3. The Shaggy Donk (TBT to April 2020)

Felt like I needed to write this in honor of Throw Back Thursday.  If you've been keeping up with me on my facebook... two years ago I started this journey with Gus.  God has taught me so much through him and my other donks.  Here's to the beginning of it all....

This was Gus:

On a whim after talking to Allison from the rescue, I drove over 1.5 hours to see what donkeys she had.  That was Saturday, April 18, 2020.  She had 3...one she wasn't going to let go until after she worked with him because he kicked.  The others, were ready to go to a new home.  Gus was the bigger of the two available donkeys.  He looked sad and lonely...he had recently been gelded (Neutered) and how he held his ears spoke volumes.  I decided then that he would be mine.  I didn't have a trailer at the time so I arranged with Allison for him to come home when she could bring him.  He came home that Monday.

And so the journey began...
Tuesday He came home... not the happiest camper.  I'm not sure why we did this but we unloaded him outside the pasture.  We put on his new halter and connected the lead rope.  Lol, it took about 4 of us and about 45 minutes to literally push him towards the gate to the pasture.  Once we got him in, he started kicking, bucking his head back and pulling back... all the while angrily snorting.  We quickly disconnected the lead rope but the halter stayed on him.  He then ran away and wouldn't let anyone near him.   He was now in a 5 acre pasture where he could easily run from us... how were we going to take care of him?!?!  I had my worries.  What was I thinking?  Why did I get a animal I couldn't approach?!?  I know nothing about donkeys!  I had many doubts.

Two days later I read this in my devotional time:

(excerpt from HE WHISPERS YOUR NAME by Cherrie Hill)

Several days later I wrote on facebook my 1st life lesson from God though a Donk named Gus:

Today's devo hit me. 
Ok, some honesty ...it's long but read to the end...important life lesson.
I realize there's a lot of things to be worried and concerned about these days... Some bigger than others... Such as staying healthy at this time of Covid sickness...and having a job.  But these past few days I have been worried... Kind of overthinking things... with Gus our donkey.

I woke up early this morning because I couldn't sleep... sometimes  I worry about all kinds of things until I can't sleep... This is one of those times... And it's such a small thing compared to everything else in the world but it's still on my mind.  

Will Gus ever not be afraid of me or any other human.... how in the world, in our big pasture, am I going to work with Gus when he turns and runs the other way...he has so much space and freedom now.  

I had hoped when he was unloaded yesterday that I could kind of work with him while he was on the lead... try to get him used to me... maybe even brush him a little bit... but just spend some time close to him...to calm him and hopefully build some trust with him.

I know some of you may think that's kind of funny... In my research in learning about donkeys... Most recommend that you let them learn to trust you ... which I know takes time but donkeys are very smart .. and have a good memory....and I have read that they have a photogenic memory (not sure if this is true or not).  But they have a very strong disposition to self-survival... And a donkey acts like a donkey not because he's trying to be stubborn.... But because it is his nature to self-preserve.  

And this is where Gus is...He was okay with us petting him... But he was stressed with having to travel, being in a new environment, being around a new horse, and having strangers handle him...he began to act like....well, a donkey.  We couldn't keep him on the lead so we disconnected him to let him be free and calm down (that's why he still has his halter on).  

Now, he seems so unattainable...it seems that I might never get close enough to even be able to work with him.  I just don't know.  All these "wonder ifs" kept coming into my mind... it's not just because I want to pet him or brush him... But we need to be able the catch him, check him out for health reasons, catch him for the farrier and vet if need be..... He needs to be able to stand for a farrier when his hooves are worked on...and other reasons.  

Lol, I know...it's only day 2 of having him...it will take time.  This is just a process I have to go through.  So...I woke up kind of anxious.  Will I be able to do this?  .... and though I know there are bigger things to worry about and this devotional will help comfort many of those struggling with the bigger things...I feel like this devotional was for me also... maybe in a different kind of way.

And hmmmm....I wonder if there's a parallel lesson here... God is all-powerful and all Mighty yet he waits for us to come to Him... I bet He's sad when we choose not to get close to Him? He could make us choose Him but He waits and works on our hearts....God desires for us to have a strong relationship with Him ... to have that loving bond with Him... but sometimes we're stubborn and choose not to...we run from Him... and we fight him... And He waits... He waits for our hearts to change, as He IS changing our hearts.  Something to think about! 

So I decided... I'll spend all day with him on Saturday trying things that I read like "take a chair and sit close but ignore him...donkeys are naturally curious and they'll come to you.".... Yeah, right!!!  I tried... and took my camera to take pictures.  My result... lots of snorts, him stomping his hooves and running from me.  The closest I got was about 25 feet.  I recorded on facebook what happened:

I was sooooo frustrated!  I decided to give him a rest... and just feed him from afar.  He was more interested in the grass at the time.  Lol, our pasture was way overgrown and he seemed to like it.  I totally left him alone that Sunday and gave him no special attention.

Then my second life lesson happened two days later.... along with something else... here's my post from facebook that wonderful Monday, April 27:

Day 7: A Donk named Gus
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!!
GUESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!
I got to pet Gus!!!  
And...feed him out of my hand!!  
Just for the record though, at first he wasn't interested in the food... he  was interested in Pippy!  Yes Pippy, my orange tabby! He followed her to me...Pippy came and nuzzled me and he just stood there and hung his head.  

I waited with a treat in my hand but he wasn't interested...he just stood there with his head down...and he waited...I then slowly...ever so slowly raised my hand and ever so gently pet his neck, then cheek...then head.  
He stayed there and let me stroke him!  But then Star (my horse) got jealous...and shooed him away.  

I distracted Star with some other treats in her food bin....and walked up to Gus with just a few feet in between us...and held out my hand with some feed and he came up and started eating out of my hand!!!  

He then let me just scratch me on his neck and withers...head and ears!!! He would have let me scratch him more but Star kept getting jealous and splitting us up.  I just think she thought I was giving him more food... but by that time I had no more treats or food.  It's progress!!!!

We have a lot of work ahead of us...Gus is a mess...he needs brushing, his hooves need a farrier, he needs some fly spray, and his eyes have some goop that need to be gently sponged off...all in due time...but for now I rejoice that he has chosen to trust me some!!

LIFE LESSON:
Even though God is all knowing...and He knows our hearts...I bet He rejoices when we finally choose to come TO Him....especially when we continually run FROM Him.  

I KNOW there's a party when the  prodigal chooses to come to the Father!  We come to Him all tattered and broken...and He takes us in unconditionally and loves us like only He can love us. He heals us and He rejoices that we have chosen to trust Him! 

I hope this touches your heart some!  Below is one of my favorite pictures of Gus.  He's come a long way!!