Catching Up...

Ok, first off, you know you're not very good at blogging when you have to reset your password every time to even get into your own blog! But, I'm in and I've written my new password down somewhere, I just hope I can remember where for the next time I feel inspired, lol.

Life is busy but I wanted to play a little catch up:

• First off, the new job (5 months old now) is great, love coming to work every day!

• Rochelle is starting a new job next week. She is working under a grant through University of Texas (that is killing me as a Texas Tech Red Raider) at Amarillo College. She will work with AC students enrolled in Early Childhood and who currently work in the day care industry. She serves as a tutor to help these students graduate and learn to teach. She is so excited and she'll be off the road! Praise God!!

• All the kids are doing great. Cori is actively looking for a teaching job in the OKC area but still working at Le Petite. She is learning much that will aid her as a classroom teacher someday. Megan leaves Monday to work summer youth camp in OK. She's excited and I'm proud of her for giving of herself all summer. Emily finishes school next week and will be a senior, wow! Jack is growing like a weed and doing so many fun things.

• This month has also had its challenges. Rochelle was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and will have surgery to remove her thyroid June 1. God has been so good though, our family doctor has been so great and we love the surgeon! Even with Rochelle switching jobs we will only need to carry COBRA for 1-2 months and her new insurance will pick up July 1, so God has been faithful. We are surrounded by wonderful family, great friends, and a wonderful church. Besides, you can't keep Rochelle down and she is too excited about her new job to let this set her back. Out mantra, I have cancer but cancer doesn't have me! We love that TV campaign and know that with a positive-fighting attitude and God's healing power this is "just a thing."

At first glance a casual reader might wonder what any of that has to do with leadership. I contend it has everything to do with leadership. Leadership starts within, stays close to family and extends to career and beyond. With life's daily ups and downs, sometimes all at the same time, leadership is essential. It is a positive leadership philosophy that helps keep me grounded on a firm foundation. Granted, I believe my leadership philosophy is also my life philosophy, which is grounded in faith, but it helps me so much. If you have taken the time to write down a well thought out - prayed out life/leadership philosophy I encourage you to do so. It is the first step in developing your leadership capacity.

This whole blogging thing is therapeutic, but also amazingly beneficial for me as a reflection tool (which if you've read my leadership philosophy you know is an element of it). And fun things happen too. Pearson Publishers is using one of my blog posts (the basic premise of this blog: Leadership = Relationships + Influence) in an upcoming text book. I'm honored, but what I know about leadership I owe to so many others. I have never said anything new, I only hope that I keep finding ways to say truth in ways that connects with people.

Any way, enough rambling. I hope I'm catching up on news now. Thanks in advance for your prayers for Rochelle!

Lead Strong....

Shawn