Lead on your knees...

I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership. I was really upset with myself for missing last week. I almost never forget anything – so I thought wow – I’m really stressed or busy or something. I completely forgot about filling my day last week.

I apologized to my fellow bloggers. They graciously understood. However, I was also disappointed because I actually thought I had something to say about leadership. I’ve been reading all sorts of books on leadership. I spent 8 days living in a dorm on campus to complete a course in Intra-personal Leadership as part of my doctoral program. Leadership was something I have been living with now for weeks.

Had I blogged last week, I would have told you that all leadership begins with leadership of yourself. That’s a pretty big statement. I think leading ourselves is the hardest thing to do. It’s easier to lead others. However, if you don’t know where you going, you’ll be like the blind-man who leads everyone into the ditch.

I’ve been told I am a natural leader. I think that’s true but I’ve had the hardest time leading myself. That’s changing and that’s good. But what about leadership with children at home? Is that any different than any other type of leadership?

I think it is. The stakes are huge. You’ve brought children into the world, or you’ve agreed to raise them as part of your family – their future is in your hands. Truth be told, most of us fail in at least parts of this responsibility. I often wonder why God gives us such an awesome serious responsibility knowing that we’ll probably screw up at least part of it.

I’ve raised 8 wonderful children. With each one of them, I can think of things I did right and things I didn’t do so well.  I tend to think of those things I didn’t do so well the most. Every time they have a trial or a mishap, they make bad decisions or go the wrong way in life, I wonder. Was it my fault? What if I had done this better or that better?

If I were to give anyone advice, at this point in my life, about parenting and leadership in your home it would be to pray, pray, pray and pray some more. You are going to screw up. You are going to do the very best you can and you’re still going to have moments that looking back, you’ll wish you did better.

Yes, pray for God to make you a better parent. That’s always very helpful and needful. I prayed a lot when mine were growing up and now I wonder if it was enough. But the prayer is more for you. It is so you can receive grace, the grace to go on and keep doing the best you can even when your best isn’t enough.