Chuck Taylor – Reveal Your Dream
I remember when I was a kid my parents were divorced by the time I was six and being the oldest of 3 I was back and forth between Aunt & Uncles while my mom put herself through nursing school. By the time I was 9 or 10 I was a permanent fixture at Uncle Charles and Aunt Thelmas house.Uncle Charles was a army guy and Aunt Thelma was this fiery redhead that loved the Lord and Billy Graham. I could talk for hours about the adventures while there but today I am going to tell you about my Chuck Taylor – Converse Tennis Shoes.
In Kentucky 2 things were pretty sure growing up you were going be around coal mines and you better for sure no how to play basketball. Being from Eastern Kentucky I was around them both and I loved the Kentucky Wildcats. We would watch the games and then run out on the grass court that now had turned into to much dirt from all of our playing. I wanted to be Kyle Macy an incredible ball handler and a true shooter according to my Uncle Tommy he was always telling me to look at the rotation on his shot , look at the control everything about # 4 – Kyle Macy was perfect even down to his Chuck Taylor Converse tennis shoes. They might as well been gold to me – at the local shoe store they were around $ 14.00 and they were out of my range. My poor vinyl Kmart track shoes were on there last leg. I had just about ran out of tape trying to patch up the vinyl when they would get cold and crack.
They were so stiff sometimes in the winter that they wouldn’t even bend but I would keep playing in my old shoes and I casually mentioned to my Uncle Charles about how great those Chuck Taylor shoes were and I was determined that if I had them I could jump higher,run faster and do my chores so much better if I could just have the Chuck Taylor ( Hi-Top ) canvas tennis shoes that Kyle Macy wore. They could possibly change my life. The summer was almost over and just around the corner was tryouts for my school but I knew that I couldn’t possibly make it with my old Kmart Track Shoes.
It didnt look like I was going to have my Chuck Taylors before school so I was about to give up when one day I came home from school and at the foot of my bed sat the box – the box that would possibly change my life – the box that held captive my Chuck Taylor High Top Canvas Tennis Shoes – the shoes that would surely propel me into the spotlight of the Rupp Arena – as thousands of fans shouted my name – Dennis – Dennis – as I rushed to the bed I heard my Uncles voice say not so fast.
He walked up behind me and reached and picked up the box and said these were mine but they came with a price I thought he was joking , how cruel could he be , to buy me the shoes and place them within my reach and then tell me I couldn’t have them , I said what do you mean they are here – you put them in front of my bed – they are mine. I grabbed for the box but he quickly pulled them away. After several attempts I gave in and said – what do I have to do ?
Here it came the deal that would help me get my shoes ? Over the past year or so my Aunt and Uncle had bought some property in Tennessee – where the Volunteers and there ugly orange resided. I couldn’t believe my uncle would dare step on the ground of Kentucky’s arch enemy but he did – he had crossed the line. For most of the year we had been building the house and clearing the land. My uncle’s plan was to build the basement first and then we would move in and then build the upstairs and that is exactly what he did. As he would get money we would go and do more until the money would run out. Great Plan Actually. Well his devisive scheme worked once he recognized my desire to have these new shoes his plan was simple – he needed some fence posts dug and strung with barbwire and I needed shoes if I was ever going to reach my full potential in being Kyle Macy.
I agreed how bad could it be a few fence posts – a little barbwire and within a week I should have my coveted Chuck Taylor High Top Tennis Shoes – the deal was done. He placed the shoes at the foot of my bed and told me I could have them when we were done with the fence. It was a evil plan but it was worth it. The next morning came way to early and my uncle came and got me up and reminded of the deal we had made and the work would commence immediately. I had made a deal with the devil. I rolled out of bed slowly getting dressed and then saw my shoes now held captive by an evil dictator but I was determined to get those shoes. After a quick breakfast we were off. We got to the property early just as the sun was coming up and I was ready to go. Well not really , I was still asleep and my face planted against the window of my uncle’s VW Bug.
A VW Bug that I will tell about someday but not today. My uncle woke me up and said let’s go. I said in my head how bad could this possibly be a few posts on this nice area where he had cleared off , nice and level , no big deal. In my negotation I failed to clarify how many post there were and also the location of said post. What I thought was going to be a piece of cake was about to get very hard as my Uncle pointed to the far corner of the property where would begin and the other side of the property where we would end. Well not we – ME – Me the little 10 year old boy who was barely 80 lbs soaking wet. Suddenly my decision to wear the coveted Chuck Taylor tennis shoes seemed to be out of reach. How could I possibly do this.
There was no flat ground in sight. It looked like a ski slope. What had I done. Why couldn’t this evil cruel man just give me my shoes. Reluctantly , I grabbed the post hole diggers and made my way down the treacherous slope , the slope of doom. We made our way to the corner of the property and there laid the fence posts. It looked like a lumber yard – piled high – the post rose from the ground as if to taunt me and make fun of my frail little body. The post hole diggers were almost a foot taller than me but my uncle never cracked a smile , never felt sorry , who was this man that my Aunt brought into this family, how dare her.
He showed me where to dig the first post and then proceeded in front of me marking each post. The other end of the property might as well been in China , but it was on the soil of my arch enemies – The Tennessee Volunteers – the ground even looked orange – but I found out later it wasn’t orange – it was in fact a rust color called clay. My Lord – when I raised the post hole diggers and dropped them on the mark for the first hole – it bounced. Seriously , bounced. Again and Again I dropped the digger but nothing I barely had removed the grass – I looked down at the hole in terror – the post had to be dug 18 inches or so my uncle said. Again I raised the shaft of doom and again it bounced.
My uncle by now – saw me struggling and begin to make his way back to me. He could see my frustration , he could see his little 80lb nephew , struggling to do this awful task he had assigned – I could see the compassion in his eyes – I could see his heart go out – he was proud of me – now he would give in and give me my shoes – this was just a test to see my willingness and my desire to work. I was Issac and he was Abraham – he was willing to sacrifice me but would spare me at the last minute before I came under the knife. God had provided a sacrifice – all was well. My Chuck Taylor tennis shoes seemed to call my name – this was the moment. But as my uncle got closer –
I realized that his face wasn’t actually compassionate – his heart wasn’t bleeding for me – as he got closer I recognized that his eyes of compassion were actually eyes of what is your problem. Somewhere along his journey back to me he had acquired a new tool of destruction that must have been hidden behind his mountainous pile of post. He shouted out and said if the ground is to hard at the surface you may have to use a pick axe – a pick what – a pick axe was designed to tear and peel away your flesh and expose the very bone of your body. Well not really it was designed to puncture and chop away the hard surface , cutting away roots , dirt and rock. What sick mind was designing these tools of torture and who gave them to my Uncle. I took the pick after a brief demonstration and began the daunting task of puncturing and chopping the top layer of dirt only to expose the horid orange colored dirt (clay) which even harder than the first layer.
I grabbed my post hole diggers and tried again. I barely got an 1/2 inch of dirt out of the hole but I struggled on – shuffling between my new tools of torture – the pick axe and the post hole diggers back and forth – up and down – the hole began to evolve within all the madness suddenly I cracked through the hard clay and found soft dirt and the hole was dug – my first hole – 18 inches of pure terror. One hour and 30 minutes of pure evil. I pondered my decision to make this deal – Were the shoes really worth this – struggle ? Was I willing to make such a sacrifice to wear those Chuck Taylor High Top Canvas Tennis – was any shoe worth this ? But it was – so I pressed on. I was able to dig about 5 holes that first day once I figured out the my new tools. The next weekend came and I dug 8 more holes. The next weekend came and then 12 holes were dug.
Slowly weekend after weekend I could see the end in sight. The holes were losing their battle to keep me from my shoes of Destiny the shoes that would surely change my life. The tools of torture had became my tools of purpose – they had became my friends. They would help me conquer the obstacle that stood in front of me from the destiny that sat at the foot of my bed. The last hole was in sight – my little hands were blistered and cut – but yet I pushed on. My vinyl track tennis shoes from Kmart had fought their last battle , my knee high tube socks that I wore representing the Oakland A’s – I loved baseball to – but I want even go there had held my last drop of sweat. The end was here – 57 holes and 456 ft. later – my task was done. Weeks had gone by and my Chuck Taylor Tennis Shoes sat everyday at the foot of my bed cheering me on when I left in the mornings and welcoming home at night. My Uncle never caved in – he had found a desire that I had and had placed it within my reach and then challenged me and gave me the tools to achieve my dream.
I will never forget the day we got home and the deal was done. I was out of control on the ride back – I knew that my job was done and my reward was waiting for me at the foot of my bed. Just before we got out of the car my Uncle looked me and said great job – you worked hard – you earned your shoes but get a shower first and then you can have your them. He was killing me just give me my shoes already. I bursted through the door , stripping down as fast as I could – hurried to get clean and jumped out of the shower. My room was just across the hall from the bathroom – I opened the door and rather than my shoes being in the box – they were sitting on the edge of the bed – all laced up – and brand new pair of knee high tube socks laying next to them. I will never forget that day and even though I thought my Uncle was evil dictator with his tools of torture he and my Aunt help make me into the man that stands before you today. 57 holes dug for a $ 14.00 pair of Chuck Taylor High Top Canvas Tennis Shoes. The holes were dug the post were set – now on to the next part stringing the barbwire. Life is never really done with the obstacles it may present.
There will be posts to set – holes to dig and barbwire to string but when a dream and a purpose is realized it will all be worth the struggle. I remind my Uncle often about the most expensive shoes I ever worked for and he just laughs and says yeah but no other pair of shoes would ever remind you to work so hard for your dream. My Uncle recognized a dream and a a desire I had and then placed that dream with my reach. I never played ball in Rupp Arena or shot like Kyle Macy but I do know this – sometimes in life in order for you to achieve the plan , purpose and dream you have it may take other people in your life to help you achieve the dream that lives within you. They are great people and incredible achievers that had someone in their life – that challenged their dream. I believe that in our lives that God places the Tennis Shoes at our feet and waits to see if we are willing to dig the holes and set the posts that will bring our dreams to life.
What dream or desire has God placed at your Bedside ?
Points To Make
My Uncle recognized my desire
My Uncle placed my desire in front of me
He also provided a path to achieve my desire.
He also provided the tools that would help me achieve the desire of my heart
The rest was up to me. What would I do with the option I had.
Today we are here to Discover your desire , your dreams , your purpose I think most of you in here today have a desire , a dream , a purpose that has not yet been fulfilled. Today I believe that God and your decision to be here today is not by accident. I wander today if we could place your desire and your dreams in front of you and a plan to get you there. What would your answer be to setting some fence posts. Are you ready once the challenge comes. I believe a lot of you today are at a crossroads some of you that are in business have challenges that you are now faced with – some of you have to make a decision to start your business – and some of you are still dreaming of the shoes but no plan yet in mind.
For some of us that have been in business for a long time we thought our days of digging fenceposts was behind us but we find ourselves picking up the post hole diggers and setting posts and stringing barbwire. Some of you today have the shoes at the foot of your bed , post hole diggers and your boots on. Yet you wait. I believe that it is where Navigate is here to discover , challenge and empower your dream. My uncle discovered my dream , he then challenged me and then he empowered me to achieve it. Now is our time. God has placed Chuck Taylor High Top Canvas Tennis Shoes at the foot of your bed but it is going to require you to dig a hole , set a post and string some barbwire. Are you ready to Navigate ?
