Letting Go, One Year Later

Last June we experienced that mixed emotions of letting go of our son to allow him to pursue his dreams of becoming a fighter pilot and an astranaut. He has now complete his first year of college and training at the Air Force Academy and is excited about next year. After all, he is attending one of the best uninversities in the world.

In letting go we experienced lonliness that we had not imagined. We wished we could take him back but we knew that we had to let him go after his dreams. We recommitted him to the hands of the Lord. As I recap the last year, I realized something new: in not being at home, home became more important to him. He values being at home more than ever; he values his room; his friends at home; he values his family; he values His relationship with Christ; he values his upbringing. We are proud of both of our kids.

Letting go is part of the maturity process God gives us when He gives us kids. My greatest fear is that I fail to impart to my kids what God has asked me to impart to them and for my own selfish gratification, I fail to allow them to be what He wants them to be. Today, I still look at Ryan and wonder if I could have done things better or different. I do see things that I could have done differently. God has never-the-less taken our best efforts and covered them with His Spirit and the results are amazing.

We are glad that we let him go even if we had to weep in the process.

We are greatful for God's mercies and favor in our lives.

Walking Into History

As a child we read in storybooks of distant places and people around the world. As one who loves history and geography, I loved to read about the people of the Orient, their customs and history. The Great Wall of China is one of the marvels of the world.

Reading and seeing pictures of the Great Wall always got my attention. I have many dreams and goals yet to be accomplished. My list of places to visit is extensive however, I never imagined getting to actually see the Great Wall.

On March 24, 2007, the Lord actually allowed me, not only to see the wall but actually to hike on a portion of this marvel of construction and military dominance.

This formerly poor boy from a 'bad' school on a small island walked in the pages of his childhood reading books. Where we come from has not bearing on where we can go when we have a dream.

Wow... Life is Good, God is Great and I am Blessed!

Dream of the World

Growing up, I always dreamed of traveling and seeing the world. The Caribbean is still the most beautiful but the rest of the world has its own beauty to be enjoyed.
This Asia Mission affords me the opportunity to see Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan I may even get to India. The sights, sounds, smell and customs of the orient are as unique as the people that live here. Our hosts are kind and gracious. The expectations for daily living are as separated from one generation to the other as they are in the western world.
Currently, we are in Beijing. A large, large city, with between 13 and 17 million people (depending on the area around the city center you count). People, cars, buses, trains, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles are everywhere. The masses of people are like the water of the seas and rivers that are everywhere. So are signs of religious philosophies and history. In the U.S. and the Caribbean our history and historical reminders are young when compared to these ancient civilizations. When I think of sustainability, the Asians seem to be living experts.
The youth are looking forward to newer and better days; the elders are enjoying life with their feet strongly planted in the ancestors that paved the way. The east and the west are blending. We have much to learn.
I am thankful that I am here and seeing the world that I dreamed of when I was a child.

Principle Centered Leadership II

The fundamental structure of leadership is the actual person, the leader. The character, the reputation, the thinking, values, mentors, and ethics that cover a person is the toolkit that will hold the principles that governs the way a person will lead.
Leaders lead people. Managers oversee processes that may or may not involve people. Leadership should be less about popularity and more about creating a sense of purpose, vision, value and crusade. Every great leader assembles a team whose main mission is to vary the vision, value and the crusade.
One reason why principle centered leadership is important is that if we are asking others to join a team, we should value them enough to lead a sustainable effort that will create value, purpose and accomplishment for them as well. Great leaders help others to achieve their goals and dreams while accomplishing the goals and dreams of the leader. We should never use people in order to promote ourselves. We should not be successful if our team is unsuccessful. When others are hurt or destroyed in our effort to be the 'top-dog' we are egotistical, selfish, self-centered, opportunistic and ungodly. A leader's greatest achievement is the other winners who are created on our way to success.
Principles that are universal:

1. Honest
2. Integrity
3. Morality
4. Sacrifice
5. Perseverance
6. Commitment to Personal Growth
7. Selflessness

Sometimes we are mistaken in thinking that only prominent and popular people are leaders. People like politicians, lawyers, doctors, religious icons. However, many real and successful leaders never achieve prominence in the public eye. I am thinking of the millions of good parents who each day raise children, some of their own and others their 'adopt' to go out into the world with a dream, a vision, a purpose and make a difference in their individual way. These unsung heroes, at times, sacrifice their own opportunities to allow their children to grow up in a place of safety, security, values, encouragement and positive influences. They daily exemplify honesty, integrity, selflessness, perseverance, morality so that those ever watching eyes not only hear a lecture but see a lifestyle.

I also think of the immigrant families who travel from the places of their roots in order to allow their children, nephews, nieces and cousins to have a better chance to fly a space shuttle, build a better bridge, discover the latest renewable fuel, write the next universal story.

These are real leaders whose influence and path to success birth generations of leaders who now lead backwards and forwards: they pull others up because of their sacrificial steps and pushing others forward because of the new leaders they help create.

Some Things Are A Tragedy

Two days ago a young man walked in to a historic mall here in Salt Lake City in a tench coat with a shot gun, a hand gun and lots of ammunition. Within minutes he had killed five people and wounded many others before being killed himself by police. In those short minutes hundreds of lives changed forever and a community was awakened. People shopping, dining, walking, talking or just hanging out were immediately cast into total fear, chaos and confusion.

Young lives taken in a blink of an eye; children lost parents and parents lost children. Another four in critical condition at various hospitals struggling to recover. A young Bosnian man also lost his life and his family are also now victims of this senseless and apparently random act.

Many experts and laymen are going to spend large amounts of time trying to explain why this happened, how it happened, where did he get the guns and how could anyone do something like this? That may be important to some to know however all those answers will not reverse the tragedy that took place. The tragedy is the innocent lives lost, the life of the gunman lost and many families broken and in pain for a very long time. All the answers in the world won't change that.

In times like this, a community is tested. How will we respond? A community is built in the relationships that are established in the good times and in the bad. How we respond to others speaks loudly about who we really are. It was amazing to see and to hear how total strangers became instant teams, and hopefully now acquaintances, as they began to try to find cover or to escape the shooting range. Parents were holding their children trying to shield then and console them. Total former strangers were close by trying to support those parents and reassure the children that everything will be well now that they were safe.

Out of tragedy can come triumph and it will in this case. At the same time, it is still a tragedy.

Twenty Four Hours In A Day

There never seems to be enough time to get everything done: work, school, business, church, sports, hobbies, kids. The more we do, there more there seems to be done. Life is good. I wish I could get some more sleep though.

The tyranny of the urgent keeps rapping at the heels of the important. I must remember to do the important first. There are only twenty four hours in a day no matter how much there is to do. When the day is over it's over and a new one starts immediately.

Yesterday in past; tomorrow is future; today is present - a gift.

When Getting Older Becomes Painful

I remember the time when I so much wanted to be older. Being young was too restrictive; too many things that were not for kids; places we could not go. I wanted to be older; to be free. My dreams were calling me. I could not wait to finish school and get on with it. I never really wanted to leave home. I had a poor but great home and friends and was in a good band. To pursue my dreams I had to leave.

I got through college and got married. We started our home and family together. Our kids came along and have been hugh blessing. My wife improved my life tremendously over the years. However, one secret of getting older evaded me until recently. As I got older, my parents, mentors and spiritual leaders also got older. I was not prepared for that. I think I expected them to stay the same because I needed them to stay the same. They were my pillars of strength. How could they get ol? Some have even crossed over.

My mother is the strongest person I have even known. She has more faith than anyone I have ever met. She has survived the pain of unfaithful men while raising siblings and eight children. She has survived severe hardship. Yet she never gave up, she loves her Lord, evangelized an entire community basically by herself. She has fed and clothed more people than some non-profit organizations.

Today, the ravages of age has invaded her body. Her walk is now slow, her physical strength is fading, her mind wanders to places that bring her joy, her heart they say is weakened and cancer is is migrating through her body. I wish I could be twenty again. I don't really want to grow up. Being under her direct rule would be a great thing right now.



My father (not the sperm donor but the one who fulfilled the role) used to run races regularly. He mentored and discipled over one hundred and twenty young men. He shares in our lives, knows our wives, our hurts, our joys and or struggles. He found me in a church on the island twenty six years ago and planted the words of a dream maker in my heart. My life has never been the same. He is a man of integrity, a faithful father and husband. His spiritual strength would cripple Samson.


Today, the ravages of age has invaded his body. Though his invasion is not as extensive as my mother's, he stills experiences his symptoms.


Solomon says that there is a time for everything under heaven (Eccles. 3:1). Maybe we can find a way to freeze time. If they have to grow up too then let's stay young.