One
day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously
for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he
decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway;
it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all
his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and
began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He
was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his
back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and
take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel
dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge
of the well and happily trotted off!
MORAL :
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happens.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.
Brother Gary Womack put this on facebook and I am glad he did!!! I just modified it a bit and decided to use it for today's post- Thanks a lot Gary!!! We can all learn a great deal from animals and in the process learn something about ourselves as well. Jesus told a told something similar about a sheep...
Matthew, Chapter 12
9 He departed there, and went into their synagogue. 10 And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” that they might accuse him.
11 He said to them, “What man is there among you, who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it, and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.” 13 Then he told the man,“Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. 15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, 16 and commanded them that they should not make him known: 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen;
my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased:
I will put my Spirit on him.
He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not strive, nor shout;
neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won’t break a bruised reed.
He won’t quench a smoking flax,
until he leads justice to victory.
21 In his name, the nations will hope.”
11 He said to them, “What man is there among you, who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it, and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.” 13 Then he told the man,“Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. 15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, 16 and commanded them that they should not make him known: 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen;
my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased:
I will put my Spirit on him.
He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not strive, nor shout;
neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won’t break a bruised reed.
He won’t quench a smoking flax,
until he leads justice to victory.
21 In his name, the nations will hope.”
In the first story, the donkey teaches us lessons about life and happiness (see above). In the passage from the book of Matthew, Jesus teaches us the necessity of mercy, regardless of who or when that mercy is needed. Mercy, we all need it- so why not give it!!!
PS. This morning I took the dogs for their usual walk, but this time I went the long way around and came back down Palamino Drive on the return part of the trip. At the top of the hill, I noticed a man on the "second" or rainwater roof, with another man trying to help him. The man on the roof had fallen from the top roof onto the second, cut his head badly and couldn't get up. As the man on the ladder couldn't do much but steady the injured one, I ran errands and helped with conveying messages to 911. I was hindered in what I could do because the dogs were with me, BUT, I did what I could. The fire department came and saved the day. As a crowd gathered, other dogs arrived and mine didn't handle it well, so I went home. I will check on the injured man later this morning...