One day a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The animal cried loudly for hours, while the farmer tried to find something to do to get him out.

Finally, the farmer decided that the donkey was old and the well was already dry and needed to be covered anyway; that it really wasn't worth pulling the donkey out of the well.
He invited all his neighbors to come help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to throw dirt into the well.
The donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly loud. Then, to everyone's surprise, he quieted down after a few shovelfuls of dirt.

The farmer finally looked down into the well and was amazed at what he saw... with each shovelful of dirt, the donkey was doing something incredible: It was shaking off the dirt and stepping on top of the dirt.
Very soon everyone was surprised how the donkey reached the mouth of the well, went over the edge and trotted out...
Life is going to throw dirt at you, all kinds of dirt... the trick to getting out of the hole is to shake it off and use it to step up. Each of our problems is a step up. We can get out of the deepest holes if we don't give up...Use the land they throw you to get ahead!!!

Remember the 5 rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hate.
2. Free your Mind of distractions.
3. Simplify your life.
4. Give more and expect less.
5. Love more and... shake the dirt, because in this life you have to be a solution, not the problem!
                       
Blessings, Lisa Beretz, (518) 330-9277

Once there was a great forest fire.  All the animals fled to the edge of the forest and froze in fear not knowing what to do.  They watched as the flames began destroying the beauty of their home.  Finally, a tiny hummingbird flew to a body of water and took a few drops into its beak.  It then flew quickly toward the fire allowing the drops to fall on the roaring flames.  Over and over the tiny bird continued.  Drop by drop.  Back and forth.  Again and again.  The other animals watched from the edge of the forest, and called to the little bird, "What are you doing?"  The hummingbird replied, "I am doing what I can."  (Abbreviated in my own words)

How often we can become overwhelmed by fear or the sheer size of problems and become paralyzed to do nothing.  Or we may compare ourselves to others and feel too small to matter.

Small.  What we consider to be small and insignificant may actually be huge in God's scheme of things.  Have you ever noticed how often God's view and the world's view are opposite?  The world says, "Be first!"  God says, "Be last."  The world says, "Go, go, go!"  God says, "Be still."  The world says, "Bigger is better!"  God says, "Small is important."

The widow giving her offering of two small coins in Luke 21:1-4, was affirmed by Jesus when He said she had given more than all the rest.  Jesus went on to say in Luke 16:10, "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.”
In God's hands, small can become big, just like in John 6 when a boy's lunch of five loaves and two fish became enough to feed over 5,000 and also have leftovers!  

This little hummingbird story can remind us to do what we can.  Everything we do for the Lord Jesus matters.  It counts!
Every word.
Every prayer.
Every act of kindness.
Every hug.
Every penny.
Small counts in the hands of our BIG God!

Used by permission of Susan Smart www.CreativeBibleStudy.com
Blessings for a beautiful Fall, Lisa Beretz, (518) 330-9277