Got Hay?

One of the important things to work on in life is to develop income producers besides your back/mind. (Ie..rental property, vending machines, cd's or stocks 401k, etc...) There is a book called "the richest man in babylon" that ought to be required reading in high school that deals with some of this kind of thinking but in essence if it is followed a plain ole working man can be independently wealthy at an early retirement age if the principles are followed.

Decades ago I sold life insurance with cash values and retirement plans. One of the coolest advertisements I remember us ever having showed an old man going out to his mailbox and pulling out envelopes of money he had mailed to himself years past...and the caption was something to the effect.."the only thing thats going to be there, when you get there..is what you send up ahead". I love that. That saying frequents my thoughts on occasion even all these years later.

No way do I remember what I was searching for in google one day, but I ran upon a page of stuff by someone called "sarpy sam", it appears he is a rancher up in montana somewhere. One of the things in his notes was this note and picture...

"I've been putting up hay like mad the last couple of weeks so I thought I would look back and see the purpose of what I am doing."


the caption was "Feeding the cows thier hay during a nasty snow storm. Taken 12/29/2005."

Pretty wise thinking..I like that...If you've ever messed with hauling hay, you're probably well aware of how a picture like that might be a much needed boost. What would you think of a rancher who watched his cattle grazing in the summer and thought ...ahhh..all is well, they can fend for themselves now...off I go to play. Then the hard stretches of winter came and he was going from ranch to ranch begging for hay, and writing his congressman?

Thats one wonderful thing about the hard times in life, take good clear snapshots in your mind...then when "summer comes" ...refer back to those pictures and "getter done".

(The same seems to apply in relationships and in your spiritual life as well) The concept here is...Take good "pictures" during hard/lean times. When the going is good, put out the effort to get ready for winter. Manage wisely.

What is something like this doing on a journal type blog? Its a part of how I think...a brick in the building of my life. Hope it inspires you so much you're reaching for a pen, a pad, and a hanky. Ya ya ya ya ya,
Have a good week. Got hay?