Message for Daily Living - Column by Zig Ziglar

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Common Sense and Hard Work

Zig Ziglar

My brother Huie Ziglar was a Baptist preacher for 33 years, as well as a small farmer and part-time inventor. Most of his income came from raising peanuts, farm crops, pigs and other livestock generally found on small Alabama farms.

One of Huie's inventions was a corn shucker/sheller that could shuck and shell a ton of corn for 10 cents' worth of electricity. It was his hope that the small farmers who could not afford the big combines would provide a ready market, but such was not to be the case. Those who owned the big combines rented them out by the hour, and they could do as much work in an hour as his little machine could do in a week.

I only tell the story to say that my brother was extremely creative. God blessed him with ingenuity and the faith to believe that he could do anything he set his mind to. Huie also invented an item that is cherished by all who have the good fortune to own one, and that's The Huie Ziglar Rocker. When he was over 30 years old and had a family, he felt God's call to enter the ministry.

In spite of his limited education, he studied his Bible by the hour. He had one problem with the process -- a back that was so bad he couldn't sit comfortably long enough to compile a single sermon. So, years ahead of his time, he invented a chair with lumbar support -- the "Huie Ziglar Rocker." The Redhead and I own several, and I sit in his chairs much of the time I do my writing.

After Huie died, with the exception of a few chairs one of his sons built, the rocker was unavailable to the public. My son-in-law, Jim Norman, learned how to build them, and, as the owner of Alvordian Woodcrafters, in Alvord, Texas, he builds and sells Huie Ziglar Rockers as a hobby. We're all grateful that Jim is able to continue the legacy of my brother.

Huie also had a way with children and animals -- a combination that particularly suited the personality of our youngest daughter, Julie. It was Julie's nature to be attracted to animals of all kinds -- snakes, skunks, chipmunks, armadillos, and so on. Today she has several dogs, cats, horses, a rat named Pearl as well as about 15 turtles in her turtle pen. When Julie was 6 years old, she went to visit Huie for a week. She was intrigued with her Uncle Huie's new litter of piglets, so he captured one and painted a red stripe on its back so Julie could identify it as hers for the duration of her visit. He took great pains to explain how important it was for Julie to wait for him to catch her piglet and never go in the pigpen alone.

Not clearly understanding the seriousness of her Uncle Huie's warning, Julie climbed over the fence and was trying to catch her piglet when Huie spotted her. He was absolutely terrified because an old sow with young piglets is a vicious animal and can rip a human being to shreds in seconds. Huie, though he was not very athletic, jumped over that fence in one leap, snatched up Julie and leapt back over with her tucked under his arm, not unlike the way a football player carries the ball. He put her down and fell to his knees at her feet, weeping with relief. His tender heart could hardly withstand the thought of what could have been.

Yes, my brother Huie was an incredible man -- a loving husband and father, and a warrior for his Lord. Follow his example, and I really will see you at the top!

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free e-mail newsletter through info@zigziglar.com.

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Copyright 2009 Creators Syndicate Inc.

This news arrived on: 08/24/2009

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