The Farmer´s Donkey

One day a farmer´s donkey fell 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 looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every 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 trotted off!

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.

I came across this, this morning in my "Enjoying Everyday Life" mag from Joyce Meyer ministries and felt like it echoed a little my week. I have been feeling a little bit like the donkey in the well and looking around and crying about the dirt being shoveled me! This story is an encouragement to me to not give up...