Getting Back on Life’s Course

P.O Box 1540, Albany Western Australia 6331
Phone/Fax: (08) 98 418 418
E-mail: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

Getting Back on Life’s Course
Friends, I suspect most of you grew up hearing what my father used to tell me: “Son, when a horse throws you, I want to see you get right back on him. Do you hear me?” Well, yes, I heard him. It’s just that we didn’t own a horse. But the point of it all wasn’t really about horses, falling off, and getting back on them. It was about tenacity and persistence in life. It was about believing in something and not giving up. Here’s a story that reminded me of his advice. Seven horses were entered in the Feast of St. Raymond Novice’s Chase at Southwell, England, (January 2002). I don’t know anything about “St. Raymond” but what happened that day may just qualify him as the Patron of Unlikely Victories. The favourite in the race was a horse named “Family Business.” The jockey, Tony McCoy, was in the saddle and set to ride him over the course to victory. Things went reasonably well, that is, until a mistake on the tenth of seventeen fences sent McCoy flying. He landed on the muddy ground, threw off his helmet in disgust, and commenced walking his horse off the course. Glancing up at the other horses and riders, he saw first one and then another slip on the wet turf. To make a long story short, not a single one of the original seven covered the course without tumbling. It looked more like bowling that steeplechase! “I started walking back toward the weighing room,” McCoy said, “and there was one less standing every time I looked. I thought perhaps I should get back up to the track and see what happens.” So, four minutes after being thrown, he got back on Family Business, re-jumped Fence 10, and completed the course. Amazingly, Tony McCoy wound up the winning rider - although with an incredibly slow time. In fact, he was more than four minutes slower than the average time for races run on the same track. But it was McCoy’s spirit of determination that proved to be more important than speed that day. Friends, are any of you discouraged over the economy? Frustrated with a job search? Having problems in your family? Has a relationship broken down? Are you suffering from a major spiritual setback? Has an old addiction resurfaced to throw you? Well, bring thrown doesn’t mean the race is over or that you’re finished or beaten. You see, you have the thrilling option of getting up again and finishing your course. Here is what the Bible says: “Though a righteous person falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought low by calamity” (Proverbs 24:16) Friends, if any of you are feeling discouraged today, I’m hoping that what I’ve shared with you in this column might help you to get back on life’s course. Just remember that you don’t have to pace the field. You don’t have to out-duel anyone. Just finish your race by exercising some tenacity and persistence in life. If you would like to live a more successful life, just write to me for your FREE copy of “THE SUCCESS PLAN.” Email me or write to me at P.O Box 1540, Albany W.A 6331. Telephone / Fax (08) 98 418 418

Friends, I suspect most of you grew up hearing what my father used to tell me: “Son, when a horse throws you, I want to see you get right back on him. Do you hear me?”

Well, yes, I heard him. It’s just that we didn’t own a horse. But the point of it all wasn’t really about horses, falling off, and getting back on them. It was about tenacity and persistence in life. It was about believing in something and not giving up. Here’s a story that reminded me of his advice.

Seven horses were entered in the Feast of St. Raymond Novice’s Chase at Southwell, England, (January 2002). I don’t know anything about “St. Raymond” but what happened that day may just qualify him as the Patron of Unlikely Victories. The favourite in the race was a horse named “Family Business.” The jockey, Tony McCoy, was in the saddle and set to ride him over the course to victory.

Things went reasonably well, that is, until a mistake on the tenth of seventeen fences sent McCoy flying. He landed on the muddy ground, threw off his helmet in disgust, and commenced walking his horse off the course. Glancing up at the other horses and riders, he saw first one and then another slip on the wet turf. To make a long story short, not a single one of the original seven covered the course without tumbling. It looked more like bowling that steeplechase!

“I started walking back toward the weighing room,” McCoy said, “and there was one less standing every time I looked. I thought perhaps I should get back up to the track and see what happens.” So, four minutes after being thrown, he got back on Family Business, re-jumped Fence 10, and completed the course.

Amazingly, Tony McCoy wound up the winning rider - although with an incredibly slow time. In fact, he was more than four minutes slower than the average time for races run on the same track. But it was McCoy’s spirit of determination that proved to be more important than speed that day.

Friends, are any of you discouraged over the economy? Frustrated with a job search? Having problems in your family? Has a relationship broken down? Are you suffering from a major spiritual setback? Has an old addiction resurfaced to throw you?

Well, bring thrown doesn’t mean the race is over or that you’re finished or beaten. You see, you have the thrilling option of getting up again and finishing your course.

Here is what the Bible says: “Though a righteous person falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought low by calamity” (Proverbs 24:16)

Friends, if any of you are feeling discouraged today, I’m hoping that what I’ve shared with you in this column might help you to get back on life’s course. Just remember that you don’t have to pace the field. You don’t have to out-duel anyone. Just finish your race by exercising some tenacity and persistence in life. If you would like to live a more successful life, just write to me for your FREE copy of “THE SUCCESS PLAN.”

Email me
or write to me at
P.O Box 1540,
Albany W.A 6331.

Telephone / Fax (08) 98 418 418