Once upon time there was a poor farmboy who inherited his father’s land. On this land was a very very tiny house and a barn that was larger than the tiny house. He also inherited two cows, three goats, a half dozen chickens and one horse. The poor farm boy soon grew up and took himself a wife who also had two cats and one dog which slept in the tiny house with the farm boy and his wife.
The farm boy started to feel that the tiny house just wasn’t big enough and his wife was due to have their first child any day. The dog and the cats were constantly fighting and winter was fast approaching. The farm boy thought about moving his family into the barn which was much larger than the tiny house but his animals needed the shelter especially with winter coming. So one day the farm boy hitched up his horse to the buggy stored behind the barn and rode to town to speak to the king about his problem.
The king made the farm boy promise to do exactly as he instructed and his problem would soon be solved. His first instructions were to go home and move all the chickens into the tiny house. As crazy as that sounded to the farm boy he followed the king’s instructions and did as he was told to do. Now there was not only the barking of the dog and the hissing of the cats but also the clucking of the chickens. Soon his child was born and there was no rest for anyone.
The farm boy returned to the king and the king told him to also move into the tiny house, one goat. While the barn was starting to look very inviting to the farm boy he did as he was told and moved the goat into the tiny house. The animals were now on the beds, the table, and the goat was eating everything in sight.
The farm boy once again returned and told the king that there was no more space anywhere in the tiny house. The king then told the farm boy to go home and remove all the animals including the dog and the two cats. To the farm boy’s surprise the tiny house no longer felt tiny at all. It was quiet and peaceful in the tiny house and there was ample room for all of the farm boy’s belongings and the belongings of his wife and child. The farm boy felt so grateful for his tiny house!
By Tanya Christiansen
The lesson taught in this parable is gratitude. Are we grateful for those things we have? Or are we always wishing that we had more? Do we recognize those blessings that are not tangible like life, love, health and family?
Showing Gratitude is a Great Attitude to Have!!!
Comments welcome at ctr75@comcast.net or on facebook