Opportunities in a Shoe Box

Ever feel like you are always in the wrong place at the wrong time? Like, your big opportunity my have already passed you by? Or the opportunities that come your way never happen in a timely manner, when you really know you could take advantage of them? Have you ever felt too old, too young, too busy, too overwhelmed, too broke or too under underqualified to take the challenge and run with it? I have found lots of people in my travels who feel just that way. But one man's story stands out. He beat all those objections and did something really incredible.... nnHis name was Leroy. For 50 years he had worked in a job that he found unfulfilling and mundane, but it completely took all his time. He had many great ideas for projects, products, ministry and inventions over his lifetime. But never felt like the timing was right. He always felt like he would know when his big opportunity had come. So he did nothing with all the creative ideas, he just waited, for the feeling to hit him. nn"I never did a blasted thing with all my great ideas", he confessed. "Then, year after year, I'd see my product ideas on the shelves, invented by someone else, my ministry opportunities being headed by some lady in the Church, and my projects coming to pass by someone else's hand." "It was so frustrating to see my ideas work, but never being the one to get the credit, because I sat on my hands and did nothing." nnDoesn't that sound familiar? How many times have you felt exactly the same way? Let me share with you what Leroy finally found... nnHe was 70 when he retired from that old tiring job. He looked forward to having all that free time to invent, create and be a blessing. But the truth was, the same old excuses assaulted him every time a new idea formed. "I'm too old, not wise enough, don't have the money, it's not the right time and so on, and so on." nnHis wife Ruby on the other hand had heard of a project she felt would be perfect for the newly retired couple. She gathered up lots of small items for children and put them in shoe boxes for an overseas Christmas project. She announced to him, "Leroy, we are going to do our best to make Christmas special for a few underprivileged children this year." nn"I was not impressed or excited about her little project." Leroy told me. "But, I thought it would help to pass the time, and not think about how disappointed I was in this thing called retirement." nnSo he got involved helping her promote the project at church and other community gatherings. Soon they had collected 47 boxes. They shipped them off and felt like the project had gone well. nnThe next year it grew to 300 boxes as Leroy and Ruby began promoting it earlier in the year and gathering supporters along the way. nnThe third year their living room, dining room and garage were full of nearly 1000 boxes for children in other countries. By then, Leroy realized he had become part of something really special and really big. He had thrown his heart into the project and sold out to making it bigger and better.n nEach year the project has grown exponentially. After 17 years of work Ruby and Leroy now send 27 semi-truck loads of children's Christmas boxes overseas. The logistics it takes to set up the different drop off sites across the state and organize the freight trucks and containers is right up Leroy's alley. It was one of the many things he had done on his job of 50 years. So not only does he make a difference, but he gets to do something he is really good at. nn"I learned that the same opportunity may not knock twice, but a new one will come around if you keep your eyes open, and are willing to give it a try, even if it is as small as a shoe box" says Leroy. nnI believe there is much to be learned from Leroy's story. n-Don't miss out on an opportunity because you are waiting for that feeling of rightness to hit you. n-Don't wait for all the lights to be green, just walk toward the door of opportunity. n-Don't be overcome with all the excuses of too old, too young, too broke, and so on... n-Don't dwell to long on the opportunities you missed, or you might miss the ones right in front of you. n-Don't underestimate the power of the opportunity just because it begins small. nnThis shoe box story proves that we are many times in the right place at the right time, and our greatest opportunity has not passed us by. It may be right around the corner waiting on you to discover it. nnLeroy and Ruby are still busy making a difference in the lives of thousands of children each year. But it all began when they opened their minds to the opportunities around them. I'm sure they never dreamed that their lives’ greatest work would begin in something as small and insignificant as a single shoe box.