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First Lady Michelle Obama: Moving Forward…with patience and wisdom

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Our First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a wonderfully moving personal message in which she named patience and wisdom as core values for success. To be
specific she was referring to the character and Patient Leadership and Clear Vision of her husband President Barack Obama. I believe she was also calling on the character of our entire nation. In the short excerpt below there are numerous keys like “Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise” that demonstrate what it takes to have success in life.

Here’s a link of some speech highlights.

And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it – when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost – Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.

Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward…with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.

And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here…and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.
But eventually we get there, we always do.

She adds to the core values, “courage and grace”, these traits of Patient Leadership are the part that make it look easy. Like politics, in life we are “playing a long game” and by remembering this we can keep your heart rate low and reduce stress over small issues. The United States of America is stronger now than it was four years because of people like the Obama’s and those that lead before them. I am stronger now because have more time to spend with my wife and children.

I am grateful to the Father for this time to bond with my family it has blessed me in areas that a booming personal economy can not provide. In 2 Peter 1:5-7 the Bible says

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

All of these character traits point to Patient Leadership and make us better all around. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are an American success story and now we see at the heart of this success is patience and wisdom.

I know if you add “patience and wisdom and courage and grace to” to your endeavours will you have an abundantly fruitful life in four more years?

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Live your life from the Inside Out

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El Ojo – the Eye

I heard this first at my Toastmasters group by a wonderful orator, who “Lives his life from the Inside Out”, by the name of Jerome. I asked his permission to share it with you on this blog. Jerome has a magnificent baritone voice and his demeanor is that of a giant angle when you meet him it is hard not to hug him. His story is one of perseverance and inner strength. He exemplifies Patient Leadership. Jerome says there are three keys to focus on if you want to “live your life from the inside out.

1. Know what you are doing and early
To live life from the inside out you first have to know who you are. The best way to do this is to search your own inner Spirit to see where it meets with the Spirit of God that is inside of you. At this place you will find your compass. When you do this early the challenges will not sway your course.

2. Act on your own
Wanting agreement and help on life’s assignments is natural because we are social beings but there are some actions that demand personal courage. Only you and God know your true purpose and it is wonderful to act on your own. When you believe in your dreams others can see the light radiating from inside of you.

“Take the bull by the horns and run with it.”

3. Believe you are capable to handle anything that life brings you
The first three words, “Believe you are capable” should be a confession you make to yourself every morning. Believing you are capable is the highest part of achievement because it is the beginning. The Creator believed in you and gave you talent to perform the assignment He entrusted you with. You can handle anything that life brings your way because you know what you are doing, you know how to act on your own and you believe you are capable.

Jerome says if you find yourself asking, “What can I do to handle these challenges?” follow these three steps and “Live your life from the inside out”.

How will you can you use these steps to overcome your challenges?

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EvangeliCrat: Evangelical and Socially Responsible

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EvangliCrat(tm) is an Evangelical Christian who first believes the Bible and trust in the Holy Trinity. An EvangliCrat is socially responsible and in tune with the needs of God’s people. These ideologies promote unity by following the teachings of the Bible. There is a new Commandment:

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

It is possible to support all the tenets of the Bible and still protect the rights of those with different beliefs. It is possible to love your neighbor and disapprove of their actions. It is possible to rely on the Father to supply your needs and then support those in need by feeding, housing and clothing them. Here are two scriptures that speak to that:

1. Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

2. Matthew 25:35-36 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me

This is a free country founded on equality for all, let’s live that way. A political system that celebrates only two options does not speak to freedom. There is an opportunity to make another voice heard. A voice that is meek but powerful. Evangelical Christian values are not exclusively for the Republican Party and Socially Responsibly citizens are not exclusively for Democratic Party. There is a voice that must stand up for justice by following moral principles that are founded in truth, protect Civil Rights without compromising principles and thinking with a socially conscious collectiveness that promotes achievement.

Join the movement that will shift our country back to the people.

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Health care show me your new face

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The New face of health care was not considered when the county commissioners of Jefferson County Alabama decided to close inpatient care at the Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, which cares for poor and more importantly the majority of people with no insurance. The claim was that our county could not afford “Indigent Care”. The indigent population is only a portion of the people served by this hospital.

The new face of health care is the man who worked for a religious organization and terminated for no fault of his own. When he showed me his glasses and then said “thank you” to Cooper Green.

The new face of healthcare is the thriving business owner that keeps the employees at their current pay but cannot afford insurance. These employees if they need care will be burdened with a bill or go without care.

All of the under employed retail workers that serve you anything at bargain price, have insurance at minimal levels. They can be called the “working poor”.

To this day I like applesauce with raisins on top because they were given to me at a free day care, while my mother was receiving prenatal health care at Grady Hospital in Georgia. Thank God for those people seeing our faces at that time.

Feed the people who need the help.

All of these people are standing beside you, worshipping beside you and some share a common family tree with you. This decision is not only hurts the person under the bridge it hurts the person in the mirror.

For all the rhetoric and mismanaged funds in our county the focus has again turned away from the people and is now back in a familiar place. Politicians fighting with politicians to keep jobs for executives that will land them on their feet and the constituents out of the door. The commissioners continue to say that there are other good hospitals in the area… This is true the Birmingham Metro has a lot of stellar hospitals that run on payments from the insurance companies. These are stories of communities nationwide. This one is happening in my community, so I will not sleep anymore.

Wake up if you care and wake up if you have been thrown into the pile. IF you care about people then sitting still and keeping quiet is not an option.

Rise up if you are the new face of Health care.

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You shall Win

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“You will Win” is a paraphrase from the bible verses in Luke 21:18-19 (amplified)

However not a hair on your head shall perish. By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls.

This scripture holds a promise that is universal and a truth that applies to any profession or enterprize. First you should not fear for your life or that any harm can come to you.

Fear breeds unbelief.

For believers the scripture opens up avenues to a great life on earth and in the afterlife because it addresses your soul. Since your soul is eternal, patient endurance causes you to be a winner forever. God is the God of the living , so we will focus on the present. The words “by your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win” are so powerful in the walk of patience. You shall win because you outlast the enemy and the competition. On this path there will be times where you will ask the questions ” why me , why now? ” The Patience to Dominate is the answer and this scripture embodies this sentiment. God is seeking examples of faithful people to spread His message. True life is life defined by God not by man. “You shall win the true life of your soul” is a goal all humans desire to achieve.

What do you consider to be true life?

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Mother’s Day was the other day

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This poem is written in collaboration with my children. We think all Mom’s are special and if you have a verse to add please join in and send this to your Mom.

Celebrate life.

Mother’s day was the other day
when you cooked for us and knew it would ruin your diet

Mother’s day was the other day
when you drove us around to our friends house,
to the mall, oh and then bought us dinner with your beauty shop money

Mother’s day was the other day
when you cut your vacation short to come save me from my troubles

Mother’s day was the other day
when you let us sleep in late and you cleaned the dirty dishes
that we were supposed to finish

Mother’s day was the other day
when you went to the 2nd & Charles and bought me a video game
even though we were there only to sell movies

Mother’s day was the other day
when you sent me money for extracurricular activities at school
knowing that you were already stretched

Mother’s day was the first day
when you allowed your body to transform
so that I could have life

Thank you Mom for the first Mother’s day and all the countless other days that you put me first.

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The London Olympics shows how to Trust your training

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London Olympics Gymnast Danell Leyva won a bronze medal at the London Games because he learned to trust his training. He and his father had a ritual that included a pull of the ears and a kiss on the head and then his father would say trust your training. This ritual struck me as wonderful on many levels. Here are three observations that you can use in your everyday life.

1. Having a relation with a Father-figure/Mentor is key to success

The man we saw jumping jubilantly at the London Olympics was Yin Alverez, Danell’s step-father. Which demonstrates that no matter what the situation there is someone there that can help us succeed. Find a mentor and submit to their teachings. The other unique thing is that Alverez was on the floor as Danell’s coach,I think this has a direct correlation to why he was the only man to have an individual medal.

2. Public affection strengthens bonds

These two men have no problem showing that they care for each other. You may not go as far as a kiss but think of the goodwill President Obama got when he and the First lady engaged in a kiss-cam moment. Let those around know that you care. Even a sincere direct thank you with a meaningful handshake goes a long way toward solidifying business relationships. One of the last things my father said before he passed away was “come over here and give me a kiss”. I still remember the quiet joy in his feeble eyes. Do not wait so long to show you care.

3. Trust you training

This is significant in all of our lives. The first thing you must do to trust your training is train. And I mean train consistently. To reach the London Olympics Danell Leyva had to train constantly. If you are going to reach Olympic status in your career or relationship you will have to train for your time on the big stage. The last reminder right before each event by Alverez cemented in his son’s mind that he was ready for this moment by saying “trust in your training”.

Please leave a comment on how you the London Olympics can inspire you to trust your training on a daily basis?

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How does your perfect house look?

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Psalm 101

After reading this Psalm I had a few questions.

Who were these wicked?
Who are the faithful of the land?
What if you are the city and the evil doers are the spirits you allow to dwell inside of you?
Can you root them out?
You read it and see what you believe God is saying through David.

King James Version (KJV) A psalm of David

1 will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

David seems to have an ability to see himself and all of the forces that come against him. He even has a solution to combat the eveil within and the external evil. So keep your eyes away from wicked things, keep your eyes on the faithful of the land and destroy all of your thoughts early in the process.

What things are you doing to create a perfect way?

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Smart goals promote Clear Vision

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/angietorres/Clear Vision and Smart Goals are paramount to cultivating Patient Leadership. Why practice goal setting if you are not going to use them. This is an argument of the person stuck in procrastination. There are three reasons to set goals even if you never strike out and accomplish them.

1. At least you have a clear vision

When you talk with many people they have fuzzy vision but, smart goals elevate you to clear vision status. With a clear vision statement those around you will have a chance to help you grow. We must use the brain trust that God makes available to us before more will be added. I wrote about creative vision in a previous article about Martin Scorsese.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he

Proverbs 29:18

2. Smart Goals inspire others

Some of your goals are simply to inspire others to change their unconscious mind. They inspire others to create their own clear vision statement. In many cases those around you look to you for Patient Leadership.

3. Writing smart goals removes doubt

When you are ready, you do not have to take the time to write your goals. This slows procrastination and increases success rates. Procrastination arises with doubt and fear. Planning combats fear and promotes peak performance.

How have you used Patient Leadership to promote your vision statement?

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Patient Leadership versus Skills

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Patient leadership is one of the skills that can fix a multitude of problems. One of my trucks needed some repair so I called the local mechanic and he said that he could fix it in one day and it would cost around $500.00. Oh, if you want to know what the Lord said. He said, “If you are patient I will help you.” So, I had the spirit of patient leadership to guide me through this ordeal. While the price sounded reasonable I wondered if I could do it myself for a little cheaper and have it back on the road in a couple of hours. I called a couple of friends that had experience doing this sort of job and they advised me that it was fairly straight forward if I knew what I was doing. So I checked on the internet for the price of the part, it was listed around $375.00. This price seemed high so I called some used car parts dealers, there was one available for $100.00. Now we were in the ballpark of where I wanted to be, I had to tap into my patient leadership to even find the part. After driving to the place and arriving back at the house with the used part, I realized I needed a specialized puller to remove a piece. Here I go back to the store. Oh I remember to try this used part first. So now I must remove the original part and try the replacement part. It is not the exact part. Now I call the big box auto parts store and get a refurbished one with a guarantee for $160.00 and a core charge of $125.00. I put this one on and it leaks everywhere which I discovered around 9:30 PM. It is night and I am tired. The next morning I go to a different parts store but, I must clean and return the other part. I have a new part from a new store, and the old broken part, and the part from the used store. The bolts from the old part need replacing also, and I have to find a store that has them. I put everything back in place and it works fine. The relief comes over me and it has taken 24 hours to complete. After returning all the unused parts the cost was around $200.00 but at one point I had nearly $500 in cash floating around. Here’s what I learned from this decision.

1. If you are not a mechanic do not play one in life.
Although you may possess many talents, some talents are better left to others. Many entrepreneurs have to wear an array of hats during the course of the day but smart ones know how to buy time by using qualified others. This is a warning of patient leadership that I did not show. I had all the tools and skills to complete this job, except for one pitman arm puller. This still did not qualify me to efficiently complete this job. Hire a qualified industry leader so that you can stay focused on your main business skills.

2. The internet does not always display the best price
This is not just a knock on the internet but a knock on the whole “Do it yourself” marketplace. The marketing teams at these companies present scenarios that seem to be easier and more satisfying than allowing the experts to handle it for you. A leader knows the best price is the one that factors in all the variables. Patient leadership thinks of all the possibilities and makes decisions on the entire project not just on narrow parameters like money.

3. Know what your time is worth
The professions where time is billable and can be quantified make it easy to state how much your time and skills are worth. In other professions with soft skills and variable earning potential it can be more difficult. In any case it is wise to have a working number to tabulate your worth, especially when you perform tasks not essential to furthering your cause. In my case I could have generated far more revenue by ignoring my soft skills and being a patient leader in my main business. The other factor which cannot be calculated is the lost time with friends and family. I cancelled a school trip with my son to work on this vehicle. Although I made it up with a camping trip I cannot get the day we lost together back.

How have your skills helped or hurt your Patient Leadership ability?