Capitol Hill needs a cleansing. I believe most politicians want to get into public service for the right reasons but get so intoxicated with the fumes of power, money, & fame that they lose their moral compass. I am still a Democrat, but believe that politics is destroying our country.
Many moons ago Samuel Adams said,"If ever a time shall come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent our ruin." Today Americans are fed up with the present system. The culture of money and power dominates Washington and makes good people do things that are morally questionable, if not reprehensible. We can no longer tolerate a political system that rewards unethical behavior.
From bondage to spiritual faith.
From faith to great courage.
From courage to liberty.
From liberty to abundance.
From abundance to complacency.
From complacency to selfishness.
From selfishness to apathy.
From apathy to dependency.
And from dependence back into bondage.
ALEXANDER TYLER
Times such as this can easily breed a hopeless attitude but it can also stimulate us to realize we have within us the capacity to overcome these challenges & if we are courageous and act now to make a difference then we need not despair.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
More Wisdom From Coach Dale Brown
Notes From Dale Brown’s Readings On Leadership
1. No leader is exempt from criticism, and his humility will nowhere be seen more clearly than in the manner in which he accepts and reacts to it.
2. Anyone who steps into the arena of leadership must be prepared to pay a price. True leadership exacts a heavy toll on the whole person and the more effective the leadership, the higher the price! The leader must soon face the fact that he will be the target of critical darts. Unpleasant though it may sound, you haven’t really led until you have become familiar with the stinging barbs of the critic. Good leaders must have the thick skin.
3. Every leader must develop the ability to measure the value or worth of criticism. He has to determine the source and the motive, and he has to listen with discernment. Sometimes the best course of action is to respond to criticism and learn from it. Other times, he must be completely ignored.
4. It is impossible to lead anyone without facing opposition.
5. It is essential to face opposition in prayer.
6. Few people can live in the lap of luxury and maintain their spiritual, emotional, and moral equilibrium. Sudden elevation often disturbs balance, which leads to pride and a sense of self-sufficiency and then, a fall. It’s ironic, but more of us can hang tough through a demotion than through a promotion.
7. The man who is impatient with weakness will be defective in his leadership. The evidence of our strength lies not in streaking ahead but in a willingness to adapt our stride to the slower pace of our weaker brethren, while not forfeiting our lead. If we run too far ahead, we lose our power to influence.
8. No matter how strong a leader you are, you will experience times when the cutting remarks really hurt.
9. You must be determined to apply massive common sense in solving complex problems.
10. You must be willing to accept the simple fact that you have flaws and will need to work every day to become a better leader than you were yesterday.
11. We must never build pyramids in our own honor. We must not fall victim to pompous, self-serving practices.
12. Beware of the treacherous person who pledges loyalty in public then spreads discontent in private. Make every effort to identify and remove them. Leaders are often betrayed by those they trust most.
13. Do not delegate an assignment and then attempt to manage it yourself-you will make an enemy of the overruled subordinates.
14. Worthy leaders accept full responsibility for all assignments-even those they have delegated to their subordinates.
15. A wise leader expands his influence and ability to serve the company only through the art of delegation.
16. Know that your most worthy efforts will be scorned by your peers, for it is they who suffer most when you excel.
17. Regardless of the conditions under which a former leader departs, the new leader should neither encourage nor tolerate disrespectful talk of him. Speaking ill will not change past events or serve to further understanding. It will most certainly tarnish the stature of a new leader.
18. As a leader who achieves greater success, the jealousy others feel for him intensifies.
19. Good workers normally achieve what their leaders expect from them.
20. Leaders should remember that hospitality, warmth, and courtesy will captivate even the most oppressive foe.21. Leaders should always aim high, going after things that will make a difference rather than seeking the safe path of mediocrity.
22. The leader teaches by example rather than by lecturing others on how they ought to be.
23. By being selfless, the leader enhances self.
24. When leaders become superstars, the teacher outshines the teaching.
25. The leader does not take all the credit for what happens and has no need for fame. A moderate ego demonstrates wisdom
26. If you measure success in terms of praise and criticism your anxiety will be endless.
27. To become more profound, give up your selfishness. Let go of your efforts to be perfect or rich or secure or admired. Such efforts only limit you.
28. When I give up trying to impress the group, I become very impressive. The less I make myself, the more I am.
29. The flashy leader lacks stability. Trying to rush matters gets you nowhere. Trying to appear brilliant is not enlightened. Insecure leaders try to promote themselves. Impotent leaders capitalize on their position.
30. Too much force will backfire. Constant interventions and instigations will not make a good group. They will spoil a group. Force will cost you the support of the members.
31. Being open and attentive is more effective than being judgmental. This is because people naturally tend to be good and truthful when they are being received in a good and truthful manner.
32. The leader cannot be seduced by offers or threats. Money, love, or fame-whatever gained or lost-do not sway the leader from center.
33. The fewer rules the better. Rules reduce freedom and responsibility. Enforcement of rules is coercive and manipulative, which diminishes spontaneity and absorbs group energy.
34. The more coercive you are, the more resistant the group will become. Your manipulations will only breed evasions. Every law creates an outlaw.
35. Good leadership consists of motivating people to their highest levels by offering them opportunities not obligations.
36. Knowing that you do not know everything is far wiser than thinking you know a lot when you really don’t.
37. The wise leader models spiritual behavior and lives in harmony with spiritual values.
38. The wise leader knows that yielding overcome resistances, and gentleness melts rigid defenses.
39. A leader must endure a great deal of abuse. If the leader were not like water, the leader would break. The ability to be soft makes the leader a leader. This is another paradox; what is soft is strong.
40. Interfere as little as possible. Interference, however brilliant, creates a dependence on the leader.
41. Many leaders spoil the work just as it nears completion. They get eager. They get invested in certain outcomes. They become anxious and make mistakes. This is a time for care and consciousness.
42. A wise leader stays in the background and facilitates other people’s process. The greatest things a leader does go largely unnoticed. Because the leader does not push or shape or manipulate, there is no resentment or resistance.
43. There is a vast difference between being aware of the details and being lost in those details. The individual who is able to stand back being fully aware of the facts and yet not lost in them is the one best equipped to lead.
44. Lack of morale and discipline is the most contagious and destructive disease that can ever enter your company.
45. Do not expect everyone to agree with you even if you are the boss.
46. When you must be overly persuasive in gaining support for your decision, it’s usually a sign of a bad one.
47. Know that your most worthy efforts will be scorned by your peers, for it is they who suffer most when you excel.
48. A leader with followers who always agree with him reaps the counsel of mediocrity.
49. Great leaders never take themselves too seriously.
50. As a leader achieves greater success, the jealousy others feel for him intensifies.
51. Leaders should never rush into confrontations.
52. The ability to make difficult decisions separates leaders from followers.
53. Good workers normally achieve what their leaders expect from them.
54. Leaders are often betrayed by those they trust most.
55. The leader shows that style is no substitute for substance, that knowing certain facts is not more powerful than simple wisdom, than creating an impression is not more potent than acting from one’s center.
56. Silence is a great source of strength.
57. Enlightened leadership is service, no selfishness. The leader grows more and lasts longer by placing the well being of self alone.
58. When a person is calm, complex events appear simple. To know what is happening, push less, open up and be aware. See without staring. Listen quietly rather than listening hard. Use intuition and reflection rather than trying to figure things out. The more you let go of trying, and the more open and receptive you become, the more easily you will know what is happening.
59. The wise leader speaks rarely and briefly. The leaser teaches more through being than through doing. The quality of one’s silence conveys more than long speeches. The leader who knows how to be still and feel deeply will probably be effective, but the leader who chatters and boasts and tries to impress the group has no center and carries little weight.
60. The flashy leader lacks stability. Trying to rush matters gets you nowhere. Trying to appear brilliant is not enlightened. Insecure leaders try to promote themselves. Impotent leaders capitalize on their position.
61. Too much force will backfire. Constant interventions and instigations will not make a good group.
1. No leader is exempt from criticism, and his humility will nowhere be seen more clearly than in the manner in which he accepts and reacts to it.
2. Anyone who steps into the arena of leadership must be prepared to pay a price. True leadership exacts a heavy toll on the whole person and the more effective the leadership, the higher the price! The leader must soon face the fact that he will be the target of critical darts. Unpleasant though it may sound, you haven’t really led until you have become familiar with the stinging barbs of the critic. Good leaders must have the thick skin.
3. Every leader must develop the ability to measure the value or worth of criticism. He has to determine the source and the motive, and he has to listen with discernment. Sometimes the best course of action is to respond to criticism and learn from it. Other times, he must be completely ignored.
4. It is impossible to lead anyone without facing opposition.
5. It is essential to face opposition in prayer.
6. Few people can live in the lap of luxury and maintain their spiritual, emotional, and moral equilibrium. Sudden elevation often disturbs balance, which leads to pride and a sense of self-sufficiency and then, a fall. It’s ironic, but more of us can hang tough through a demotion than through a promotion.
7. The man who is impatient with weakness will be defective in his leadership. The evidence of our strength lies not in streaking ahead but in a willingness to adapt our stride to the slower pace of our weaker brethren, while not forfeiting our lead. If we run too far ahead, we lose our power to influence.
8. No matter how strong a leader you are, you will experience times when the cutting remarks really hurt.
9. You must be determined to apply massive common sense in solving complex problems.
10. You must be willing to accept the simple fact that you have flaws and will need to work every day to become a better leader than you were yesterday.
11. We must never build pyramids in our own honor. We must not fall victim to pompous, self-serving practices.
12. Beware of the treacherous person who pledges loyalty in public then spreads discontent in private. Make every effort to identify and remove them. Leaders are often betrayed by those they trust most.
13. Do not delegate an assignment and then attempt to manage it yourself-you will make an enemy of the overruled subordinates.
14. Worthy leaders accept full responsibility for all assignments-even those they have delegated to their subordinates.
15. A wise leader expands his influence and ability to serve the company only through the art of delegation.
16. Know that your most worthy efforts will be scorned by your peers, for it is they who suffer most when you excel.
17. Regardless of the conditions under which a former leader departs, the new leader should neither encourage nor tolerate disrespectful talk of him. Speaking ill will not change past events or serve to further understanding. It will most certainly tarnish the stature of a new leader.
18. As a leader who achieves greater success, the jealousy others feel for him intensifies.
19. Good workers normally achieve what their leaders expect from them.
20. Leaders should remember that hospitality, warmth, and courtesy will captivate even the most oppressive foe.21. Leaders should always aim high, going after things that will make a difference rather than seeking the safe path of mediocrity.
22. The leader teaches by example rather than by lecturing others on how they ought to be.
23. By being selfless, the leader enhances self.
24. When leaders become superstars, the teacher outshines the teaching.
25. The leader does not take all the credit for what happens and has no need for fame. A moderate ego demonstrates wisdom
26. If you measure success in terms of praise and criticism your anxiety will be endless.
27. To become more profound, give up your selfishness. Let go of your efforts to be perfect or rich or secure or admired. Such efforts only limit you.
28. When I give up trying to impress the group, I become very impressive. The less I make myself, the more I am.
29. The flashy leader lacks stability. Trying to rush matters gets you nowhere. Trying to appear brilliant is not enlightened. Insecure leaders try to promote themselves. Impotent leaders capitalize on their position.
30. Too much force will backfire. Constant interventions and instigations will not make a good group. They will spoil a group. Force will cost you the support of the members.
31. Being open and attentive is more effective than being judgmental. This is because people naturally tend to be good and truthful when they are being received in a good and truthful manner.
32. The leader cannot be seduced by offers or threats. Money, love, or fame-whatever gained or lost-do not sway the leader from center.
33. The fewer rules the better. Rules reduce freedom and responsibility. Enforcement of rules is coercive and manipulative, which diminishes spontaneity and absorbs group energy.
34. The more coercive you are, the more resistant the group will become. Your manipulations will only breed evasions. Every law creates an outlaw.
35. Good leadership consists of motivating people to their highest levels by offering them opportunities not obligations.
36. Knowing that you do not know everything is far wiser than thinking you know a lot when you really don’t.
37. The wise leader models spiritual behavior and lives in harmony with spiritual values.
38. The wise leader knows that yielding overcome resistances, and gentleness melts rigid defenses.
39. A leader must endure a great deal of abuse. If the leader were not like water, the leader would break. The ability to be soft makes the leader a leader. This is another paradox; what is soft is strong.
40. Interfere as little as possible. Interference, however brilliant, creates a dependence on the leader.
41. Many leaders spoil the work just as it nears completion. They get eager. They get invested in certain outcomes. They become anxious and make mistakes. This is a time for care and consciousness.
42. A wise leader stays in the background and facilitates other people’s process. The greatest things a leader does go largely unnoticed. Because the leader does not push or shape or manipulate, there is no resentment or resistance.
43. There is a vast difference between being aware of the details and being lost in those details. The individual who is able to stand back being fully aware of the facts and yet not lost in them is the one best equipped to lead.
44. Lack of morale and discipline is the most contagious and destructive disease that can ever enter your company.
45. Do not expect everyone to agree with you even if you are the boss.
46. When you must be overly persuasive in gaining support for your decision, it’s usually a sign of a bad one.
47. Know that your most worthy efforts will be scorned by your peers, for it is they who suffer most when you excel.
48. A leader with followers who always agree with him reaps the counsel of mediocrity.
49. Great leaders never take themselves too seriously.
50. As a leader achieves greater success, the jealousy others feel for him intensifies.
51. Leaders should never rush into confrontations.
52. The ability to make difficult decisions separates leaders from followers.
53. Good workers normally achieve what their leaders expect from them.
54. Leaders are often betrayed by those they trust most.
55. The leader shows that style is no substitute for substance, that knowing certain facts is not more powerful than simple wisdom, than creating an impression is not more potent than acting from one’s center.
56. Silence is a great source of strength.
57. Enlightened leadership is service, no selfishness. The leader grows more and lasts longer by placing the well being of self alone.
58. When a person is calm, complex events appear simple. To know what is happening, push less, open up and be aware. See without staring. Listen quietly rather than listening hard. Use intuition and reflection rather than trying to figure things out. The more you let go of trying, and the more open and receptive you become, the more easily you will know what is happening.
59. The wise leader speaks rarely and briefly. The leaser teaches more through being than through doing. The quality of one’s silence conveys more than long speeches. The leader who knows how to be still and feel deeply will probably be effective, but the leader who chatters and boasts and tries to impress the group has no center and carries little weight.
60. The flashy leader lacks stability. Trying to rush matters gets you nowhere. Trying to appear brilliant is not enlightened. Insecure leaders try to promote themselves. Impotent leaders capitalize on their position.
61. Too much force will backfire. Constant interventions and instigations will not make a good group.
The Falling Man
Tonight I was bored. I have plenty to keep me entertained and busy...but I found myself on youtube, a site I don't go to often. As I was browsing a documentary came up about September 11th, 2001 called The Falling Man. As many now know, several people jumped to their deaths, not because they wished to die but because death was a certainty and they had a choice...burn to death or jump. Many chose to jump even though the media quickly covered up that fact.
There are many that feel that taking your own life is a mortal sin punishable by going instantly to hell; but surely a loving, compassionate God would not send a man or woman to hell for jumping out of a 100 story building that was engulfed in flames and smoke. What would you have done? I probably would have jumped, just as a reflex to get away, to be in some sort of control over my death.
Watch this documentary and find out for yourself who The Falling Man captured on film is. I am sure it was a worker from the Windows On The World Restaurant, where I have eaten before. But The Falling Man is every man. He is you. He is me. He went to work that morning like so many other mornings and his life was taken from him, from his loved ones and from his friends. The Falling Man shows us that September 11, 2001 wasn't just an attack on the World Trade Center Towers; it was an attack against humanity. I pray for this man, that God had mercy on him enough to take his soul before he hit the ground and the souls of the other jumpers as well. They were not cowards; they are not in hell. They are with the Lord and one day those that are responsible for this will have to answer to them and to God, "Why?" What will they say? What can they say? These were not suicides; these were murders. You need to watch this video, you need to remember that these were real people with real lives and real families. VIDEO HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU
There are many that feel that taking your own life is a mortal sin punishable by going instantly to hell; but surely a loving, compassionate God would not send a man or woman to hell for jumping out of a 100 story building that was engulfed in flames and smoke. What would you have done? I probably would have jumped, just as a reflex to get away, to be in some sort of control over my death.
Watch this documentary and find out for yourself who The Falling Man captured on film is. I am sure it was a worker from the Windows On The World Restaurant, where I have eaten before. But The Falling Man is every man. He is you. He is me. He went to work that morning like so many other mornings and his life was taken from him, from his loved ones and from his friends. The Falling Man shows us that September 11, 2001 wasn't just an attack on the World Trade Center Towers; it was an attack against humanity. I pray for this man, that God had mercy on him enough to take his soul before he hit the ground and the souls of the other jumpers as well. They were not cowards; they are not in hell. They are with the Lord and one day those that are responsible for this will have to answer to them and to God, "Why?" What will they say? What can they say? These were not suicides; these were murders. You need to watch this video, you need to remember that these were real people with real lives and real families. VIDEO HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Dale Brown
Last night I interviewed Coach Dale Brown who retired as the LSU basketball coach after about 30 years. He is best known for grooming Shaquille O'Neill from the time he was 13 and they remain friends to this day. The love this man has for others and for Shaq is real and amazing...he is amazing and if you missed that interview I will give you a link at the end. He sent me this story via email and I wanted to share it with you:
The Journey of a Mother
For those who are fortunate enough to still be blessed by having your Mom with you, this is beautiful…For those who aren’t…it is even more beautiful. The young mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is this the long way?” she asked. And the guide said, “Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.” Since the young mother was happy, she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes, ride a bike, do their homework, and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.” Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, “Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.” And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, “A little patience and we are there.” So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all…unconditional love. The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children.” And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, “I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them.” And the children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.” And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said, “We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.” Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she’s crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion…happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow…and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space…not even death!
SHOW LINK: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yourmentalhealth/2009/10/06/Coach-Dale-Brown-Discusses-His-Book-A-Collection-O
The Journey of a Mother
For those who are fortunate enough to still be blessed by having your Mom with you, this is beautiful…For those who aren’t…it is even more beautiful. The young mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is this the long way?” she asked. And the guide said, “Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.” Since the young mother was happy, she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes, ride a bike, do their homework, and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.” Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, “Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.” And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, “A little patience and we are there.” So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all…unconditional love. The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children.” And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, “I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them.” And the children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.” And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said, “We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.” Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she’s crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion…happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow…and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space…not even death!
SHOW LINK: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yourmentalhealth/2009/10/06/Coach-Dale-Brown-Discusses-His-Book-A-Collection-O
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