# Thought for the Week 31/3/08



## Dibley (Mar 26, 2006)

​
Shake it Off & Step Up!	​
A farmer owned an old donkey. One day, while leaning in to get a drink, the donkey fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the donkey braying loudly and followed the sound to its source -- and found the donkey standing at the bottom of the well. 
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the old donkey, but the well was deep, and there was no way to haul the donkey out of it. The farmer called his neighbours, and asked them to come give him a hand - and to bring dirt and shovels. The neighbouring farmers came, with dirt and shovels in their trucks. Neither the donkey nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. The only thing they could think to do was to bury the old donkey in the well and put him out of his misery. It was a shame, but there was nothing else that could be done. As the farmer's shovelled dirt into the well, the old donkey was hysterical! 
The donkey brayed louder than ever when the dirt hit his back, but the farmers kept shovelling. 
Then the farmers noticed what the donkey was doing. Every time a shovel load of dirt landed on the donkey's back, he brayed loudly -- but then he would shake it off and step up! 
As the dirt was shovelled down on top of him, the donkey continued. 
The farmers and the old donkey got into a rhythm -- the farmers would drop a shovel load of dirt down the well, and the donkey would shake it off and step up. No matter how heavy the dirt, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old donkey fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up! 
Finally, battered and exhausted, the old donkey stepped triumphantly over the wall of the well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him ... all because of the manner in which he handled his troubles. Instead of letting it bury him, the dirt became his road to freedom. 
That's life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity, then the troubles that seem likely to bury us, usually have within them the very real potential to help us. When loads of dirt are being dumped on you, just think: are you letting it bury you, or are you using it to climb upwards? Shake it Off & Step Up! 

I believe God led me to Fertility Friends to help me get out of my hole 

Love Dibley 

_For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone..."Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will protect him, for he calls out to me." from Psalm 91_


----------



## Nofi (Mar 8, 2007)

Dibley -   and   for this. Quite uplifting. I pray all our battles will trun to breakthroughs and our tests will be testimonies. Amen.

Nofi
xx


----------



## Angelmummy (Jan 28, 2008)

Thanks   something to think about....
Love Angelmummy
xxxx


----------



## Damelottie (Jul 26, 2005)

Thank you so much


----------



## skywalker (Aug 8, 2006)

dibley

that was excellent.  it has inspired me.

thankyou very much  
skywalker


----------



## icky (Oct 6, 2005)

What a lovely thought for the week.  I feel I can relate to this I have been having a bad time lately but after meeting up with some FF friends i feel uplifted again, all because of some very good friends.

xxx


----------



## Skybreeze (Apr 25, 2007)

Another brilliant thought of the week, I love them.... Thanks Dibley xxxxx


----------



## ~SUGAR~ (Mar 25, 2006)

Have been having a pretty rubbish time of late, but trying to stay positive and 'shake it off and step up.'

I've been doing ok until today really, so this story is just what I needed to help me re-focus and regain the determination to move onwards and upwards.



Dibley said:


> That's life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity, then the troubles that seem likely to bury us, usually have within them the very real potential to help us.


This is _exactly_ what I believe, and quite often we can't see the reasoning at the time for why something devastating has happened to us, but I've learnt and seen from what's happened in my own life over the past few years that everything _does_ happen for a reason, and God works in mysterious ways. So don't be beaten, have faith and keep fighting.

Sorry for going on  just needed to let some of that out.

Thank you once again Dibley 

PS....donkeys are one of my favourite animals, so this touched a chord with me on many levels!


----------



## Julie Wilts (Feb 27, 2008)

Thanks Dibley,

I am usually someone to shake it off, but today that's just not happening.  Terrible af just starting.

Donkey's have a special place in my heart too ... my grandparents supported the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, and we have adopted a Donkey called Busby for my daughter.  We visited there last Tuesday and it's a magical place.  I always feel emotional, but at peace whilst I am there.

Thank you for another positive thought to focus on.  X


----------

