A REAL CLOSE FAMILY SERVANT

Through the years, it has been my good fortune to cross paths with serving leaders who serve in various categories. One of the very best family serving leaders has been Sue's father, Hal Herweck, Sr. Sue and I were both divorced and came into each other's lives in 1976. From 1976 to July 4, 1979, we dated and sang together in the gospel group, "One Accord." Sue and I were married on that July date and blended our families together. She had two daughters, Jamie and Holly. Rick, my son, and I moved to St. Charles when he was four years old. Putting the two families together was special for each of us and was made easier than most situations such as this because each member of the family wanted the blending to take place.

Anyone who is or has been married knows that getting married not only includes the bride and groom (and in our case children), but in-laws also. Enter Hal Herweck, Sr. Hal is a great role model for everyone in our family. If you want to know how to treat your wife. look in Hal's direction. LaVerne, his wife, was, is, and always will be "The Queen." He lovingly and forcefully modeled how his children should treat their mother. If one of his children talked back to "The Queen," he would say the following: "Who do you think you are talking to?" "Would you like to pick your teeth from my fist?" He always opened the car or house door for his bride. He did so many things to make life as easy as possible for "The Queen" and his children.

When Rick and I entered the picture, he treated us as a son and a grandson immediately. We simply were part of the family. How often he and "The Queen" would take the grandchildren to their modest lake home. There, they would raise the American Flag with their granddad. Hal would take them fishing and they loved that.

Hal and "The Queen" loved to come to One Accord concerts. It was not unusual to find them traveling a great distance to hear us sing and more importantly be with a part of the family. Many times they expressed how much fun it was for them to be so heavily involved. When One Accord needed financial assistance, there they were.

My mother passed away 15 years ago Christmas eve. There at that difficult time in my life were Hal and "The Queen" giving their support. Five years later, my father passed away and they were there again. In time of need, they were incredibly present.

Now, to see Hal in the last days of his life having little recall of the many great times he enjoyed and made possible, is difficult to experience. However, he still knows who his is Savior and most of the time remembers the names of most of his family. He can't express himself like he once did, but you can still see the marks of Christ all over him. Would it not be a good thing to be able to see those marks on all of us?

SPECIAL SERVANTS

I feel I am especially blessed to have so many friends who are serving those around them in very special ways. Sue, of course, serves her family and those who write and those who enjoy Christian music. It isn't easy to do this living in St. Charles when the real thing to do is live in Nashville full time. That would be much easier. Her father and mother live here and she feels a real need to assist them in any way she can with their health concerns.

Ed Watkins has been my friend for many years. Sue and I often vacation with Ed and Janet. They are special "trench buddies." Everyone needs a trench buddy. Ed is heading up a very important program of how "Volunteers Impact Prosperity." Rick Warren sees this as a model for America. Ed is also heavily involved in MOHELA's seeding of a kindergarten program for 200 "at-risk" children who enter kindergarten next academic year. Janet, a great singer, leads the praise and worship of the Church of the Shepherd United Methodist Church, a place where the Gospel is both preached and sung.

Harlan Pals and Ben Blanton have been instruments God has used to help so many folks. Harlan continues to do volunteer work as co-chairman with Ed in the VIP program and is also helping in the kindergarten program. Ben furnished the building supervisor when we built Christian High School in O'Fallon. He more than encouraged the vendors to lower their prices and built an outstanding building where Christian young people can receive an excellent education. He was heavily involved in the building process of Lindenwood University. That project, my friends, is a modern day miracle.

Down in Springfield, Dr. Arthur Mallory is serving on more boards than I have fingers and toes. He is the founder of the Parents and Teachers program that he continues to say is "Missouri's best export." PAT is in every state and several foreign countries. Arthur is one of my heroes. He knows more about education than anyone I know and at one time was asked to serve as Secretary of Education for the United States. Too bad he didn't take that job!

Barbara Reibold and Beverly Thieme are nearly identical twins. I knew them at Greenwood where their beauty was never challenged. They are still beautiful physically and more beautiful inwardly as they endeavor to help needy folks with their Sunday School outreach. They cook a breakfast for disadvantaged people, go by and pick up many of them, see that their needs are taken care of and especially encouraging these people as they uplift them with not only a serving attitude, but by putting feet to all of this. By the way, Arthur Mallory is the teacher of this class.

I am growing weary of receiving phone calls from folks with political agendas. I am tired of Republicans and Democrats. I have made up my mind to find out what kind of leadership these folks want. Accepting more of the same greed and lining their pockets will no longer work. I want ONLY leaders who know what real leadership is all about. That leadership is called Servant-Leadership and only serving leaders need apply for my vote and my money.

THE SERIOUS AND FUNNY SIDE OF JESUS

A number of years ago, a book was written about the Humor of Christ. As I have read the Bible, it is interesting to see if you can find some things that might be taken as humor in the life of Christ as we view it from God's Word.

One day, Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and as usual, great crowds were pressing to hear His every word.He noticed two empty boats and stepping into one of the boats asked Peter to push the boat out into the water and He used the boat as His pulpit. I wonder what words came from the lips of Jesus! The Gospel of John ends with the apostle saying if all the words of Jesus were printed, the whole world would have difficulty holding them. Did He talk about how to end suffering? What about making enough money to survive? Perhaps He shared how to be a good parent. That would be a good word for the 21st Century.

When Jesus was finished speaking, He said to Simon: "Now go where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch many fish." Here was a non-fisherman telling the professionals what to do. Strange!! Peter shared with Jesus that they had worked all night and had caught nothing. The fish simply were not biting. In the King James translation, Peter said: "Nevertheless, we will do what you say. We have FAILED catching fish, NEVERTHELESS (faith) we will do what you say. Sue wrote a song for One Accord"s final recording project that was called 'Nevertheless.' Janet Watkins sang the thunder out of that song.

When the disciples followed the instructions of Jesus, they caught so many fish it appeared that the boat was sinking (FORTUNE). Following the success of doing what Jesus said, Peter realized he was a sinful person. I wonder, however, if Jesus didn't have an inward chuckle at the fruitless labor of professionals and then their success in following His simple instructions.

The entire experience is one many of us have endured. We have a task to do and FAIL. We take the problem to our Lord and with FAITH, believe His instructions, only to have FORTUNE as the result.

That's not a bad idea for a sermon: "Failure, Faith, and Fortune."

THE SERIOUS AND FUNNY SIDE OF JESUS

THE BEGINNING PHASE OF A SONG WRITER

The Baylor revival team had conducted a revival in the First Baptist Church of Laredo, TX. It had been a difficult week and everyone was discouraged. Dick Baker returned to his room after the service one night, "longing for a fresh glimpse of anything holy." The yearning in his heart cried out for answers.

"I had a longing for Jesus," Dick said. "I had never written a song, but I got out of bed, turned on the light, and wrote the first stanza and chorus. It was so simple, " he added, "I didn't have the nerve to even introduce it or to say anything about it there in Laredo. But I kept working on it, and the following year at Ridgecrest, NC, I finished another verse and put it down."

Months later, Dr. B.B. McKinney, head of the music department for Southern Baptists, visited Baylor University. Dick approached him and asked what he needed to do with the song. Dr. McKinney took the song and carried it back to Nashville. He had it set on a metal plate, free of charge, and sent it back to Dick.

"That great man encouraged me," Dick said," and he personally began to promote and use what began as a 'longing' in Laredo," The song, a favorite with old and young alike has been translated into Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and German hymnbooks. Since then, Dick Baker has written over 400 songs and choruses, but none speak to the heart better than "Longing for Jesus."

Incidentally, it was Dick Baker who first published one of Sue's songs entitled "Giving You Back to Jesus."

A GREAT WEEKEND

Last Friday, I attended a MOHELA Board meeting at MOHELA. I entered the meeting with a prepared statement regarding the proposed kindergarten program for "at-risk" children in the St. Louis Public School System. I have been upset by the continuing delay of getting the program off of the ground, so I called for an "Up or Down" vote for the pilot program. By the time the dust had cleared and the question called for, we now have a program called "Early Childhood College Funding Program of Missouri" by a vote of 5-2. We are now on the road to assisting children who need a bit of help in making them more productive. By the way, for what it is worth, I was re-elected chairman of the MOHELA Board.

After that meeting, I headed for St. Louis International Airport and a flight to Dallas where I would see not only my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, but also Sue. Friday was halloween and we went around Rick's neighborhood with Hudson and saw things I have never experienced with halloween. First, I have never seen so many children "trick or treating." They were all over streets, sidewalks, lawns, having a great time. It was a great time for me just to observe, besides the walking that is always good. After returning to Rick's home, we gave out a huge amount of candy (also had a lot leftover).

Saturday, Rick and I drove to Waco to see the Baylor-Mizzou football game. I have degrees from both institutions and he has a degree from Mizzou. It was a great game to see and Baylor gave Mizzou more than they wanted as the Bears lost to the Tigers by the score of 31-28. That evening, we saw the Texas-Texas Tech game on TV. What a great game that was with Tech winning in the last second of the game.

I came home Monday and prepared for a Kindergarten meeting on Tuesday. We will move this program rapidly and have it ready for the 2009-2010 school year. Also I voted on Tuesday and won some and lost some. That is the way elections go. The good thing is there will be a peaceful transition of power in January. That is always a good thing.

AMERICA NEEDS A REAL NEW POLITICAL PARTY

I have watched elections come and go. I have heard promises made and few promises kept. Every campaign, both Democrats and Republicans promise change is coming to Washington, but nothing ever changes. Charlie Reese, former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel has addressed this as follows:

'Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Have you ever wondered why, if both Democrats and Republicans are against deficits, why do we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, why do we have inflation and high taxes. You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations, the House of Representatives does." Reese goes on to say that one hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country. His final statement is: "We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess."

I am convinced that neither of the present two political parties in the United States will ever do anything about our problems. Time has proved that and change of power has done nothing to change these problems. In fact, they just make it worse. We began to have energy problems in the Carter administration. Since that time Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, and Bush 43 have had 28 years to do something, and nothing has been done to free us from foreign oil.

I am proposing a new political party called "The Serving Party." People in this party will serve the people of the United States. No one becomes a member of the party without being a servant. I want a president who serves our people. I want two senators from each state who serve the people of their state. I want representatives who represent us. The election that is upon us will once again prove that nothing will change. Being an elected official is not a license to do what is necessary to make sure his/her pockets will be filled for retirement. Being an elected official is for one purpose TO SERVE. Frankly, I am tired of Democrats and Republicans. President Truman called the 80th Congress a "do nothing Congress." That was true then and it is true of Congress now.

If you think this a good idea or a stupid idea, let me know.

THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY

Write About Jesus was very fast-paced and since I was not feeling well before the event, the event itself and then Monday evening at the St. Charles Convention Center with my friend Dr. Arthur Mallory and Governor Mike Huckabee and many other pro-life citizens of our country was almost too much to believe.

WAJ was inspiring, a time of learning, having fellowship and little time to sleep. Of course, it is always fun to be with the clinicians Sue invites to this event. The veterans of WAJ and the new clinicians were a perfect faculty and mixed well with the registrants. It is special for me to watch the interaction of clinicians and registrants, clinicians and clinicians as well as registrants and registrants. We missed a lot of folks who usually attend the workshop, but we met a lot of new folks who became instant friends.

One of the things I shared at worship was that not only should the folks learn a lot about song writing, but they should expect a blessing. The blessing might not come from WAJ, but there should be a blessing. The second thought was that great undertakings usually come from great feelings. The folks attending WAJ should endeavor to obtain great feelings because I believe great songs come from great feelings. Dr. Mark Tolbert, our interim pastor said: "We should say 'Yes God. Now what is the question?'" If you want the blessing and the great feelings, say "Yes God. Now what is the question." The blessing and the great feelings come from God, not WAJ.

I could write a book about Arthur Mallory. He is the perfect serving-leader. He has always been that. He was president of Missouri State University and led that university into an expansion program that made a small college into a great university. After leaving MSU, he became Commissioner of Education for the state of Missouri. He was the best commissioner we have ever had. Parents As Teachers was Arthur's idea. To this day, he says that PAT is the best export Missouri has. I have had the privilege of listening to him and tapping his brain. He knows more about education than anyone I know.

Arthur was the Master of Ceremonies for the Vitae program last evening. He and Governor Huckabee made for a great program. Gov. Huckabee made an excellent speech, sharing many experiences he endured in his bid to be president of the United States. I was impressed by his personality and how he made those around him feel comfortable. Sitting at a table with the governor, Arthur, Sue, and our friends Ed and Janet Watkins was just about as good as it gets.

SOME THINGS I WISH I HAD SAID

There are a lot of statements I wish I had been the first to make. Thinking back to my early years of going to church with my parents, I recall some statements by a few of my pastors. Dr. Willis E. Howard was the pastor under whose leadership I accepted Christ as my Savior and was baptized. He was a great preacher and always came into the morning worship wearing a tux. During his sermons, he would frequently ask: "Listen, are you listening? Are you sure you are listening? He later wrote two books entitled:"Are You Listening?" and "Are You Sure You are Listening?"

During my teens, Dr. Fred C. Eastham was our pastor. He was a man's man. He used to say "I'd Rather Be a one legged optimist than a four-legged pessimist."

Charles Wellborn was my pastor at Seventh & James Baptist Church. He was a student at Baylor when that campus experienced a student-led revival that spread to Dallas, Houston, Ft. Worth, Atlanta, Birmingham and other cities across the south. Wellborn once said: "We Baptists are many, but we are not much."

Jim Rohn, one of the great motivational speakers of our day, once made an inspired statement. As he was in a hurry to get to the airport and was caught in traffic, he said the following: "Let's turn this frustration into fascination." He was looking at all the cars causing the delay.

My friend Ed Watkins once told me: "I would rather have influence than power any day."

President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: "Freedom and opportunity are not a license to climb upward by pushing other people down."

It is always inspiring to read materials that make an impact on your life. It is interesting that you don't have to have a personal relationship with people who are inspiring. How inspiring Jesus must have been to persuade the first disciples to leave their work and families to follow him. No that is REAL inspiration.

WINDERMERE - A PLACE TO REFLECT ON EARLIER TIMES

Last Friday, Sue and I drove to Windermere, a Baptist conference center located on the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. This was the weekend to celebrate Windermere's 50th year. Several singing groups were there along with a preacher or two. When One Accord was singing on a regular basis, we sang many times at Windermere for conferences such as WMU, Single Adults, Sunday School, etc. In fact, our children nearly grew up at Windermere. We were scheduled to sing at this celebration, but sadly, our lead singer, Bill Ursery told me he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Bill is a dedicated Christian who graduated from Belmont University and at one time sang with the Jake Hess group. We had to cancel this time and are earnestly praying for Bill's recovery.

More than 1500 decisions for Christ are made annually at Windermere. It sits in a cove and the surrounding area is perfect for water skiing and sight seeing. At the 50th year celebration, a men's quartet from South Haven Baptist Church sang and did a good job. Their bass was outstanding and could easily sing for any professional group. The highlight for Sue and me was the appearance of Russell Newport who at age 87 sang as though he were in his 30's. Russell is a great tenor and had the opportunity to sing with the Metopolitan Opera in New York city. He used to be the choir director in the church in which I was saved and grew up. His signature song was "The Holy City," and anyone who came to that church and endeavored to sing that song made a fatal mistake. He/She should have chosen another song. This evening at Windermere, Russell sang some old songs such as "Oh, How I Love Him," "Redemption Draws Nigh," "The King is Coming," and others that truly were outstanding. I cannot express my admiration and love for that man. He has a bachelor's degree from William Jewell and a master's degree from Harvard.
My friend, Bob Speake who is as former major league baseball player once said that if you wanted a full-time job, all you had to do was follow Russell for a day. Russell has often said that if you sing correctly, you should be able to sing all of your life. He is truly a testament to that statement.

Dr. Arthur Mallory, who is chairman of the Windermere Board was there and as always was fun to be with. Dan Bench, the Windermere CEO was there and had dinner with Sue and me. He takes no salary for his work. Russell, Arthur, and Dan are truly serving leaders.

I have to get some of Russell's CD's. I know they will be incredible.

A REALLY GREAT MEETING

On August 14, I attended one of the greatest secular meetings I have ever attended. Actually, it was not secular in that many of us in attendance felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as the meeting progressed. The purpose of the meeting was to present a program for at-risk kindergartners in the St. Louis Public Schools. In attendance were Ed Watkins, Dr. Arthur Mallory, Dr. Sue Stepleton, Mrs. Kathy Lambert, Mr. Brad Lambert, Mr. Harlan Pals, Mr. Bob Peters, Reverend Lynn Mims, Ms. Kapree Graves, and Mr. Michael Lause. Representing the MOHELA staff were Mr. Ray Bayer, Will Shaffner, Ms. Mary Stewart, Dr. Jim Matchefts, Scott Giles, and Cheryl Stevens.

Mr. Watkins stated that we have assembled a very credible group and asked the following question: "Wouldn't it be wonderful if on the first day of kindergarten, teachers told their students they expected them to have a post-secondary education?" Dr. Mallory addressed the fact that we have such assembled such smart people gathered with the same goal. He said Dr. Stepleton has a high reputation nationally for her work in "Parents as Teachers. Mallory also stated that research shows the most significant learning and brain development occurs from birth to five years of age. Dr. Stepleton explained that brain development shown in MRIs of babies taken post-birth differed from those exposed to good stimulation and those who were not.

Mr. and Mrs. Lambert are the founders of Connections to Success. Mr. Lambert explained that their program helps those who have experienced homelessness, violence, incarceration, welfare and other tragic events. Lamberts are putting together the program we need to begin excellent education at an early age.

Mr. Pals described "Lifeline," as giving people an opportunity to record milestones in their life. With that program, a person will have a lifetime record of his or her skills and talents.

Reverend Mims closed the meeting with a blessing and prayer that moved each of us. What a meeting!

The MOHELA Board will hear details of the program on September 12.

DALLAS, TX IN AUGUST

Friday, August 1, Sue and I flew to Dallas to be with two of our children and their children (grandchildren). It was hot when we left St. Louis and even hotter when we arrived in Dallas. Temperature over 100 every day and very hot at night. The temp did not keep us from having a great time.

Friday evening, Rick, Cindy, Hudson, Sue and I went to the ballpark in Arlington to see the Texas Rangers play the Toronto Bluejays. First time I had seen the Bluejays in person and former Cardinals' Scott Rolen and David Eckstein play north of the USA border. I consumed a gallon of lemonade and endured the heat better than Sue. It was good to return to Rick & Cindy's home for more liquids and a bed.

Saturday, we ran some errands and that afternoon, Jamie, Kendall, Lauren and Alex joined us for a bit of family reunion. Always it is a blast when members of the family get together. Lauren and Alex took such good care of Hudson and Hudson had a blast with her older cousins. For me, it is fun just to watch and listen to the stories that come from such a get together.

Sue and Alex left Sunday morning for Colorado and the Christian Artists' Seminar at Estes Park. Sue has been teaching there for a number of years and it is kind of sad that this will be the last year for the conference. The rest of us chilled out Sunday afternoon before Rick and I went to the ball game. Again it was very hot, but the fellowship was great and there was a breeze. Leaving the game, the wind was blowing so hard that it was hard to walk in it.

Monday, Rick and I went to Ft. Worth to attend to some business of Carpenter-Smith Southwest. It was at a new Baylor hospital and I teased Cindy by asking her if she did more business with Baylor or TCU (where she graduated). I checked e-mail and Dana, who works with Rick and Cindy, got my boarding pass for my trip home. That evening, we again went to the ballpark and saw the New York Yankees. There were many Yankee fans in attendance and it was really a good game. On the way to the car, I heard someone say something about "old man," but didn't think anything about it. When we arrived where there was a man with a walkee talkee, Rick asked them to get someone from security. He told them if they didn't get there soon, the drunk with the loud mouth who had some remarks about his dad would find himself on the ground. He was not fooling. When the guy arrived where we were, he was not about to take Rick on. I don't believe I have ever seen my son so mad. Kinda made me proud.

Tuesday, I received my goodbye kisses from Hudson. She is so beautiful, bright and charming. Hugged and kissed Cindy goodbye and Rick and I went to the airport for my trip home. It was difficult for me to say "goodbye," as I tried to put my arms around Rick (He is a big guy). Once again, time well-spent with those you love so very much.

"IT'S OUR SHIP"

Some months ago I shared from a book given to me by Randy Etter, a fellow board member of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority. It was entitled "It's Your Ship" and was authored by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff, the former commander of the USS Benfold. In this book, there are great leadership principles and every person in a position of leadership should sit down and discover what made the USS Benfold a great ship.

Following "It's Your Ship," comes another book by Captain Abrashoff, this one entitled "It's Our Ship." I want to share some thoughts from this book, which is so insightful in making a ship, business, school district, church, or any other type of organization great. How about this:"Welcome people aboard before they are aboard." If you hire someone new, find a way to make them feel a part of the organization before they actually begin work. I liked this a lot: "Treat your people and your shipmates the way you would want your spouse or child treated in the workplace."

Here are some thoughts from the book that I have especially found helpful in leadership:

"Pick out promising people early."
"Whenever possible, develop leaders within their current jobs."
"Leading is largely people watching"
"Make truth-telling your own personal prerogative."
"Never let people know what you want to hear - they will tell you."
"The first law of leadership in today's world is to give people irresistible incentives to collaborate for a purpose that enhances everyone.
"The two big motivators in people's lives are love and respect."
"If you make an honest effort to build a relationship, they will cut you some slack even if you fumble once in a while."

That's a small sample of the many "goodies" found in "It's Our Ship." I recommend it highly to anyone who is in a position of leadership or aspires to be a leader.

WHY BE AN EDUCATOR IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM

Education is a difficult field in which to grow. The only one way to advance is controlled by the colleges and universities of America. That would probably be ok if the universities were making any advances in the field they control. So you want to teach, then you go to college, take your courses, get a degree and then you have to pass some kind of examination to get a job. A degree is not enough because the teaching in the university is not doing its job. Its a bit like Dirty Harry telling his supervisor that his mouthwash is not making it.

One of the depressing things about education is the lack of empowerment teachers receive from administrators. Administrators are limited as to the kind of positions they have in any school. The Board of Education approves the positions. If a teacher wants to move up, the question is "move up to where?" In elementary and secondary education the only up is (and that is debatable) is administration. What can a principal do to facilitate a move of that kind? The answer is not much because upward mobility is controlled by colleges and universities. No matter how great a person might be, he/she cannot move up because of the system. Because of this, many excellent teachers choose to move to another career. Even if he/she decides to go back to college and receive an administrative degree, participating in that requirement does not guarantee one will receive what is necessary to be successful.

Presently, teachers are their worst enemy. If you are a really great teacher, your salary is no better than the poorest teacher in a school. This is because of a salary schedule that is based on the number of years you have taught in a school system. I know that negotiations became a part of schools because of poor administrators. To date, there are probably more poor administrators in the field of education than any other field. I taught a class of teachers at a local university one evening and there were 28 teachers in the class from all over the greater St. Louis area. Not one of those teacher felt any kind of appreciation or empowerment from their principal. How can one grow in that kind of environment.

One thing would help. Administrators need to show appreciation to members of his/her staff. Tell them they are doing a great job if they are. Encourage them in any appropriate way. That would at least make the environment in their building one of happy feelings. Not much good teaching goes on in a bad environment. There should be a lot of smiles in a building. Now there is a novel thought that you will unlikely hear in an administrative class at the university

IT HAS BEEN AWHILE

June was a very interesting month for me. As I look back, I didn't get much done and I really didn't feel like blogging. The first Monday of the month, I went to a monthly breakfast for guys and gals who used to teach at St. Charles High School. That is always fun, but this time I learned that Jim Williams, the former and successful football coach at that school was really in the probable final stages of cancer. Jim has gone to Duke University at least twice to try new things related to treatment of cancer. I was told that the doctor told Jim that he had about a year to live. I have been praying for him for a long time and continue to do so.

After that, I had a muscle strain in my right shoulder that was painful and kept me from doing things and also from getting a good night's rest. After that calmed, suddenly my right foot was very painful. It felt like a sprain, but I could not remember doing anything that would cause that. Following several days of walking difficulty, as suddenly as it came, the pain was gone and I could walk normally.

Holly and her children then descended upon us in prelude to her brother-in-law getting married. It is interesting that the two Zabka boys grew up in California and both married girls from St. Charles. Small world. The boys were fun and Violet so cute, all three more than enjoyable. Our house was and still is a complete wreck, but Sue and I are enjoying the week together. Monday evening, we went to the Cardinals-Mets game and it was a great game and a glorious night. Hard to believe we are having resort weather in St. Louis the first week of July. After returning home, we went to bed, drained, totally exhausted, needing the great night's rest we received.

During all of this Sue's father was taken to the hospital. I stayed two nights with him in the hospital and that contributed to the tiredness that was almost overwhelming me.

Also, during this time, I was sick and Sue got mad at me. Her anger was not because I was sick, but because of the reason I was ill. I had not been taking the medicine prescribed by my cardiologist. She was mad, Holly was mad, Ed Watkins was mad, Ray Bayer was mad and Ed told me he was going to tell his wife and then she would be mad. Now I am taking my medicine to feel better and to escape the wrath of so many.

I have been reading a new book entitled "It's Our Ship" and will share some of the good things from this book at another time.

MEETING WITH REAL SERVANTS

This week I have had the privilege of meeting with some of God's special servants. Being with individuals who have a service mentality is inspirational and motivating.

First, I met with Ken McClure. Ken has spent most of his adult life in government service. He was director of budget research for the Missouri Senate, was a judge on the Missouri Public Service Commission, chief of staff for Governor Matt Blunt, and now serves as an Vice-President for administrative services at Missouri State University. In addition to those occupations, Ken is a strong Christian who continues to serve his Lord on a daily basis.

Second, I met with Dr. Mike Nietzel, president of Missouri State University. Dr. Nietzel is leading Missouri's second largest university to even greater heights. I shared my vision of MOHELA's Kindergarten program and requested that he provide scholarships for individuals who go through this program and graduate from high school. He readily agreed to do this.

Thirdly, I met again with Dr. Arthur Mallory, who continues to have great impact, not only on my life, but also the lives of all who come in contact with him. Arthur began the Parents as Teachers program that is now in every state and several foreign countries. He continues to underscore the impact this program has on the children and parents who are part of the program. All the research underscores what happens when children are brought up in this program. As a former president of Missouri State University, Commissioner of Education, and president of the Missouri Baptist Convention, he brings great ideas into every conversation. He is one of my heroes.

Fourthly, I spent Friday evening at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles. I was not there to gamble, but to help honor a great servant who leads a great service program in St. Charles. I can't remember all the things in which Ed Watkins has had a hand; however, there are many. He helped in the building of the Highway 370 corridor which runs from I 270 to I 70 at Mid-Rivers, here in St. Charles. He started Sports St. Charles, been involved in EDC, Partners for Progress, helped raise funds for the 10,000 seat Family Arena, the Hyland Sports Arena at Lindenwood University, helped me in the building of Christian High School, sang with Sue and me in One Accord, built the Baseball Camp for hearing impaired children that brought such great baseball folks to the camp as Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Ozzie Smith, Joe Torre, and football hall of famer, Roger Wehrli. Ed is a great servant.


I spent all day Saturday announcing four high school all-star baseball games at Lindenwood. When the day was over, I was bushed, but thankful I could still do something like the announcing and be in the presence of folks like Ken, Mike, Arthur, and Ed. I am a blessed person

JUST SOME THOUGHTS

For some reason, I just have not felt like writing a blog for the past week or so. I haven't had any brilliant thoughts to share, in fact, it has been a time of assorted things coming into my life.

I am happy about our proposed kindergarten-college program. It is not what I visualized at the beginning of the process, but turns out to be better than what I originally planned. I was told the the "devil is in the planning" by my friend Dr. Arthur Mallory. Truer words were never spoken. Then MOHELA has been going through the problems that the student loan industry is facing at this time. I had not thought about partnering with other agencies, but now having these people "on board" will bring this program into reality. Praise the Lord for this!!

Rick Sullivan, who was appointed to head the St. Louis School District by Governor Matt Blunt let the air out of my balloon when we met in his office. His main concern was being able to track the children because of the extreme problem of knowing where the children were, as there is much moving in, out, and around the district. It appeared that he was not in favor of our program. As quickly as the air was removed, he made it better by suggesting that we partner with Habitat for Humanity who has the ability to track "at risk" children and that can help make the program work. He then said that he wanted this program in the St. Louis School District.

Originally, I wanted to begin the program in the 2008-09 academic year. Finally, I realized that this would not happen. Then it occurred to me that Habitat for Humanity could identify the students who would be in kindergarten in the 2009-10 school year. This would allow Parents as Teachers to work with the students and their families from January 2009 until school started in August. God has good ideas does He not!

There are many things to do and I want to have a brain storming lunch at MOHELA that will include someone from Habitat, Sue Stepelton from Parents as Teachers, Arthur Mallory, Diana Borisaw, Rick Sullivan, Ray Bayer from MOHELA, Dr. Doug Petty from the St. Louis Clergy, Ed Watkins and me. Hopefully, this meeting will help to finalize the plans needed to make this program work for the children.

Ray Bayer has told me that we can have office space at MOHELA without charge. God is GOOD. ALL THE TIME.

I would appreciate any prayer support readers might supply for this project.

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE

I have a book in my library entitled "The Power of Focus." Two of the authors are famous for writing the very successful books which we are all aware. Those are the "Chicken Soup for ........" Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen have been a vital part of the motivational speakers' industry with an emphasis of improving our lives. "The Power of Focus" is a book that reminds me so much of my wife Sue because she is the most focused person I know. She is almost possessed with the desire to write and improve her writing. Yesterday, we drove past Hazelwood West High School where she taught prior to turning to writing full-time for Jesus. She has NO desire to return to the teaching profession. She was emphatic with that as we passed the school.

In "The Power of Focus," there is a thought by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It reads as follows:

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

As we face the challenges of life, there are no shortcuts. Endeavoring to find your place in the world oftentimes must be accepted by individuals close to you. For example, when a husband is afforded the opportunity to move upward by moving to another location, his wife must be a willing participant. It also works the other way when a husband fully supports the plans of a wife to find her place, even though there may be challenges in making the family operate smoothly.

Some action steps outlined by the authors to help the reader are listed below:

1. Do you recognize what you are good at and what energizes you?
2. Do you fully utilize your most-enjoyed skills?
3. Does your work further some interest or issue that you care deeply about?
4. Do you see yourself, through work, as making a difference in the world?
5. Do you view most days with a sense of enthusiasm?
6. Do you feel a sense of meaning and purpose for your life?
7. Do you have active goals this year relating to your purpose?
8. Are you living your life to the fullest now instead of hoping that things will work our someday?

Tough challenges in answering the questions; however, they call attention to many of our needs to make life better, not only for ourselves, but others. That really is a challenge.

A CALL TO ONENESS

Today, I had the privilege of speaking to the St. Louis Clergy, a group of ministers who not only preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, but support public education in St. Louis. What an outstanding group of men and women. I shared a bit about our "College Begins in Kindergarten" program and had quite a few folks come up afterwards and share their interest and desire to be a part of this thrust.

That was a gratifying experience, but paled in comparison to the Black clergymen who are beginning a program that was featured today on national television. They have issued "A CALLTO ONENESS.". Their purpose is to promote cooperation, collaboration and commitment among African-American men for the betterment of our communities. Two of their objectives are: (1) To call African-American men together for a weekend of discussion, reflection, prayer, and recommitment in order that we may be reconciled to one another, to our God as we may understand God, and to our wives, mothers, and sisters who continue to love and support us. (2) To assert the moral strength and guidance of the Black religious experience in support of public school education."

During the weekend of May 30-June 1, a State of Emergency Panel Discussion is planned. The panel will consist of a variety of disciplines that reflect the many shades of blackness. On May 31, a Day of Information and Implementation will feature classes that ask the question: "How do we address the moral issues and concerns that face black men in our community." June 1 will be a day of worship, witness and reconciliation. This day will feature 20,000 men marching to Tandy Park for a venue of speeches and a platform for reconciliation. Along the route of the march will be women stationed along the streets to surround the men, showing their love and appreciation.

It is always a good thing to be in the presence of greatness. Today, I had that opportunity.

A DAY WITH SERVING GIANTS

Yesterday, Ed Watkins and I left St. Charles at 7:30 am to drive to Windermere, a Christian conference center located on the shores of the Lake of the Ozarks. 176 miles to Winderemere aand 176 miles back to St. Charles at $3.49 a gallon. That was the only painful part of the trip, but it paled in comparison to what my son Rick paid to fill his Tahoe. $81 was the price for that.

Windermere is a beautiful Christian conference center with great facilities and is located, in my opinion, on the finest part of the lake, the Niangua arm. The water in that area is almost always clear and beautiful.

Dr. Arthur Mallory, chairman of the Windermere board and Dan Bench, the CEO greeted us and took us over the campus to see the varied parts of the center. It was fun touring and visiting. A highlight of the tour was a visit to the prayer chapel that is located on a hill that overlooks Windermere on one side and the lake on the other. What a special place for being alone with God!

During lunch we began a two-pronged conversation. Could we come up with a plan to bring people to Windermere during the off-season? The four of us talked and listened. Ed is in the beginning of a program for non-profit organizations to count the number of volunteer hours that help those folks and verify those hours on the internet. That was one way we could help Windermere. I suggested that perhaps having a state Upward basketball tournament at Windermere. What a great expereience for those little folks to come to Windermere and play basketball and have spiritual experience. Last year more than 1500 decisions for Christ were made at that facility. Arthur suggested that we find a way to bring minority kids to Windermere. I mentioned a man to Ed and he said that person was the perfect individual to make that happen. So Ed and I will meet with him and a leader in the Black churches of St. Louis and bring them to Windermere for more discussion about reaching those important kids.

Dan Bench is a special servant. He served our country in the United States Marine Corps. He SERVES as president/CEO of Windermere for zero salary. It is so easy to see his love for the center, its employees and it volunteers. What a servant! Arthur serves on many boards and is THE expert in the field of education.

Before driving back to St. Louis, Arthur agreed to help us in any way with the MOHELA "College Begins in Kindergarten" program. His first task will be to talk to Senator Kit Bond and seek his help. Sen Bond is the former auditor of the state of Missouri and two-time governor. He has represented us in the US Senate for many years and has great influence.

The drive back to the city, with a stop in Jefferson City for ice cream, was a great time of reflection. I was in the company of Christian Serving Giants. What a great experience!!!

THE LEADER'S TOUGHEST JOB

Usually when one is appointed to a position of leadership and has the responsibility of leading people, he/she must take the time to know the people, maybe even something about their personal lives, and learn how the company or corporation functions. A good friend of mine said that during the first year on a job, you usually just learn where the water fountain and restroom are located. If a leader is interested in moving the institution forward, he seeks wise counsel and makes decisions that are best for all. If he/she makes a mistake in judgement and decisions, the best thing to do is admit it. It is like making a mistake in parenting. When a mistake is made, don't try to bluff your way through, admit you were wrong. A number of years ago, One Accord was practicing in the worship center of Parkway Baptist Church in St. Louis County. I was at the piano and my son, Ricky, was sitting in the choir loft when suddenly he got out of his seat, walked across the platform and the many cords we had on the stage. I immediately leaped from the piano bench and loudly said:" Ricky, how many times has daddy told you not to walk across the microphone cords!" His meager reply was: "Daddy, Kenny asked me to come down." There I was with egg on my face, foot in my mouth knowing full-well that I had made a BIG mistake. How to correct it was my goal. I certainly apologized to Ricky, but didn't let it stop there. During the next several weeks, I often took the opportunity to tell people in front of Ricky what a bad mistake his daddy had made. The bottom line in that story was I should have trusted him. He was always easy to discipline and I should have had more confidence in him than I showed.

The leader of an organization has to EARN TRUST. It doesn't come just because you are an executive, superintendent of schools or CEO. There is always a question if the person is trustworthy. One becomes trustworthy when he/she endeavors to do the right thing. Bruce Weber, head basketball coach at the University of Illinois said:"No matter your position, you must be willing to carry the ice." A preacher must always be willing to set up the chairs. Chaplain Brown, in his making friends in the Regimental Area said: "A chaplain is the only one who can loaf and still be doing his official duty." He meant by that statement that the chaplain just doesn't stay in his office, but does his best to create relationships and build trust.

If the principal of a school or superintendent of schools is not trusted, then he/she has a BIG problem that probably will not be resolved until the individuals either change or leave. Doing the right thing in the treatment of employees will build trust.

A VISIT TO THE "OLD HOME TOWN"

Earlier this week, I went to Springfield for a couple of meetings. Ken McClure and I are working on some things regarding today's One Accord. Ken and his wife, Joey, were in One Accord in the early years. In fact, Joey gave us the name and then they were married in the First Baptist Church of Springfield.

I also had a meeting with Dr. Arthur Mallory. I wish all WAJ'ers could meet Arthur. He has always been a leader and as I have said many times to many people, he was the best commissioner of education the state of Missouri has ever had. Parents as Teachers began in his brain and that organization may be the best export the state of Missouri has in the 21st century. Arthur is helping with the "College Begins in Kindergarten" idea that I have fostered. He will make a great contribution to that endeavor.

Finally, I went to the cemetery where my parents were laid to rest. That is always a very sobering time for me. As I stood above their graves, I had to reflect on their lives and what they did for me. They were always giving and loved doing so. They believed in me and helped me so much educationally. After leaving the Army, I went home and got things ready to go to Baylor. My mother said she wished she could go with me and my dad said: "Why not?" We'll come to Waco on Sunday and will bring you back home. My mother and I were deep into Oklahoma when she discovered she had her house shoes on. There were so many special things. My dad would always go way out of his way to help anyone. He had a vision for Branson before Branson did. As I stood over their graves, I could not help but think what death did to their bodies and silenced these very giving people. The first time I went back to Springfield after they died, I felt like an orphan because for the first time in my life I didn't have a place to stay and no parents with whom to share. Not only that, I lost great prayer support.

How grateful to Christ we should all be when we stand over graves of loved ones, that there is more. There is more because of Christ. Hallelujah. As John Hagee says: "Hallelujah to the Lamb of God."

WINDERMERE - A PLACE TO EXPERIENCE GOD

Windermere Conference Center, located on the shores of the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks is a place where thousands of decisions for Christ have been made in the 50 years the ministry has been in existence. I believe my first experience there was in 1961 when I took a group of young people (I was young then, too) from First Baptist Church, Springfield, MO to have a retreat. My friend Gordon Kingsley was the featured speaker and we even had a quartet to bring some inspirational music.

A little later, I became pastor of the Lakeland Baptist Church of Sunrise Beach, MO and we would go to Windermere often when they would bring in special speakers. One time, we loaded up Harold Klee's cruiser and took a long boat ride to hear the greatest orator-preacher in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. R.G. Lee preached his famous sermon "Pay Day Some Day." Through the years, I have heard that sermon several times and through the word pictures that Dr. Lee painted, you were in the middle of what was going on. I have never heard a preacher with the command of the English language like Dr. Lee. Somewhere I have the video of the 1,200th preaching of that sermon.

In the 1980's, One Accord had the privilege of singing at Windermere numerous times and being there, hearing the word, enjoying the fellowship and experiencing the lake were always great times in the Lord. On one of our albums, there is an insert picture of Jamie, Rick, and Holly at Windermere when they were little kids wearing shirts with the title of a song Sue wrote for them entitled "Father, Can You use a Child Like Me?" I told Sue that we also have a picture of our bus parked next to the Harding Auditorium where we sang so many times.

This past weekend, so many memories came flooding my mind as Sue and I participated in the weekend retreat of the Windermere Board of Advisors. A good friend of mine from college days is Dan Bench and he is the administrator-CEO of Windermere. I had not seen Dan in 50 years. That was great. Dr. Arthur Mallory is chairman of the Board and he invited Sue and me to participate in the activities. Sue sang "Over and Over," and "Mary, For a While" and did a great job. I spoke to the group about some things on my heart and so it was a time of giving and a time of receiving. Christianity is a lot like that. Windermere is a special place to experience it.

FEW SERVE

Here are some headlines that are not unfamiliar to anyone who has interest in either local or national news: BROWN HIRED TO COACH UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL; BLACK ASSUMES PRESIDENCY OF UNIVERSITY; SMITH ELECTED TO CONGRESS; JONES TO TAKE SUPERINTENDENCY OF DISTRICT; JOHNSON NEW CEO OF AREA'S LARGEST CORPORATION.

Without attaching real names to positions such as the above, one main ingredient is missing from each headline. What is missing is one of the things that is wrong with today's America. So many take positions because of upward mobility and the salaries and prestige attached to the position rather than doing what the positions demand. One should SERVE as basketball coach; One should SERVE as president of a university; One should SERVE as superintendent of schools; One should SERVE as CEO. One should SERVE as a Congressman or Congresswoman.

As I view decisions made by individuals who know little about leadership and yet they are in positions of leadership, it makes me want to cry out "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" I don't know a lot about a lot, but I do know what makes a good leader. I could list a bunch of characteristics that a great leader should possess, but that is not the purpose of this blog. What I want to do is underscore some decisions made by one of the best superintendents of schools that I have seen anyone serving in that capacity can make. That has to do with endeavoring to help with weakest students in the district. This lady has brought corporations, clergy, and the school district together to do some great things. In doing these things, she is SERVING as superintendent. Last week, I had a breakfast meeting with the president and CEO of what one person calls the greatest export of Missouri. That lady is SERVING in her CEO position.

As Chairman of the Board of MOHELA, I want to serve the state of Missouri and help our at-risk children be able to see the need for post-secondary education and realize they can have that experience. I want the state to see that College begins in Kindergarten. Nehemiah was a leader who SERVED. Jesus not only SAVED, He SERVED. In the final analysis, perhaps the best way to save is to SERVE.

A SPECIAL KIND OF SERVANT

I was on my way to the doctor's office this afternoon and was a little early, so I decided to go by Christian High School in O'Fallon, MO. CHS is a part of the Living Word School District of which I was the administrator during the nearly spectacular growth period in the late '90's and early 2000's. There were several serving, people on the teaching staff at that time and I had the happy privilege of hiring a number of new teachers, many of whom are still teaching there. One of those teachers who touched me in so many special ways was Francie Blackwell. Francie is a cute, vivacious lady who now has children in and considering college. MERCY!

When i walked in the door, she saw me and ran, threw her arms around me and made me fee so special. She talked about those years when we were just getting started and how lives are being changed today because of that work. Francie is always so encouraging and appreciative. What a special servant she is to elementary students.

Several years ago, I took Bill Weber, a friend of mine , to see one of the elementary schools. Francie was having PE in the parking lot and the kids were having a ball. They were exercising to the following:

"Jesus is our strength and power
He'll be with us every hour."

Bill could not believe it. He cried. Here was this gruff. strong man in tears because of the way Francie was teaching those youngsters.

Through the years, Francie has sent me cards at Christmas, Easter, birthdays. She is a thoughtful, energetic, loving, caring kind of lady who comes into one's life all too infrequently.

Since we began Write About Jesus, I have had the privilege of meeting a young lady who personifies the same qualities of Francie. Stacey O'Hara shares her love in so many special ways. Encouraging comments on my blog, checking to see how I feel, obvious love for Christ - all these things spill over into my life and I am so thankful. I have been working on trying to develop "Willing Learners," and Stacey has shared some really good things that help me in that endeavor.

One of the very best things about WAJ is the caring family that has been created. I treasure that and the relationships I am privileged to share.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SERVING

For a few years, Sue and i worked at St. Charles High School. She was a jack of all trades serving as an English, Journalism and Drama teacher. During her stay at SCHS, a strange and funny event took place and she wrote a story about it that was on the front page of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and picked up by the Associated Press and printed in newspapers all across the United States. Indeed, there was a question about it on a syndicated game show.

Jean Mudd, an English teacher at SCHS was sponsoring Mark Twain days and a part of that special event was a scheduled frog jumping activity. Mrs. Mudd anxiously awaited the arrival of the frogs, and as the date for the event drew closer, the frogs had not arrived. It was incredibly cold in St. Charles at that time and it was discovered that the frogs had been left in the outside mailbox over the weekend. In opening the box, 42 frozen frogs were found. They had been exposed to 3 nights of sub-freezing weather.

They were immediately taken to Dan Odom's first hour biology class and his students gathered round as Odom worked feverishly to revive them. Frogs are cold-blooded animals whose body temperatures adjust to the ambient temperature.

Odom immersed the frogs into a cold-water bath and into progressively warmer baths as they began to show sings of movement. Then in an act of rare heroism and servanthood, he applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to four of them and the back pressure-arm life method of resuscitation to the remainder.Mrs. Mudd said it was a rare sight to see the 6-foot-5 Odom "bending over all these little limp frogs and coaxing them back to life."

In the end, not one frog was lost and none seemed to worse for the ordeal when put through their paces. Now that was truly a different kind of serving.

The question on the game show was this: "Can you give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a frog?"

By the way, Dan Odom and I were the sponsors of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at St.Charles High and we had the largest huddle in the state of Missouri.

32ND ANNUAL PRAYER BREAKFAST FOR GREATER ST. LOUIS

Last year at this time, I had the happy privilege of introducing Governor Matt Blunt and Rick Warren to each other at the Greater St. Louis Annual Prayer Breakfast. That was a lot of fun and I suffered from a bit of "Head table Mentality" from that experience. Today, was the 32nd annual prayer breakfast with around 2500 in attendance. It is indeed one of the most attended prayer breakfasts in the United States.

Frank Cusamano, a local TV and Radio sports personality was the emcee and he did an excellent job in that capacity. Included in the program was the Mayor's Welcome, the County Executive's Welcome, Old Testament Reading, New Testament Reading, prayer for Mayors and other community and state leaders. There was also a prayer for our National Leaders, especially President Bush.

The speaker for today's prayer breakfast was Mr. John Aden who is Senior Vice President of International Operations for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. It was obvious that Mr Aden is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His message suggested that each of us has a "God-Sized Hole." In order help fill the hole, we must recognize that God created us to Love Him. Filling the "God-Sized Hole" is more than a one time event. It is not just accepting Christ as Savior, it is a growing event. Filling the "God-Sized Hole" turns us to others. Filling the "God-Sized Hole" will lead to the real thing. That is a spirit-filled life.

Aden continues to be a very successful business person. He always starts the day in "The Word." He and his family have grown through the book "Experiencing God." After studying that book, his entire family and extended family have moved from being religious to committed lives dedicated to Jesus. In the final analysis, isn't that what God desires for all of us?

KINDERGARTEN - A PLACE TO CREATE

I feel I had a good start in school. I began kindergarten at Greenwood Elementary School on the campus of Missouri State University. We had 30 students in our class, 15 boys and 15 girls. Greenwood was not a private school, but you had to enroll early to be admitted. I believe my mother enrolled me when I was three days old. Miss Dora Henicke was my teacher and she had a great room in which to teach. We had a jungle gym, a storage locker for your shoes and other items, work benches with vices, an area carpet and a real opportunity to learn. I wish I would have become a "Willing Learner," but I as grateful for my year in kindergarten.

The first kindergarten in the United States began in the public school system of St. Louis, Missouri. Today, the district is plagued with so many problems that many corporate leaders in the city have given up. The district has been taken over by the state of Missouri. The present superintendent, Diana Borisaw (sp?) is a godly lady who really wants to do some special things to create a new climate for education in city schools. She has involved the clergy of the metropolitan area and making progress. Sadly, however, she is not going to continue as the leader of the district (By the way, she is a SERVANT-LEADER).

My friend, Ed Watkins and I, along with MOHELA are endeavoring to develop a program that will change, not only St. Louis, but the state of Missouri and the United States. It is strongly felt that we must begin in kindergarten and create "Willing Learners." Being a "Willing Learner" is not a natural thing, but they can be developed and we want to make sure that happens. I have some ideas, but need help in this endeavor.

Last Friday, I was in Springfield meeting with Arthur Mallory. He is a special friend and by far the BEST Commissioner of Education the state of Missouri has ever had. Several years ago, he began one of the best educational programs in the world when he created "Parents as Teachers." He gave me the name of the lady who is head of that organization and she has already e-mailed me so we can begin conversation on how that organization can help is in our kindergarten effort.

Meanwhile, if you have any ideas on how to create "Willing Learners," please let me know.

Sue came home last night at 8:10 pm. It is now 2:10 pm the next day in St. Charles, and she is still sleeping. I am looking forward to hearing all about her trip to the far east.

LEADERS SHOULD BE SERVANTS FIRST

Almost daily I see so-called leaders fail to maximize the potential of those they are supposed to be leading. I see this as a reflection of what is being taught in colleges and universities across America. I encounter corporations, businesses, schools and institutions that are less than what they should be because of poor leadership. It is sad to see an organization with poor morale and the leader is either not aware or does not care. Sometimes a false feeling of importance keeps a leader acting as though he/she is someone more special than those they should be leading.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet a lady who serves as she leads. She has built a nation-wide business that is more than flourishing. Maxine Clark is the chief executive of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Maxine is the past president of Payless ShoeSource, Inc (Sue cannot pass a Payless store without going in). Maxine Clark cares about the employees of Build-A-Bear. She is putting so much in making sure their needs are being met. They can even bring a dog to work. She does not act as though she is above anyone else, rather goes the extra mile to be of assistance. Maxine was named a Customer-Centered Leader in the 2005 Customer First Awards by Fast Company. She was named one of the Wonder Women of Toys by Playthings magazine and Women in Toys. She has authored "The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart," which was published by Wiley.

I told Maxine that she needs to go to Baylor and help the Baylor Bears win some football games. She replied that she is opening a Build-A-Bear store in Waco.

Maxine Clark personifies a great leader. Without a doubt, she is one.

LEADERS SHOULD BE SERVANTS FIRST

Almost daily I see so-called leaders fail to maximize the potential of those they are supposed to be leading. I see this as a reflection of what is being taught in colleges and universities across America. I encounter corporations, businesses, schools and institutions that are less than what they should be because of poor leadership. It is sad to see an organization with poor morale and the leader is either not aware or does not care. Sometimes a false feeling of importance keeps a leader acting as though he/she is someone more special than those the should be leading.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet a lady who serves as she leads. She has built a nation-wide business that is more than flourishing. Maxine Clark is the chief executive of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Maxine is the past president of Payless ShoeSource, Inc (Sue cannot pass a Payless store without going in). Maxine Clark cares about the employees of Build-A-Bear. She is putting so much in making sure their needs are being met. They can even bring a dog to work. She does not act as though she is above anyone else, rather goes the extra mile to be of assistance. Maxine was named a Customer-Centered Leader in the 2005 Customer First Awards by Fast Company. She was named one of the Wonder Women of Toys by Playthings magazine and Women in Toys. She has authored "The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart," which was published by Wiley.

I told Maxine that she needs to go to Baylor and help the Baylor Bears win some football games. She replied that she is opening a Build-A-Bear store in Waco.

Maxine Clark personifies a great leader. Without a doubt, she is one.

AN OLD STORY

In going through some materials to be used at the new One Accord website (under construction) I ran across an article from the "Tulsa, OK Tribune." It was dated December 3, 1964 and was an article about my grandmother Smith who had been a sixth grade elementary teacher in Billings, MO ( just west of Springfield) in 1901 and 1902.

The picture in the article shows my grandmother who was 84 at the time was meeting with one of her students, Elmer Jones for the first time in 62 years. Their meeting took place in the home of Mrs. Smith's niece where Mrs. Smith was staying in Tulsa. "I hadn't seen Elmer since the close of school in the spring of 1902," she said."Naturally, he has changed a lot, but he still resembles the boy who was my student, although larger than I had him pictured."

Jones declared that Mrs Smith "looks a lot like I remembered her during all these years - she sure looks good to me. . I guess I have thought of her a million times over the years."

How did the former teacher and student get together after all these years? "My cousin from St. Louis was visiting with my wife and me and we were talking about teachers who had made an impression on us." Jones said.

I mentioned Rose Smith and my cousin said 'Why she's an aunt of my sister-in-law, Mrs. Burd who arranged for our visit. I'm sure happy she did."

For those of you who teach today, you just never know the impact you are having on your students. God bless our teachers.

HOW BLESSED WE REALLY ARE

If you have food in the refrigerator,
Clothes on your back, a roof
Overhead and a place to sleep...you
Are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank,
In your wallet, and spare change in a
Dish someplace...you are among the
Top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health
Than illness...you are more blessed than
The million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of
Battle, the loneliness if imprisonment, the
Agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...
You are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear
Or harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you
Are more blessed than three billion people in the world

If your parents are still alive and still married...
You are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face
And are truly thankful...you are blessed
Because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's
Hand, hug them or even touch them on the
Shoulder...you are blessed
Because you can offer healing touch.

If you can read this message, you just received
A double blessing in that someone was thinking of you
And furthermore, you are more blessed than over
Two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass
This along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE

James C. Hunter has written a second book on leadership, this one called "The World's Most Powerful Leadership Principle." It emphasizes the process of becoming a servant leader.

To lead is not to be "the boss," "the head honcho," or "the brass." Servant Leadership is actually a robust, revolutionary idea that can have significant impact on an organization's performance.

Servant Leadership turns bosses and managers into coaches and mentors. Hunter suggests that the Servant Leader should determine the mission, values, standards and accountability. Servant leaders do not take a poll or take a vote when it comes to these critical fundamentals. When these things are in place, the servant leader turns the structure upside down. They focus on giving employees everything they need to win, be it resources, time, guidance or inspiration. Servant leaders know that providing for people and engaging hearts and minds foster a workforce that understands the benefits of striving for the greater good. The emphasis is on building authority, not power; on exerting influence, not intimidation.

Here are some thoughts about leadership:

Just because a person can do the job well does not mean that he or she can inspire and influence others to do the job well.

I encounter far too many professionals in our educational institutions who see their roles primarily imparting book knowledge to a "bunch of kids" they don't really car much for.

It has been suggested that managers do things right while leaders do the right thing.

You do not manage people, your lead people

One of the operative words in our leadership definition is the ability to influence others for good.

John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach of UCLA had this to say about this book: "For years I have highly recommended James Hunter's first book, "The Servant," to all my friends and acquaintances. I truly believe that "The World's Greatest Leadership Principle" will be of more value to all concerned about becoming and being an effective leader."

THE SERVANT

"The Servant," by James C. Hunter is a simple story about the true essence of leadership. Sue heard Mr. Hunter speak at a Christian gathering some time ago. Joe Weller, Chairman and CEO of Nestle USA said "'The Servant' is an intriguing quick read that you will not be able to put down until you have experienced all of its life-changing treasures". As for myself I found it to be very inspiring.

In this absorbing tale, you watch the principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a week-long leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery.

To John's surprise, the monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend. Taking John under his wing, the monk guides him to a realization that is simple yet profound: The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice. These principles don't demand special talents; they are simply based on strengthening the bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you.

Let me share a few quotes from the book:

1. Kindness is how we act, not how we feel.
2. The greatest opportunity we have to pay attention to people is by actively listening to them.
3. Once you begin to look for people doing things right, you suddenly begin to see things you've never seen before.
4. Humility to me is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking about yourself less.

What kind of leader are you?

JESUS ON LEADERSHIP

C. Gene Wilkes has written a very interesting book on leadership called "Jesus on Leadership." He is a Baptist pastor in Dallas and I shared with the folks at the 2007 WAJ workshop some thoughts he had regarding "Head Table Mentality." He is an excellent writer and I recommend this book highly. Let me share a thought or two from his writing.

Jesus wants servant leaders to be follower first. Douglas K Smith has written:

"In the 21st century organization, all leaders must learn to follow if they are to successfully lead...Leaders at all levels and in all situations must pay close attention to situations in which their most effective option is to follow...not because the hierarchy demands they 'obey,' but because performance requires them to rely on the capacities and insights of other people."

Biblical leadership always begins with a God-sized mission in the form of a call by God. Leadership begins with mission. Without mission there is no need or motivation to lead. Servant leadership finds its motive from God's commissioning a person to carry out a divine plan among a group of people. Becoming servant to the mission and a follower of the God who called you is the heart of a servant leader.

Jesus teaches us that we learn to lead by learning to follow. How powerful is that from my perspective. Henry Nouwen and his coauthors observed this about Jesus' life:

"Obedience, as it is embodied in Jesus Christ, is a total listening, a giving attention with no hesitation or limitation, a being all ear. When used by Jesus, the word obedience has no association with fear, but rather is the expression of his most intimate, loving relationship. Jesus' actions and words are the obedient response to this love of his Father." A lot of pastors need to understand this.

Wilkes stated these words: "Action is the response of obedience.

A BOOK ON LEADERSHIP

Captain D. Michael Abrashoff, former commander of the USS Benfold in his book "Its Your Ship," provides a number of management techniques from the best ship in the Navy. The story of Captain Abrashoff and his command of the USS Benfold has become legendary inside and outside the Navy.

When Abrashoff took over as commander of that ship, a ship armed with every cutting-edge system available, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. The slogan on board the ship was "It's your ship," and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency.

Abrashoff's secrets of successful management include the following:

SEE THE SHIP THROUGH THE EYES OF THE CREW.

By soliciting a sailor's suggestion, Abrashoff drastically reduced tedious chores that provided little additional value.

COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE

The more Abrashoff communicated the plan, the better the crew's performance. His crew would eventually call him "Megaphone Mike," since they heard from him so often

CREATE DISCIPLINE BY FOCUSING ON PURPOSE

Discipline skyrocketed when Abrashoff's crew believed that what they were doing was important.

LISTEN AGGRESSIVELY

After learning that many sailors wanted to pursue the GI Bill, Abrashoff brought a test official aboard the ship - and held the SAT's forty miles off the Iraqui coast

Abrashoff left the Navy in 2001 and became the founder and CEO of Grassroots Leadership, Inc, in Boston. You can visit his Web site at www.grassrootsleadership.com.

Randy Etter, one of MOHELA's Board of Directors gave this book to each member of the Board. Thank you, Randy.

TIME WITH GRANDKIDS

Christmas 2007 was so special because we had all of our children and their children in our house for several days. As I have mentioned previously, out family has increased from 5 to 13 and that number can cause a disruption of daily routines. Now, that is not the largest number we have had in our home (125 FCA members from St. Charles High) but having small children and a number of new toys scattered all over every room can lead to total chaos. Houston and Hudson, both three, played very well together. Lauren and Alex paid a lot of attention to Jacob. They are so beautiful could anyone not like attention from them?

This past weekend was fun being with Jacob, Houston and Violet. Violet is so cute and when they flashed her picture on the screen at her dedication, the congregation oohed and aahhed. The boys like to wrestle with grandpa and also like for him to tickle them. Of course, that is huge fun for me. Guy and Holly purchased a basketball goal for the boys and that will be fun playing with them in Nashville as well as here in St. Charles.

MOHELA is in the process of forgiving 1.4 M in student loans of those who are in the teaching profession. That amounts to $3200 for each person identified.

Sue thinks I should share my feelings about the books I listed in the last blog and perhaps I shall start that next time.

Wednesday, I am on the way to Springfield. Some of my high school classmates are having lunch as we plan to get the class to gether in 2009. Planning starts way in advance.

Arthur Mallory and I will meet to discuss some ideas I have about a Christian school. He knows more about education than anyone I know.

Hope 2008 is off to a great start for you. GO STACEY O'HARA!!!!!!! Bring us a winner.

Thanks for the "happy birthday" messages. I certainly am appreciative of your thinking about me.

GOOD READING FOR SERVING LEADERS

I thought I would begin the new year by sharing some books I have enjoyed on Servant-Leadership. Of course the number one book is the Bible in general and the book of Nehemiah in particular. Some other books written by outstanding authors are currently available.

THE POWER OF FOCUS by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt, HCI

ON BECOMING A LEADER by Warren Bennis, Addison Wesley

THE SERVANT by James C. Hunter, Crown Business

THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE, James C. Hunter, Crown Business

THE LEADERSHIP GENIUS OF JESUS, William Beausay II, Nelson

JESUS ON LEADERSHIP, C. Gene Wilkes, Tyndale

THE HEART OF A LEADER, Ken Blanchard, HB Honor

THE SERVANT LEADER Ken Blanchard U Phil Hodges, Countryman

THE SERVING LEADER Ken Jennings & John Stahl-Wert, Berrett-Oehler

FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP, Larry C. Spears & Michele Lawrence

SYNCHRONICITY, THE INNER PATH OF LEADERSHIP Joseph Jaworske, Bennett-Koehler

MEN IN LEADERSHIP, Bob Briner, Holman Reference

MORE LEADERSHIP LESSONS OF JESUS, Bob Briner & Ray Prichard, Broadman & Holman

SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN THE REAL WORLD, Kurt S. Takamine, AmErica House

THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES WAY Jody Hoffer Gittell, McGraw Hill

THE SERVANT LEADER WITHIN Robert K Greenleaf, Paulist Press

LEAD ON John Edmund Haggai, Kobrey Press

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE Stephen R. Covey. Simon & Schuster

THE 8TH HABIT Stephen R. Covey, Free Press

LEADERSHIP Rudolph W. Giuliani, Hyperion

THE 21 IRREFUTABLE LAWS OF LEADERSHIP John C. Maxwell, Thomas Nelson

ON BECOMING A PERSON OF INFLUENCE John C. Maxwell, Thomas Nelson

DEVELOPING THE LEADERS AROUND YOU John C. Maxwell, Thomas Nelson

NOTHING TO FEAR - LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP FROM FDR Alan Axelrod, Portfolio

WHEN THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU - HARRY TRUMAN ON LEADERSHIP Alan Axelrod, Portfolio

2008 has a lot of potential for us to develop Serving Leaders in all walks of life. All of us can be leaders even though not all of us can be CEO. To accomplish what Jesus did and continues to do is astonishing. Certainly we can learn a lot about leading from Him.