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 anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realised 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 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 neighbours 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. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. 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.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Someone sent this to me to think about, so I am forwarding it to you to do the same. SHAKE IT OFF!!

1. Give God what's right - not what's left.

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end - God's way leads to an endless hope.

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma - but never let him be the period.

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

10. We don't change God's message - His message changes us.

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

12. When God ordains, He sustains.

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

15. Most people want to serve God! But only in an advisory position.

16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

17. Exercise daily - walk with the Lord.

18. Never give the devil a ride - he will always want to drive.

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

21. He who angers you controls you.

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

24. Be ye fishers of men - you catch them & He'll clean them.

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called,

26. Read the Bible - It will scare the hell out of you.

Now take 60 seconds and give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan stops this one. All you do is:

1. Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent you this, LORD, God, bless ____ in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day,

2. Then forward to five relatives/friends.

Within hours five people would have prayed for you, and you would have caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people.

Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the thing that you know He loves.