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.