Keep on knocking

When Colonel Harland Sanders retired at the age of 65, he had little to show for himself, except an old Caddie roadster, a $105 monthly pension check, and a recipe for chicken.

 

Knowing he couldn’t live on his pension, he took his chicken recipe in hand, got behind the wheel of his van, and set out to make his fortune. His first plan was to sell his chicken recipe to restaurant owners, who would in turn give him a residual for every piece of chicken they sold–5 cents per chicken. The first restaurateur he called on turned him down.

 

So did the second.

 

So did the third.

 

In fact, the first 1008 sales calls Colonel Sanders made ended in rejection. Still, he continued to call on owners as he traveled across the USA, sleeping in his car to save money. Prospect number 1009 gave him his first “yes.”

 

After two years of making daily sales he had signed up a total of five restaurants. Still the Colonel pressed on, knowing that he had a great chicken recipe and that someday the idea would catch on.

 

Of course, you know how the story ends. The idea DID catch on. By 1963 the Colonel had 600 restaurants across the country selling his secret recipe of Kentucky Fried Chicken (with 11 herbs and spices).

 

In 1964 he was bought out by future Kentucky governor John Brown. Even though the sale made him a multi-millionaire, he continued to represent and promote KFC until his death in 1990.

 

Colonel Sanders’ story teaches an important lesson: its never too late to decide to never give up.

 

Earlier in his life the Colonel was involved in other business ventures–but they weren’t successful. He had a gas station in the 30’s, a restaurant in the 40’s, and he gave up on both of them. At the age of 65, however, Harland Sanders decided his chicken idea was the right idea, and he refused to give up, even in spite of repeated rejection.

 

He knew that if he kept on knocking on doors, eventually someone would say “yes.” This is how Jesus has commanded to approach life. He said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) This verse follows a story Jesus told emphasizing the importance of a “never-give-up” attitude in prayer. Jesus is saying, “Ask–not just once, but as many times as is necessary. Keep on knocking till the door is opened.” If you have made half-hearted attempts at doing God’s will in your life…if you have given up too easily in the past…remember: It’s never too late to become persistent. It’s never too late to decide to never give up. Keep on knocking. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking.




Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her – generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxi cab. She seemed to be in a big hurry! She wrote down his address, thanked him and drove away.

 

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: “Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes but my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away.

God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.”

 

Lessons:

  • Offer help to anyone who needs it
  •  Thank others for helping you.
  •  If you help someone. Someone will help you.
  • If everyone does just this, the whole world will live in happiness.

 

Unknown Author

The Apple Tree

The Apple Tree Inspirational Story

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow…He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by…….

The little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. One day the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come play with me,” the tree asked the boy. I am no longer a kid, I don’t ‘ play around trees anymore.” The boy replied, “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I don’t have money…..but you can pick my apples and sell them. Then you will have money.”

The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day the boy returned and the tree was so excited. “Come and play with me” the tree said. I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me? “Sorry but I don’t have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.

The tree was lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was so delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am so sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat? ” “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a very long long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy, but I don’t have anything for you anymore. No more apples for yo u….” the tree said”. “I don’t have teeth to bite” the boy replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on” I am too old for that now” the boy said. “I really can’t give you anything…..the only thing left is my dying roots” the tree said with tears. “I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years.”

The boy replied “Good! Old Tree Roots is the best place to lean and rest on.” “Come, come sit down with me and rest ” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

Moral of the Story

This is a story for everyone. The tree is our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad…When we grew up, we left them…only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they can to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that is how all of us are treating our parents.

Love your parents, no matter where they are

The GIFT – Inspiring Story

This inspiring a story about an old Bendix washing machine that helped one man get through the valley of loss. *

Story begins:

His parents acquired the washer when John Claypool was a small boy. It happened during World War II.

His family owned no washing machine and, since gasoline was rationed, they could ill afford trips to the laundry several miles away. Keeping clothes clean became a problem for young John’s household.

A family friend was drafted into the service, and his wife prepared to go with him. John’s family offered to store their furniture while they were away. To the family’s surprise, the friends suggested they use their Bendix while they were gone. “It would be better for it to be running, ” they said, “than sitting up rusting.” So this is how they acquired the washer.

Young John helped with the washing, and across the years he developed an affection for the old, green Bendix. But eventually the war ended. Their friends returned. In the meantime he had forgotten how the machine came to be in their basement in the first place. When the friends came to take it away, John grew terribly upset — and said so!

His mother, wise as she was, sat him down and said, “Wait a minute, Son. You must remember, that machine never belonged to us in the first place. That we ever got to use it at all was a gift. So, instead of being mad at it being taken away, let’s use this occasion to be grateful that we had it at all.”

The lesson proved invaluable. Years later, John watched his eight-year-old daughter die a slow and painful death of leukemia. Though he struggled for months with her death, John could not begin healing from the loss until he remembered the old Bendix.

“I am here to testify,” he said, “that this is the only way down the mountain of loss…when I remember that Laura Lou was a gift, pure and simple, something I neither earned nor deserved nor had a right to. And when I remember that the appropriate response to a gift, even when it is taken away, is gratitude, then I am better able to try and thank God that I was ever given her in the first place.”

His daughter was a gift. When he realized that simple fact, everything changed. He could now begin healing from the tragedy of her loss by focusing instead on the wonder of her life. He started to see Laura Lou as a marvelous gift that he was fortunate enough to share for a time. He felt grateful. He found strength and healing. He knew he could get through the valley of loss.

We all experience loss — loss of people, loss of jobs, loss of relationships, loss of independence, loss of esteem, loss of things. When what you held dear can be viewed as a gift, a wonder that you had it at all, the memory can eventually become one more of gratitude than tragedy. And you will find the healing you need.

* Story from TRACKS OF A FELLOW STRUGGLER,

by John Claypool

(Insight Press Inc., 1995)