Last week, my two daughters – 10 and 7 years old – gave me a 15-page PowerPoint presentation about how they want to upgrade their room, including a budget.
Part of their plan was to set up a lemonade stand to raise some of the money, so that we did. They named themselves the “Sweet and Sour Sisters”.
To no one’s surprise, they sold out in an hour.
On Monday I spoke at my Grandpa Jerry’s funeral and on Tuesday I turned 35. It’s been an impactful few days, with a unique mix of memories from the past and hopes for the future. I was born in the small town of Troy, Montana, with a total population under 1,000. My Grandparents owned a fancy (Montana fancy, that is) restaurant and bar in the neighboring big city of Libby, Montana. Visiting Grandma and Grandpa carried with it many fond memories: sitting on Grandma’s lap playing Keno, drinking Shirley Temples, and petting their many horses. As we discussed these memories over the last few days with friends and family, I kept thinking of the amazing potential of one single life to influence so many.
I enjoy learning and writing about leadership—mobilizing people and resources to seize opportunities and solve problems. Nothing makes me more giddy than seeing progress and growth. I love it when things get done.
In leadership conversations, everyone talks about the importance of delegation in order to get more accomplished. Delegation, at it’s finest, empowers an individual or team to do more than they could ever do alone. Delegation, at it’s worst, is passing the buck on a to-do list you just don’t care about, but probably should.
Delegation is a matter of healthy growth, and sometimes survival. However, there are two things that you should never delegate. They are important, but not always urgent… until it’s too late.
This post was adapted from my book Authority: The Leader’s Call to Serve. You can get a copy free on Amazon for a limited time.
In the later years of King Solomon’s reign, he made conditions for the Israelites extremely harsh. The people referred to his reign as a heavy yoke. In the period after Solomon’s death, the void in leadership resulted in a division between the people of Israel. In hopes of bettering their working conditions, the people wanted to have a man named Jeroboam made king instead of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. They were so fed up with Solomon’s rule, Rehoboam had to flee to the city of Shechem, afraid for his life.
My oldest son Caleb is turning 12 in a few weeks. That means we’re two-thirds of the way to him finishing high school and moving on to what’s next. Our youngest daughter, Haley, is turning 7 a few weeks after that. Kara and Orin find themselves in the middle at the ages of 8 and 10. What in the world? Where has the time gone? Crystal and I often talk about how we want to bottle up today’s memories and not let the days slip by without some intentionality.
You’re busy, I’m busy, we’re all busy! I get it and it’s easy to use that as an excuse to why we’re not making great memories with our family. I know, because I’ve done it.
This post was adapted from my book Money: God or Gift. Buy it for $2.99 and read it on your Kindle, or on a free Kindle Reader application.
“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.” (Luke 12:37)
Have you ever asked yourself that question? Or maybe you’ve dismissed it because you feel too young (“I don’t need to worry about that right now”) or too old (“It’s too late”). Both excuses are untrue. As long as you still have life, you need to use it. Don’t delay it, and don’t diminish it, or else you’ll waste it.
Where do you want to go? What are you pursuing? What drives you? What bugs you? What do you want to see changed—in your life, in your city, in the world?
Life is full of opportunity. Leadership is about taking those opportunities. Legacy is what you will leave behind when you do.
They say a picture is worth a million words…or something like that. Here’s my million words:
Crystal – my lovely wife of 13 years, by far the better half.
Caleb – our oldest son of 11 years, I love his concern for the new kid.
Kara – our oldest daughter of 10 years, her creativity inspires me.
Orin – our youngest son of 8 years, willing to talk with anyone.
Haley – our youngest daughter of 6 years, busy making us all laugh.
About Me: A lot of grace! That sums up my life well. Over the years I have had the opportunity to see a lot of change, in my own life, my family’s lives and the organizations I’ve had the privilege of being a part of. I believe that Life is a gift, Leadership is an honor, and Legacy matters. Read more...
