WHAT STARTED AS A TRIP BECAME A JOURNEY, AND IS NOW A LIFESTYLE
All my life I was told what I couldn’t do. Most of the time there were facts that under normal conditions confirmed what others told me, “Larry, you can’t do that!” As I look back over the early years of my life, I see that most of those who said I couldn’t do such and such were those who really loved me and they didn’t want me to fail. And they made sure I didn’t do anything I might possibly fail. Because of this, my life was geared around attempting nothing with potential for failure. My thought process was that any failure, no matter how small, was the final end. Therefore, things that normal people did, I never got to do because I might fail. When I did attempt something and if I failed to do it right, I was laughed at and ridiculed. So I didn’t try too many of those things such as hunting, fishing, boating, skiing and all the other things that young boys try.
When I was 6 or 7 years old, there was a group of older boys who played football in the field a few yards over from my house. I would go over and watch them and see how much fun they were having and then I wanted to do it. But I was much younger and much, much smaller than most of the boys, so it seemed impossible. Then one day I went out earlier than the rest and there was one boy there named Charles Macmurphy, and since he had no one to practice with he asked me to simply shuffle the ball to him over and over and over. After several successful shuffles, Charles came over and taught me how to properly center a football - that is to bend over and snap the ball between my legs. This was an exciting time for me because when they played a game, no one wanted to be the center. As I learned to do the snapping properly, they let me play on both sides with the big guys - and football was in my blood! One thing I will always remember about Charles - he never told me I couldn’t do it. When I made mistakes, he would simply show me how to do it again. Never once did he put me down!
Another person who was that way was my first official football coach – Bernie Ward. Mr. Ward was all Southeastern Conference running back at Mississippi State University, my first coach and my principal at James L. Fleming elementary school. He, too, was not one to put you down, but to show you how to accomplish your goal. I was not blessed with a great deal of talent, but I was truly blessed with good coaches. That’s how we won the football championship at Fleming, and then at Murphy Jr. High, and finally the AAA State Championship for the State of Georgia in 1956! Once again, I was surrounded with great coaching led by Frank Inman. Coach Inman was not only a great coach but a great motivator. I remember he said about me, “My Quarterback can’t throw, he can’t run, and he can’t kick. The only thing he can do is WIN!”
Then there was another man who influenced my young life – Bud Carter! Bud was the kind of person who had very little patience. In the summer of 1954 I needed to get a summer job, so my bother-in-law talked with a school mate of his whose father owned an electric company. Well, Bud hired me to be the shop boy. By Bud’s own admission he gave me an impossible job of cleaning and re-arranging a shop that had been there for over 40 years. I remember when I went into his office and said, “Mr. Carter, I am finished. What else would you like me to do?” He looked astonished as if he had forgotten me and he said, “Just a minute.” From there my relationship with Bud Carter became great and today he is one of my best friends.
Bud is still a little impatient, but over all he, like so many of us, has come a long way. A number of years ago I was visiting in Augusta and called Bud for lunch with the intention of telling him I was going to get a divorce. Well that was not the thing to say! He proceeded with a loud voice to tell me that I was not going to get a divorce. I remember as he ranted, “Any idiot, moron, jackass, stupid person can get a divorce. But it takes a real man to make a marriage work and you are a real man so forget it!” I quietly said, “Yes sir!” and then I left. Well thank God he was my friend and was bold enough to tell me the truth. If he had not threatened to kick my butt, I may have gone on with my plan. However, Father God was working on me at the same time.
Even though I was raised in church, no one had ever talked to me about God being for me. My Great Grandfather was a “Shouting” Methodist preacher. That was back when Methodists believed the Bible and prayed for the sick along with speaking in tongues. I always was told that “God was going to get me!” My understanding of God was that, “He was a big hand in the sky waiting to splat me when I messed up.” So, when I came to the realization that God wanted me blessed and happy, I thought it was too late in life. But now I know, it is never too late for Father God to work on our behalf.
Another individual that had a big influence in my life was Pastor Curtis Eason at Antioch Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama. I remember the first time my son Donn and I visited the church. There was something different than any other church we had ever attended. At the time, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what it was, but now I can see it clearly. he was preaching on the “Blood Covenant,” which really explains the “Goodness of God.” After hearing that first message about how God really loves me, my heart has been hungry ever since for more of the Father’s presence. Our whole family was touched by Brother Curtis and Antioch Baptist Church. This was the place Father God used to change our lives forever!
As Christians, our place in life is to encourage one another in love. Hebrews 10:24, says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” In the Living Bible it says, “In response to all he has done for us, let us out do each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good.” I really like what it says in the Amplified Bible, “And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,” We need to really concentrate on the encouraging part of life. There are already enough people in the world that will do the criticizing. We need to make sure that we, the people of God, are on the offensive to encourage one another. When the church begins to do this the world will want what we have!
- Pastor Larry
