Stand Tall, Shake It Off

Pastors are well trained at story-telling, using stories to illustrate the applications of their sermons.  One story that vividly stuck in my memory is about a donkey.


A farmer had a much-loved donkey.  One day, the donkey fell into the well. Fortunately, the well did not have much water in it, and the donkey was only knee deep.  Unfortunately, the farmer was not able to pull the donkey out of the well. He tried and tried, but he could not get the donkey out.


The farmer decided, sadly, that the best thing to do was to bury the donkey right there in the well.  He began to throw shovelfuls of dirt, one by one, into the well.
At first, the donkey just stood there, getting hit with the dirt.  Then, as the dirt on his back increased, he shook it off, and stomped it down with his feet. As more dirt fell, he shook it off, and soon, the water at his feet became mud, then solid ground. He shook off each shovelful of dirt, tromped it down, and climbed a little higher inside the well.


Can you imagine the farmer's surprise, as he sadly threw in shovel after shovel of dirt, to turn and see his loved donkey looking at him over the edge of the well?

A song by Rascall Flatts, called STAND, has the same message.

"You feel like a candle in a hurricane

Just like a picture with a broken frame   

Alone and helpless, like you’ve lost your fight

But you’ll be alright, you’ll be alright

Chorus‘Cause when push comes to shove You taste what you’re made ofYou might bend ‘til you break ‘Cause it’s all you can take On your knees you look up Decide you’ve had enough You get mad, you get strong Wipe your hands, shake it off Then you stand, then you stand 

Life’s like a novel with the end ripped out  

The edge of a canyon with only one way down  

Take what you’re given before it’s gone  

And start holdin’ on, keep holdin’ on 

Every time you get up and get back in the race  

One more small piece of you starts to fall into place – yeah 

Yeah then you stand – yeah Yeah, baby Woo hoo, Woo hoo, Woo hoo Then you stand – yeah, yeah"

Click on the link below to watch a
Utube video with this song, honoring our soldiers with scenes from their basic training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOYPRV_cXiM&feature=player_detailpage

To those of you who have chosen to stand and serve, to those of you who are veterans, to those who currently serve or who are in protective work,

"Thank you!"