one step closer . . . .

And it is complete…. The home study, which sometimes can take a little bit of time, is officially completed! God truly is so amazing. My day started off so bad today and it hadn’t gotten any better all morning. I just went to eat lunch and decided that I was going to come back to work and have a better afternoon. When I get back I had an email waiting to tell me that our home study paperwork for the adoption is OFFICIALLY completed and we should be receiving it in the mail tomorrow. The smallest things make the worst days turn into some of the best… Thank you to everyone who we had to pester as a reference and for letters of recommendation.

So what does this mean now? Well, tomorrow when I receive our copies of the home study, I will then mail off our dossier. I completed it a few weeks ago so that as soon as this came in we could have it ready to send off. We had to do three copies – each country is different in this aspect. One copy is for us, one copy is for our amazing family at Arise for Children, and the third is for our dossier that will be sent overseas to Ethiopia. So what is a dossier? Well it is a long list of things that you have to get together to send them. That is what they use in Ethiopia in court and to make sure that you are qualified to adopt. Here is all that we had to get. They all had to be originals and notarized.

- POWER OF ATTORNEY ( 3 originals)
- HOME STUDY & AGENCY LICENSE
- BIRTH CERTIFICATE - Father/Mother
- Marriage Certificate
- LOCAL POLICE (not State) CLEARANCE LETTERS/MOTHER
- LOCAL POLICE (not State) CLEARANCE LETTERS/FATHER
- EMPLOYMENT LETTER/ MOTHER
- EMPLOYMENT LETTER/FATHER
- BANK LETTER (a letter from your bank saying you are in good standing)
- Financial Statement (a worksheet that shows how much money you make and spend)
- MEDICAL REPORT - FATHER/ MOTHER
- LETTER OF INTENT (to the Director of the Ministry of Women & Children in Ethiopia, stating why you would like to adopt an Ethiopian child)
- Letter of Life Insurance
- Letter of Health Insurance
- 2 years of tax returns
- 3 PERSONAL REFERENCES
- OBLIGATION Statement for the Adoption Agency (this is where we sign saying that we will agree to do the follow up requirements: 1.) First report at the end of three months. 2.) Second report at the end of six months. 3.) Third report every year thereafter until the child(ren) is 18 years of age.)
- Color copy of passports
- Passport Size Photos
You are probably looking at it and thinking, “hmm… that isn’t that much.” Trust me. It is!
But we are DONE with the paperwork! So we now sit and wait. I can only think of Psalm 46:10 where it says - "Be still, and know that I am God.” This is going to be a trying time. We are going to be sitting and waiting on our referral – which will include the picture of our new baby, Zoe Grace. I am already praying for God to give us the strength to sit, be still and wait for his time – and also for patience and understanding for our case worker, Cindy, and everyone else at Arise, because I am sure I am going to drive them crazy asking for updates.

j.w. godwin

The Leap of Faith -

Here is an interesting topic that EVERYONE has asked us about. I really didn't want to write about this, but I have had SO many people ask me about it, and have been motivated by the story I guess that is a sign that I should share it with everyone else...

How did WS and Rebecca take the news about Zoe?

Well..... Let's start at the beginning. As you know, KC and I decided that this was something that we both felt called by God to do and we decided long before telling anyone else about it that it would be something that WE would do. The two of us. So we did. We started, we got accepted and we moved forward. Well the moment came where we had to tell our parents. I guess we didn't "have" to tell them, but if you know me at all you know that I share almost everything with my family. It has to be something VERY serious for me not to share it with them. They are the best. They are an amazing support team. They pray for you. They are a shoulder to lean on. They give advice, sometimes unsolicited, but always with the best intentions in mind. I remember telling Mama and Papa about Zoe as if it were us telling them about Olivia again. We were at their house on a Sunday afternoon. I pulled up the Lucy Lane video and showed them. My dad teared up a little bit and my mom said something along the lines of - that's truly special. I was thinking, awesome. This is going great. They are in the moment, they are totally supportive. They saw that video, they saw how many children need homes and mommy and daddy's, this is gonna be great! Ha. Not really. The emotions changed very quickly. I said, well you are going to have a grandchild like that. They both looked at me, and my dad walked towards the kitchen to finish cleaning up from lunch. While I look back and know that it was merely the shock and fact that I just blurted it out like I had just told them I was moving to Canada - it still hurt my feelings. It wasn't how I had planned. All I could think was "No. No. No. That isn't how this is supposed to play out!" They were suppose to gasp for breath, hug me and KC, start asking a million questions, call my siblings or at least encourage me to. But it didn't happen like that - and I didn't understand why.

I don't understand why my parents responded like that and still to this day can’t tell you why they didn't get as excited as KC and I were to tell them. What was wrong?

It has taken me this long to take their reactions and digest them and this is what I think happened. KC and I said, "we are gonna have another baby and she will be from Ethiopia. We are adopting!" and I think what they heard was "We have decided to take on a challenge that will be a lifelong battle from outsiders, extremely expensive and no one can talk us out of it." I get it. I do. I understand what they were thinking and probably what they heard. Zoe isn't even here and yet we are already getting some odd responses and reactions from some family, friends and others who we don't even really know - but we don't care.

Since that day, even against my sometimes smarter sisters and sister-in-law's advice, I pushed. I mean I pushed and pushed and pushed my parents. I just didn't understand what their deals were. It is a baby! It isn't like we are going to Africa to bring back a lion to sleep in the same room as Olivia. It will be a precious little bundle of joy, but with darker skin. That's all. What's the big problem with that?

I finally just asked and they explained. Both of my parents are teachers. They explained about how they have seen, first hand, how difficult it can be for children in mixed raced families. They sometimes aren't accepted by either race and are left all alone. They told me that as parents we can be there all the time during the day and protect them, but one day they have to go to school and eventually middle school - which can be the meanest. They told me that they are overly excited about the fact that we feel called by God to adopt and that he is leading us in this direction, but have we really thought this through all the way? They said that they didn't want to sway us one way or another, but that they just wanted us to think of everything before we jumped into this. We explained that we had and we understand their concerns but that we feel comfortable and confident enough in ourselves and our relationship with God to handle anything that might come our way.

KC and I just had to do it. We both felt "grown up" at that moment. We had made a decision without my parents fully embracing it at that moment and accepting it. They have since then, but at that moment it was very difficult. I have tried to explain to them how it really hurt and how we didn't understand how they couldn't just accept our decision, but if you are like me that is more difficult to explain than you think.

So we did it. We took our Leap of Faith. Was it hard? Oh yes! Were we scared? We still are. Did we wish mama and papa would have stood up and given us huge hugs and celebrated about our good news? We wish we could replay it differently all the time. But it all happened for that reason. Since then, my parents have made comments about us and our decision to adopt. They have told me how they can see how KC and I have both matured. How we have grown in our spiritual walk. How they have seen what God has in store for us and no matter what anyone said, we followed what he was calling us to do. And let me tell you people, there is nothing more difficult than doing something that your parents, at that moment, may not 100% support. God is good though. He gives us a road map to follow and allows us to make the choices as to whether we want to follow it or not. We decided to. We stood up against the ones who could have been the only ones to derail us, and we kept moving, and now they are totally on board.

So remember, it is tough. It's tough to take that leap of faith. It's tough to do what others may not at that moment agree with or understand. It's tough to go against the mold and be your own person. But IF you believe in God and know that he IS in charge, then there is nothing to fear. So maybe you do, maybe you don't have someone or something standing in your way of something that you truly feel called to do, or not to do, or maybe there is someone who you just need to tell that you are your own person - take the leap of faith. Try it. It is better on the other side, trust me.

Until later –
j.w. godwin

Meant To Be . . .

Well - I have been informed that it is time to update the blog with a new post. So, what should we talk about today? I am in a writing mood, but have nothing to write about. I am sitting here on my I-pad listening to Michael Buble's new cd attempting to write a new post when I should really be reading some Criminal Procedure or Contracts homework.... but there is time to do that later it's only 10:20 pm.

Music! I'll write about that. Some of you know this, I am sure, but I really like music. I love all types and my wife can validate that with my I-tunes bill every month. (It's my addiction.)

Ever since being called by God to pack up our nap sacks of faith, leave the doubt at home and start out on this amazing journey, KC and I have been more in tune with things around us. Now, stay with me and where I am trying to go here. Think about this. You hear a song in your car every morning and every afternoon on your way to and from work and you, 9 times out of 10, find yourself  singing along to it without even really knowing what you are saying half of the time. I'm definitely guilty of this. I get in the drivers seat, passenger seat, back seat, it doesn't matter - I get in the car and let it go. I bust out with anything and everything from my most favorite songs by Reba, Queen, Aerosmith, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and many more. KC reminds me that I am allowed to sing, but maybe I should try to calm it down a little. I kindly remind her that "God said to make a joyful noise." Then in return she asks me if he meant that about all songs and moments and if he really wants me to strain and jump up and down five octaves just to sing "Everything I Want" by Matthew Puckett, or to replace Randy Travis in the duet with Carrie Underwood in "I Told You So". It is fun though.

Here recently, thanks to all of the blog stalking that KC does now, we learn so much and get introduced to so many new thing. Yes the productivity at our house has gotten even less now that we not only have tv shows to watch and Facebook to be stuck on for about an hour every night, which I have no idea why, we have even more procrastinating habits. But mentioning Facebook, people, what is up with this? I mean what did we do before we could check everyones statues updates or pictures every day - or several times a day? And you know who I am talking to, I am on there that often and see how often you comment/update/upload stuff. Well, we now have about 25 to 30 blogs about adoptions, mostly Ethiopian ones, to read - almost everyday. And we know that other families do it too, which is why we want to make it a routine thing to update ours. Well, last night KC was looking at the Portis' blog and found something new. Joy, who KC has met and had a lunch date with, had a new post on her blog. It was a song by Steven Curtis Chapman. Now - for those of you who see that name and think, "Wow, I haven't heard that name since 1998 and church youth group stuff." Yes, it is the same guy and yes, he still sings those cheesy, sappy songs - but you have to give it to him, he does a great job at it. Well, he has done it again. He has written a song for the new Veggie Tales movie or show or whatever it is, I'm not sure. All I know  is that it is called "Meant To Be" and it is amazing.

Here is where all the rambling in this post will hopefully come together. I pulled up this song on YouTube, because it isn't for sale on I-tunes until Oct. 5th, I checked. I listened to it and instantly could relate to what he is saying. The lyrics are so simple and plan, but have such a strong meaning. It starts with "Long before you drew your first breath a dream was coming true. God wanted to give a gift to the world, so he wrapped it up in you. And every step that you've taking, every move that you make is part of his plan. You were meant to be touching the lives that you touch, and meant to be here making this so much more than it would be... You are perfectly, wonderfully, beautifully meant to be."  

So you can see. Before this process started I would listen to a song, probably even this one, sing along and sometimes not even realize what I was saying. But this song really tugged at me. It says everything that we think. It tells how we feel about Zoe. Even though we don't know her yet, we don't know what she looks like, what her temperament is going to be like or anything - but what we do know is that she matters and is meant to be part of our family. She is coming into our family and will, in one way or another, touch all of us - she's already doing it to you, because you are reading this blog.

I am going to attach the video here, but try to focus more on what the words are than the Veggie Tales running around on the screen.   

-j.w. godwin

What do you really know about Ethiopia?

Well, we have read a lot about Ethiopia. One of the things that we had to do for our home study was read some stuff about the country, etc. So I have copied and pasted some interesting facts. I hope you enjoy them.
Geography
Area: 472,000 sq. mi.; about the size of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico combined.
Capital--Addis Ababa (pop. 5 million).
People
Nationality: Ethiopian(s).
Population (est.): 80 million.
Annual growth rate (est.): 3.2%.
Religions (est.): Ethiopian Orthodox Christian 40%, Sunni Muslim 45-50%, Protestant 5%, remainder indigenous beliefs.
Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Arabic, Guaragigna, Oromifa, English, Somali.
Education: Years compulsory--none. Attendance (elementary)--57%. Literacy--43%.
Work force: Agriculture--80%. Industry and commerce--20%.
Suffrage: Universal starting at age 18.

GEOGRAPHY
Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered on the north and northeast by Eritrea, on the east by Djibouti and Somalia, on the south by Kenya, and on the west and southwest by Sudan. The climate is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. At Addis Ababa, which ranges from 2,200 to 2,600 meters (7,000 ft.-8,500 ft.), maximum temperature is 26o C (80o F) and minimum 4o C (40o F). The weather is usually sunny and dry with the short (belg) rains occurring February-April and the big (meher) rains beginning in mid-June and ending in mid-September.

PEOPLE
Ethiopia's population is highly diverse. Most of its people speak a Semitic or Cushitic language. The Oromo, Amhara, and Tigreans make up more than three-fourths of the population, but there are more than 77 different ethnic groups with their own distinct languages within Ethiopia. Some of these have as few as 10,000 members. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional African religions tend to inhabit lowland regions. English is the most widely spoken foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools. Amharic is the official language and was the language of primary school instruction but has been replaced in many areas by local languages such as Oromifa and Tigrinya.

I also did some other Googling and looking around on the internet and found some specific facts about orphans in Ethiopia. I found this statistical break down that I thought was pretty moving and told the stats very well.



Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa.

Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans.

Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone).

There are 143,000,000* orphans in the world today. The population of
orphans theoretically makes up the 7th largest nation in the world.

Orphans in the world today spend an average of 10 years
in an orphanage or foster home.

Every YEAR 14,050,000 children grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system.

Every DAY 38,493 children AGE OUT.

Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child AGES OUT with no
family to belong to and no place to call home.

Many of these children accept job offers that ultimately result in their being sold as slaves. Millions of girls are sex slaves today, simply because they were unfortunate enough to grow up as orphans.

*Reliable statistics are difficult to find, even the sources often list only estimates, and street children are rarely included. But even if these figures are exaggerated by double, it is still an unacceptable tragedy that over a Million children would still become orphans every year, and every year 7 Million children would still grow to adulthood as orphans with no one to belong to and no place to call home. They are totally vulnerable and easily fall prey to predators and slave recruiters.

(Data provided by UNICEF)

Don't let these numbers and statistics just be "numbers." These are CHILDREN. Real, live, human beings. Just like you. Just like me. Just like your children. Just like my child.

For a moment I imagined Olivia, without a mommy or daddy. I imagined her growing up with no one to hold her, like we are doing a lot of these days, while she is cutting teeth. Telling her that we love her and making sure she is cared for. No one to see her blow out the candles every year on her birthday cake – and I am going to assume that most of these kids don’t get a cake much less even know when their birthday is. No one to journey through with her and walk alongside her through the challenges of life.

It just isn't right. When you think of it that way, it really makes you realize how blessed each and every one of us are.

-j.w. godwin

Shots, shots and more shots

After the shock and excitement of the fact that KC and I are going to go to Africa, twice, during this adventure – the reality set in, we are going to have to get a lot of shots! Well, for those of you who know me, know that I hate needles. I hate needles SOOO much. I almost pass out every time I even see them. I asked our agency about what vaccinations we will need and while they don’t tell us that we are required to get any of them, they told us that we might want to check out the CDC website. Well – I finally got brave this week and did a Google search to see what shots we will have to get. Lord help me when I get it done and be with KC since she will have to hold my hand…
This is what came right off of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website:
• Routine - Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc.
• Yellow Fever - CDC yellow fever vaccination recommendation for travelers to Ethiopia: For all travelers ≥9 months of age Ethiopia requires travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10-year intervals if there is ongoing risk. Find an authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccination clinic.
• Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG) - Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection (see map) where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors.
• Hepatitis B - Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident).
• Typhoid - Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in East Africa, especially if staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where exposure might occur through food or water.
• Meningococcal (meningitis) - Recommended if you plan to visit countries that experience epidemics of meningococcal disease during December through June.
• Rabies - Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural areas, involved in activities such as bicycling, camping, or hiking. Also recommended for travelers with significant occupational risks (such as veterinarians), for long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a significant risk of exposure, and for travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals. Children are considered at higher risk because they tend to play with animals, may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.
• Polio - Recommended for adult travelers who have received a primary series with either inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) or oral polio vaccine (OPV). They should receive another dose of IPV before departure. For adults, available data do not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV.
• Malaria - Areas of Ethiopia with Malaria: All areas at altitudes <2,500 m (<8,202 ft), except none in Addis Ababa. (THANK YOU – I don’t want to have to take any more than I am forced to.)
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/ethiopia.aspx

KC and I have already had to go see our doctor and pediatrician way more than they would probably like, except for the great co-pay that they get every time we show up with another medical form we need them to sign off on. In the picture above, that is KC getting her blood drawn so that they can do all of the blood tests that they have to do on us, which was done weeks ago. Then her also pointing to where they stuck her for her TB test. She couldn’t get a picture of me; I needed her to keep me occupied while they stuck that huge needle in my arm.

-j.w. godwin

ONE for ONE

This entry really isn't about what is going on in the adoption but instead it is a push for everyone to go out and buy a pair of TOMS.

TOMS are shoes. You can buy them at almost any place that you can purchase shoes, or at least it's like that here in Montgomery.

Blake Mycoskie started TOMS shoes as an effort to help people in Africa. Their promise is "For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One." I was at a christian leadership summit this past week and Blake Mycoskie was one of the individuals interviewed. His message and story really is amazing. Everyone should go out and buy a pair. Just think - for $30 of $40 you could put a pair of shoes on an actual person, and usually child, in a country in Africa.

Trey, Abbey (and baby), KC & JW

I am also very set on this because they give a lot of shoes in Ethiopia! So of course this is something that is close to mine and KC's hearts.

(Note to all of my family members, don't even think about showing up for Thanksgiving this year unless you're wearing a pair of TOMS. Just kidding... or am I?)

Check it out:

http://www.toms.com/

http://www.toms.com/blog/


-j.w. godwin

"Joining the Movement"

At church this past Sunday morning our new minister/youth guy Trey preached his first sermon. Going into church I leaned over and told KC, I'm sure that Trey will be good but I'm ready for Lester to come back and start preaching on a regular basis. He has been on vacation.

I will have to admit that half way through the sermon I was trying to focus but it was difficult - I felt like I had been hit by a mac truck and did not feel well at all. I have been battling a chest cold for the past four days and it took all I had to drag myself out of bed that morning.

Trey talked about who he was, where he was from and how he met and married his wonderful wife Abbey.Then towards the end of his sermon he showed us a video. (Which is attached here - Dancing Guy ) Well if you watched the video you see how that woke me up and got my attention again. He then talked to us and shared how our calling in life should be to be part of “the movement”.

The movement for Christ.

It is telling us that we need to go out on a limb and be that “first guy” who is out there dancing alone anddoesn't care if anyone else is around him. (And most of you who know me well enough, know that when it comes to dancing I have NO problems being that first guy out there acting a fool.) But when it comes to more serious things than dancing and having fun we should be that guy or girl who is the first. We should be the first one to walk down front at church and kneel to pray to God in front of the entire congregation. You know what I'm talking about. Remember those time, especially when you were a youth. Don't you remember when that moment would come at the end of the service and the preacher or speaker would encourage those of you who wanted to, to walk down and pray before God, confessing all of your sins and asking for forgiveness. Well, remember (or maybe it was just me) how you would want to go sometimes, but you didn't want to be the "first person" to go down there. What would people say? Would anyone else follow me down there? Or would they have to drag out the last song two extra verses because I decided to go do this? But then after a few of your friends went and did it, you felt comfortable enough to do it as well. Enough of your comfort zone, support group and mostly peers did it, so you figured you would as well.

Well, let me tell you. When it comes to this adoption - it definitely was a movement in our lives. KC and I knew NO ONE who was in the process of what we were about to undertake and knew nothing about what we were going to have to face. Luckily we have met SO many amazing people who are doing this as well since then and they have become some of our closest friends. 

While I would never take back a single thing, and am so blessed that we have gone forward and pursuedthis, it really took us out of our comfort zone. KC & I stopped and thought - we are about to start something that no one within our family or friends knows about. We don't know how everyone will feel about it. We don't know what challenges we will have to face. What friendships we might lose over this. What struggles in life might come towards Zoe and even Olivia because of what we are about to do. But then we focused on what God was calling us to do. God wasn't calling us to just "adopt a baby". Yes, that was the overall goal, but God was calling us, we believe, to an even bigger thing, he was calling us to start a movement and follow him. Start a movement in our lives, and from that we will touch so many people. We can show so many of our friends and family members what it is like to not only adopt a baby, but one that is internationally from a different race.

So let me focus back on the main purpose of this entry and not take you down too many rabbit trails which Ihave a tendency to do. Our focus in life should be to "join the movement". But as KC pointed out to me in church, we are doing that - we are being the followers that God calls on us to be. I stopped and thought about it and I couldn't help but smile. It truly is that amazing and when I stop and think about it, I get chills all over. We ARE doing what God says in James 1:27, "...look after orphans and widows in their distress..." Well, that is exactly what we are doing. We are following. Doing what we feel led to do and doing it with a heart full of every emotion a human can possibly feel: Fear - Excitement - Joy - Doubt - Love - Anxiety - and so many more (but I couldn’t think of any more off the top of my head.)

So this week focus on what YOU can do to do the work of God. What "movement" can you make in yourlife that helps direct others towards Christ through what you are doing. My papa always tells us that you can truly tell what type of a person someone is by the way they carry themselves and the actions they takes. Without speaking a single word to them - you can see who they truly are.

After this message and remembering that, I looked in the mirror - who was I staring back at? What did heshow to the world and what did others see in return?  I believe that is something we should all check out every once and a while.

I am also attaching here to transcript of the video, just in case you can't watch it -

"If you've learned a lot about leadership and making a movement, then let's watch a movement happen, start to finish, in under 3 minutes, and dissect some lessons:

A leader needs the guts to stand alone and look ridiculous. But what he's doing is so simple, it's almostinstructional. This is key. You must be easy to follow!

Now comes the first follower with a crucial role: he publicly shows everyone how to follow. Notice the leader embraces him as an equal, so it's not about the leader anymore - it's about them, plural. Notice he's calling to his friends to join in. It takes guts to be a first follower! You stand out and brave ridicule, yourself. Being a first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower is the spark that makes the fire.

The 2nd follower is a turning point: it's proof the first has done well. Now it's not a lone nut, and it's not two nuts. Three is a crowd and a crowd is news.

A movement must be public. Make sure outsiders see more than just the leader. Everyone needs to see the followers, because new followers emulate followers - not the leader.

Now here come 2 more, then 3 more. Now we've got momentum. This is the tipping point! Now we've got a movement!

As more people jump in, it's no longer risky. If they were on the fence before, there's no reason not to joinnow. They won't be ridiculed, they won't stand out, and they will be part of the in-crowd, if they hurry. Over the next minute you'll see the rest who prefer to be part of the crowd, because eventually they'd be ridiculed for not joining.

And ladies and gentlemen that is how a movement is made! Let's recap what we learned:

-If you are a version of the shirtless dancing guy, all alone, remember the importance of nurturing your first few followers as equals, making everything clearly about the movement, not you.
-Be public. Be easy to follow!
-But the biggest lesson here - did you catch it?
-Leadership is over-glorified.
-Yes it started with the shirtless guy, and he'll get all the credit, but you saw what really happened:
-It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader.
-There is no movement without the first follower.
-We're told we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective.
-The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow.
-When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in."

Until my next post - later.

-j.w. godwin