A Leading Lady In My History Part 2

As I continue this segment, I'd like to introduce you to another Leading Lady, the late Mrs. Leary M. Davis. I can tell you now that much can be said, but I will speak from the position of granddaughter. You see, when I entered the world, she took one look at me and knew I was "a Davis" (my family name). My grandmother was an incredible Woman. Some of the things I remember about her is that she was raising my father (also deceased) and 10 other children single-handedly. She and my other grandmother were raising large families alone and pulling the wieght of father and mother (they showed me it could be done without the help of a sugar-daddy!). They became fast friends, and their children did too. That's where I come in. My father and mother never married each other. I am the sum total of their brief and passionate relationship. I'm glad they didn't abort me to "get on with their lives". There was much controversy (for another article) around me at the time because of it (my Dad was 16, my Mom 22).

In spite of the way I entered the world (without the covering of marriage), my grandmother loved me to pieces. And I felt it. She took me under her wing, and cherished me. To me, she was home. When I think of her hugs now, I recall sweet potato pie. She was the essence of what goodness in the world can be. I loved doing her chores (though I could not cook a lick!) because her home was a home of peace. People were always coming to Mrs. Aunt Tot's house to stop by, drop off a gift, or just sit at her feet and listen. Her home was the meeting place for wisdom. People spent their vacations coming to visit her and just talk. Truly God had crowned her with wisdom. I remember right before I got married, both of my grandmothers and my mother were all together. I asked them for advice. I tape recorded it. I still have that tape. It is gold to me. I still own a tape recorder for that very reason: to replay it.

 Leary Mae Davis
A True Leading Lady

      

My grandmother taught me if you have nothing nice to say, pray Lord, help me to have a kind word even if they are doing bad things. My grandmother always joked that for her to be on a fixed income, she always had more to give than those who were not. She always spoke to me about saving and not spending money on things that soon fade. When she passed away, her debts were paid and she left something for her children and their children. She also left a legacy of unconditional love. I know I don't just speak for myself when I say I don't think  I will find anyone who loved so strongly and forgave so easily. No, she was not perfect, but she was as close to heaven as many had ever experienced. I plan to pass on the wisdom I gained at her feet to the next generation. Though she is now at rest, her voice lives on in me and everyone who knew her. Love You forever Gram Tot.

Gram Page & Gram Tot
Lifelong Friends

They are the inspiration for the Grandmothers in my novel series Church Love. 

Check that out at www.churchlove333.blogspot.com

A Leading Lady in My History

In honor of my ancestry, I'd like to introduce you to a woman who is still alive, but she is living black history for me. She is my grandmother, Ruth Page.

My grandmother and role model, was called by God at 13 on her parent's 40 acre farm in Fayetteville, North Carolina. If the Lord permits, she will see 92 years in April (she is now 93).  She taught me how to bow my knee to Jesus Christ alone, how to be a traveling missionary, how to work for social, racial, political, and economic justice, while visiting the sick, healing the diseased, visiting the poor, widow, orphan, working the altar, forgiving those who wronged her, preaching fire, and doing it in 6-in heels, winning Senior Citizen olympics, riding a three-wheeler for MILES up until she was in her late 80's, talking crackheads into returning stolen goods, and receiving Miami Herald's first round of Spirit of Excellence Citizenship awards. She was awarded a HURRICANE ANDREW award for turning on fire hydrants to help get clean water quickly to residents with a wrench b/c no one could get into our neighborhood directly after. She helped bring Health Services and Head Start to South FL, and petitioned to get our black community schools rebuilt after Andrew b/c they wanted to leave it as portables. This 100% Cherokee Woman of God is incomparable.

The amazing thing is, I was there these moments. I can remember her influence and involvement in my life at 2 years old, and even now, though she is battling dementia and resides in a nursing home, she still demands my relatives nearby call me and she talks with me. I have her letters she wrote while I was away at college. Those letters are like gold now that she can no longer recollect or recall certain things about her life and childhood. I treasure the history I saw through her life of service. From county meetings, to neighborhood programs, to senior citizen center meetings, to tent revivals, she did not leave me out. If I wanted to go, she took me, and even those times when I just wanted to hang out and do nothing, she still took me along (smile). I met influential city council, forgotten widows, people from all walks of life who respected and still respect my grandmother and the life she lives.

I remember one time a few years back my oldest brother called me. My grandmother had walked out of the house and could not find her way back. One of the people who lived in the neighborhood blocks away found her, realized what had happened and brought her back home. I wish America knew each other like that everywhere. You wouldn't have to worry about the elderly or your children, because everyone would be their neighbor's keeper. She was returned safely home. The man recognized Missionary Ruth Page, no longer as sprite and fiesty, but still a woman of God.

My grandmother is one of many women I admire who has had a profound and lasting impact on my life. She led me to Christ at 13, out in my backyard while making arts and crafts with me. No matter what she was doing in the ministry and community, she volunteered in the local schools, and made it to our school presentations. She stood up for us when it seemed like we would not reach the goals we needed and when society desired to make sure we were a statistic. She was always trying to give to us, show us how to use our own hands, and show us inexpensive ways of getting what we needed. There are so many lessons that I learned from her that this blog can do no justice to. I simply wanted to honor a snippet of my Black History.

Grandma, I love you forever. You taught me how to lead and love without limits or boundaries.

LOVING Leadership

Companies. Churches. Nations. What do they have in common? They all rise or fall on leadership. So, it stands to reason that if you are a leader, you want to do all that you can to be the best you can be, to improve in your leadership. If not, well, there is always someone who is studying your strengths and weaknesses. They might just become your successor. That won't be a bad thing if you are prepared to hand over the reigns. So, what does it take to be a better leader? You must first recognize that leadership that will be duplicated should flow out of love. Jesus, the Son of God, and the greatest leader this world has ever known, was the epitome of a leader whose influence flowed from a place of love.
Here's what LOVING leadership looks like using that very word.

Leadership should be:

Launchable: As a leader, we have to be able to cast the vision, equip those who will carry the vision, and then launch them. One of Peter the disciple's most admired traits was his sheer boldness to take Christ at his Word, and launch out. As a leader, you have to know when to tell the team to step out, stay on the boat, or dock it. The evidence of the success of your launch is not when you are at the helm, but when you are asleep below deck. Jesus' disciples were not yet ready for Pentecost, hence the refrain, "Master, carest not that we perish?" They still needed time to know Jesus purpose and mission for them.


Observable: There is nothing worse than someone directing you to do something, yet never taking time to model what it is they want or walk you through the process. Very few people are entirely audible learners, meaning most need HANDS on care. If the mission is always failing or aborted, go back and check whether you made the mission observable. Jesus never assumed the disciples knew how to spread the Gospel. He allowed them to walk with him in ministry. He mourned, He got angry, He rebuked, He danced, He hung out, He sung hymns. They saw the total leader, not just the PC side.

Validating: Almost as bad as blind directions is the feeling you are being set up to fail. As a leader it is imperative to affirm the mission and the messenger for the assignment. David was anointed as King not just in the field while herding sheep, but before all his kinsman. He was validated and therefore walked in a confidence and security that would have been lacking.

Involving: As a leader, it is important to get your hands dirty, and also allow people to be apart of the process and own the vision, goals, and mission of your organization. Yes, there is a time where leaders need to retreat and refuel, but there is also the time when leaders need to swing the golf club or make the 3-pointer with the company team.

Next Generation Minded: As a leader, you have to think beyond the now to what is to come. This requires prophetic eyes and insight. A leader will not build a vision around him or herself, but will equip the team with the principles that will carry the organization into the future, regardless of who is at the helm. Jesus left a playbook of instructions so that his mission could be easily understood, mass communicated, and duplicated at breakneck speed. Can your vision do the same?

Generous: If your organization or team is going to grow, you have to be willing to give, to invest in the team. You might do this through providing training, incentives, a better health package, opportunities to further education. A leader who is generous understands that people are the greatest investment property. Team members who are poured into will remain with an organization even in hard times. Why? Because they became vested in the success of what was invested in them.

So, Next Generation Leaders, have you provided loving leadership? If not, it isn't too late to strengthen the areas that need strengthening. May God bless the work of your company, ministry, and nation as you take leadership to the next level!