Leader Garden-Helping firms Cultivate and Grow their Leaders

It has been a long, long time since I last posted here and I hope to be back sooner to post again.

This time of year is a good one for reflection and I have taken some time over the past week to think about what I am most thankful for as I move past the halfway point of my 53rd year in this world.  This list may not hit them all, but I think it will get the top 5 to 10 items that bring me the most joy and peace.

I would encourage you to take the time to reflect and think about what you are most thankful for.  I know I take so much for granted and it is high time I gave thanks:

1. I am thankful to live in a country where  I can worship freely and be an active member of the Christian community.
2. I have the most wonderful wife and two awesome sons.  They are the joy of my life and I cannot fathom them being any better or more rewarding to me than they are.
3. My life has been immeasurably blessed by my in-laws.  My parents died right after I married my wife and my father in law and mother in law have been so supportive and loving to me for as long as I can remember.
4. I am blessed beyond measure to be able to earn a good living in a business that I have started.  So much of my success comes from relationships and friendships I have acquired over the years and that is a blessing also.
5. I have relatively good health and am  able to come and go as I please in most situations.

I could add many others to this list, but these are the top 5 that I give thanks for everyday.

What is your list of the top 5 things you are thankful for?  Are you giving thanks for the many blessings you have?

Take time to reflect and say thank you to those who are making a difference.  You will be glad you did.

We were honored yesterday to attend the graduation ceremony of our oldest son.  He was part of the class of 2010 at Vanderbilt University and we have attached a few photos to help you experience the spirit of the day.

We are so happy for Daniel as he moves into the next stage of his career.  He leaves shortly for a two-week stay with friends in the Shanghai, China area and we wish him God speed and safe travels wherever he goes.

It is really amazing how much your life can be enriched by the friends of your children and the families of these young people.  We have much the same experience with Matthew,  our younger son’s friends at Auburn University, where he will graduate in 2010.

Have a great day!  Congrats to the class of 2010 at Vanderbilt!

A little break from the norm today to wish all of you a happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

I know this has been a tough year for many, yours truly included, but there are also so many positive things that I can cite that make this a year of challenge, growth and eager anticipation for the coming year of 2010.
My family is continually blessed in ways I can never fully contemplate. Let me just share a few:

• Our oldest son will graduate from college in May 2010
• Our youngest son will complete his sophomore year in the spring and he is very engaged in his college situation
• I sense a level of optimism from clients and potential clients that has not been there for almost 18 months

I wish you and yours the best in this season. The Lord will never provide you wish a hardship that He cannot help you overcome. Pray for his strength and grace daily!

Dan

When I think of today I think back many years to my childhood and young adulthood.  These were the years when my dad was still with us here on this Earth.  I’ll do my best to share a few memories I have and put them in perspective regarding how they have affected me.

I was the youngest of three sons, so my dad was a little older when I was growing up.  He was 36 when I was born, so most of  my childhood and young adulthood was my 40′s and 50′s.  I suspect that being the last child and one that came later made the novelty wear off a little, but I have no real complaints.

My dad was a veteran of World War 2, having served in the 3rd Marine Corp Division at Iwo Jima.  This singular event was something I never fully grasped until a number of years after his death.  Iwo Jima-Iwo as he called it when he referred to that time.  In comparison to today’s veterans, my dad and his friends rarely talked about these times and I suspect now I know why.  He commented shortly before his death that he was always thankful for his life, even though he died at 59, because he never expected to come back from the Pacific.  If the movie representations shown in recent years are anywhere close, I now know why.

My life growing up in the quiet town of Lincoln, IL was full of spending time with my dad and his friends.  I can remember so many of them very vividly; John Daugherty, Paul Yarcho and 3 of my four uncles; Paul Mahler, Greg Fitzpatrick and Lowell “Nip” Young, always come to mind.  They were all good drinking buddies, loved to play cards together and all great family men.  It is so sad that all of them have passed away except for Uncle Greg.  They were great.

The most important thing I remember about my dad was that he intervened when he needed to, but otherwise he kind of kept to himself.  My career path was going to be significantly different than his and I suspect it was challenging and foreign to him when it came to where I wanted to attend school and then what I wanted to do.

I feel very fortunate to have two wonderful sons and a fantastic wife.  The Lord has blessed me abundantly with these relationships and so many more that we have forged during this life.  I am grateful to both my biological and heavenly father for all that they have provided, and continue to provide to me.

I hope all of you out there that are fathers will have a wonderful and blessed Father’s Day!

My post today will be a little more personal than most. I am reflecting on a wonderful evening where my wife and I hosted a few of our close friends to celebrate my recent 50th Birthday. I had not given this much thought, but a few events have occurred to give me even more reason to think about this.
While helping to clean up the house yesterday I came across an old photo album with pictures of our two boys when they were very young. It is amazing to see how time has passed so quickly, but even more rewarding to see how wonderfully they have grown into responsible young men.
At the party last evening we had people from several segments of my life. Some attending were family, such as my in-laws and one of my older brothers. Others were close friends from church here in Franklin. There were even former neighbors and co-workers that all took time to come and celebrate with us.
As I move into the second half century, I am resolute in my belief that I need to narrow my focus even more in what I do. For many years I have taken more of a “shotgun” approach to my work and I am now considering how effective I might be if I took a “rifle” approach. The tough part will be deciding what I will do and what I will not do.
I’ll ask for God’s help in making these decisions. He always does know best.

I am sending this post from the “Lovett Hilton” in Murray, KY.  The real location is my in-law’s home and I am spending the night here prior to speaking to a leadership group on Thursday morning.  The fact that I am more comfortable here is a long story and one that is a tremendous blessing to me.

My wife and I started dating almost 30 years ago and I am happy to say that my relationship with her parents has always been a positive one.  I  jokingly tell people that my mother in law has only one flaw-she roots for the Cardinals in baseball.  I can find no other vice.  When I hear others moan and groan about their spouse’s family I realize just how blessed I am.

The really positive aspect of this relationship is that my mother in law has been a tremendous spiritual mentor for me.  We can talk about anything and have done so on many occasions.  Having lost both of my parents when I was much younger I feel blessed to have such understanding and nurturing in laws.

This week has also marked the passing of the last member of my mother’s family, her older brother.  This uncle went to be with his Savior on Monday night and I regret that I could not be there with the rest of the family.  Staying connected with relatives is sometimes challenging in today’s world, but the benefits of doing so can be so rich and rewarding.  I regret that I have not stayed better connected to that “limb” of the family tree.

The purpose of this message is to encourage you to stay in touch and to keep that connection with your family.  Many of us have moved away from our childhood homes and we don’t have the communication with family members we ought to have.  Don’t let time get away-reach out today and find out just how people are doing before they leave for their Heavenly reward.

Here’s to staying in touch!