in the moment especially when it's your world but if we did maybe we wouldn't need all the anti depressants.  We should all have a goat to remind us how much worse it could.  Unless you already have one.  lol  I don't think that it would work  if you did.
Thanks for the reminder.  Well done.
Dianne

Anonymous said...

Absolutely PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!   ANNE

Anonymous said...

LOL.so true......except there are some people that I would let the goat stay in for!!!! lol
love ya,
carlene

Anonymous said...

Seems I might better mind my P's and Q's. Some calling me an old goat, it's the wrong time of year to get thrown out. (grin) Fernan

Anonymous said...

Love it....Happy Thanksgiving!  De ;)

Anonymous said...

Truer words were never said...that is a good one!  Thanks for sharing !  We all need some reminding of what or who we should be thankful for !  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

things could always be worse, especially with a goat walking around your living area.  lol  thanks for posting this, mosie.