Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday January 5, 2009

As per past practice, today being the start of the New Year of our Lord 2009, I will start with a few pithy sayings designed to help keep the inner fire burning in our hearts as we face the known’' and unknowns of life. The platitude, "Things will be fine in 2009" is nice on the surface, but winners will be determined by the courage to keep on when all circumstances insist that you throw up your hands in despair.

A man who overcame enormous obstacles to found a service empire stated:

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit." Conrad Hilton

Joshua, the successor to Moses was warned to be very courageous and to refuse to be dismayed; dismayed meaning "to be paralyzed with fear." Often we become so afraid of failing that we guarantee failure.

Please do NOT get the idea that I am recommending running around like a chicken with its head cut off, but I am pushing the ideal that you continue moving toward your stated objective. Sitting around mouthing platitudes never climbed a mountain and never will. Movement will cause imagined obstacles to vaporize and as you march by you will thankfully praise the Lord that you continued in your quest.

Certainly there will be unexpected, unplanned for blockades along the path, these are the tools life/God uses to teach us the unpublished facts. One of the published but largely ignored facts of life is the recurring failure to pay attention to the business at hand. A close look will reveal that my left hand is mutilated. I suffered this mutilation at the age of 8-9 years. We were putting hay in the barn using a block and tackle assembly attached to a large fork at one end of the barn, a rope running through the barn through a block fastened to the ground and then to a team of horses. A wagon load of hay would pull under the fork, the fork would get a large amount of hay, the farmer would scream and the farmer's son or I would shout at the team to "git up." The horses would walk along a path, thus pulling the fork load of hay into the hayloft and at a certain point the hay would be released. The horse would back up to the starting point, and this went on forever, or so it seemed. Jacky would drive the horses for one fork load and then I would drive the next pass. To break the monotony Jacky would see how long he could hold the rope chained to the ground as the block would slide up the rope. Then I would do the same. My left hand is testimony of my commitment to win, and of my failure to pay attention to the business at hand, and cast a fleeting glance at the farmer's gorgeous daughter, a truly stunning 10 year old. Just a split second, but I will carry the mutilation from that glance to my grave.

According to Conrad Hilton, if you want to succeed you must keep moving, but I suggest that you keep your eye on the business at hand while you are moving toward your goal.

Larry Lilly Copyright (C) 2009 use with credit
To see info about my new hardcover book, Lasting Friendships In 30 Days, go here: http://larrylilly.com/30Days.aspx

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