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Before we begin, let's start with a quote from one of my favorite people. "I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature." - J.D. Rockefeller

I watched a movie called "3:10 to Yuma" this past weekend and let me tell you first... It was great! Besides being known as the Travel Guru, I also love to watch movies. It's just one of those past times that started with my mom way back in the day with movies like: Kelly's Hero's, To Hell and Back, Platoon, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the list goes on. Man, movies just are a great way to put motivation back into your life, to get over the humps that we just can't seem to get rid of!

So, in 3:10 to Yuma we get to see Russell Crowe back again doing a fine Ben Wade (an Outlaw). He had this calm role, where you see him thinking before taking any action. You can see the looks he gives as he plans out the next move. Careful planning, then the decision is made and it's done! Then, you have Christian Bale (Plays in Batman) now playing Dan Evans, a former US Soldier with a missing leg. He has a family on the ranch, which is broke and about to become a landmark, as the railroad wants to claim his land for a debt he owes. Sound familiar?

The storyline has Dan Evans as one of a few men to escort Ben Wade to Yuma for the 3:10 train. Now, as simple this may play out you got to go watch the movie, if you haven't. But, the story line thickens as different challenges are faced along the way.

============= Overcoming Self =============

One of the hardest things to overcome in life is self. Now Dan Evans really had a lot against him, before all this started. For example, his sons where challenging him, his wife was not happy because he does not have any money, and his ranch (business) sucks! Now, on top of all this, he has a severe case of self-doubt. For any average man to press on with this much burden would be difficult, right?

As, I stated earlier, overcoming self is one the hardest things one can do. But God always has something that he shows us to help us get the courage to move past our temporary problems.

Dan Evans was offered $200 to help escort Ben Wade to Yuma. Now this is not much, but it would help get some of his debts paid, and maybe it would help get things back on track in his personal life and help him to make money down on the farm. He accepts the offer and the journey starts.

======== Fear ========

"One great source of failure is found in a lack of concentration of purpose. There will be adverse winds in every voyage, but the able seaman firmly resists their influence, while he takes advantage of every favorable breeze to speed him on his course."

"So in our aims and pursuits we shall find much to counteract them, much to draw our attention from them, and, unless we are armed with a steadfast purpose, that can subordinate the lesser to the greater, that can repel hindrances, resist attractions, and bend circumstances to our will, our efforts will not be crowned with success." Anonymous

Dan Evans also had fear. With the odds stacked against him, how could he achieve this enormous goal? After all, who is he to think that because he was some war hero, and that he could escort an Outlaw to a destination a few hundred miles away and out smart Ben Wades Posse?

Dan Evans had to make a decision. Was he going to let his family starve and the ranch go under, or was he going to face his fear and do it anyways? He took a deep look inside himself and found the answer. Notice, he first took inventory of himself, then made the decision to either fail standing up or to fail down on his knees. Let me tell you, it was the most courageous decision one could make. To fail standing up was his decision!

========== Opportunity ==========

"Teachers open the doors, but you must enter by yourself." Chinese Proverb

I am doing my best to not tell you the whole movie here, but you must understand that "3:10 To Yuma" has so many life lessons that one should really rent it today!

Let me tell you a bit more about Dan Evans. Dan has made his journey to Yuma. But, is his journey complete? Has he achieved his goal of claiming the $200 reward for escorting Ben Wade to Yuma? Well my friend, you are about to find out. Dan is now sitting in a hotel with Ben Wade, only a few hours until 3:10pm. He can see that his journey is almost complete, and he can see the joy that his wife and kids will feel when he soon returns home to be with them.

I know, what the heck Clinton, is this really the end? Has he reached his goal?

As I mentioned before, God places things in your eye that may seem pleasurable, only to lead you to do greater things. Yes, the $200 reward was the pleasurable thing in Dan's eye. He can now claim it, but the Ben Wade Posse surrounds them. The local town Marshall, who was supposed to support Dan until the train arrived, has already abandoned Dan. But the Marshall's cowardice only led to a quick and embarrassing death at the hands of the bandits, who had demanded Dan Evans and his party to give up Ben Wade, in exchange for their own freedom.

Ben could have decided to give up against these odds. He had realized that the $200 was not worth facing the odds he was against. But, he would not quit. Instead, he decided that he would up the stakes and make life pay him for what he asked for. What was his new offer for life? He wanted $1,000 and all of his debts paid off, and he wanted the dam that was blocking water to his ranch to be destroyed. Only a crazy man or a man who saw that he could accomplish all that he had set out to do only if he put his mind into it would venture such a gamble.

He is a crazy man, you might say, but this man had a definite purpose backed only by a definite plan that would lead him to accomplish what he wanted to achieve. He wanted his family to have a secure future and never have to worry about being hungry again. Dan Evans made it to the train, but not with out great sacrifice. He lost his life along the way.

But the greatest things we have to do in life is to look within our self and ask if we are willing to do the things that we need to do to help those we love, even if those things require us to be selfless in our actions.

Until Next time, take care and be blessed.