LEAD like the best!

On the 3rd Monday of February, we celebrate President's Day.

Before 1971, this wasn't an "official" holiday.

February 12th is Abraham Lincoln's birthday and ten days later, the 22nd is George Washington's birthday, and the country always celebrated our Founding Father's (Washington) birthday each year.

With the 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act, the name and the general purpose of the day changed.

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Personally, I am a big fan of the first Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and our First President. I was in New York this past summer and was able to visit a few sites pertaining to him. The monument below in Washington Square Park shows both versions of him (CIC on left and POTUS on right).

I wish we still specifically honored George Washington in February. I believe we should be reminded of his leadership and how without him we probably would NOT have won the Revolutionary War.

Washing Crossing the Delaware at The MET
(I had no idea the enormous scale of this artwork)

Granted, I do love a British Afternoon Tea, with clotted cream and scones, but I am absolutely thankful to live in this FREE country founded on God!

Now, I can't quite recall the origins exactly (but feel free to google) however, l learned this from YouTube interviews with historians and author, Alexander Rose, who wrote "Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring" (2007). This was also turned into a TV series; in case you're interested.

As I remember, in the 1950's (or so), while going through old records of George Washington(?), there were letters and correspondence discovered between Washington and a group of spies he referred to as the "Culper Ring".

Washington and one of his officers, Benjamin Tallmadge, put together a spy ring with Tallmadge's old school classmates. Some lived in the British occupied areas around New York/Long Island, and others lived in Continental/Colonial areas.

These spies were just "everyday people" like you and me - they were innkeepers, farmers, and more, including a woman who would send signals with the way she hung the wash on the clothesline.

But Washington was CREATIVE.

• He used invisible inks, codenames, coded letters and much more "spy craft" to help successfully transfer information.
• Washington also specifically told them to burn all the letters and evidence after they were used. They did this so well that the only reason we found out about this important piece of history is because Washington kept his letters, records, etc.
• Even information about the dealings of the traitorous General Benedict Arnold was discovered.

I N G E N U I T Y.
Creativity.

This is what is takes to WIN. To LEAD with success.
Washington had to keep one step ahead of the "enemy" or the "competition".

(And I am not suggesting spying, haha!)

• How are you working to advance in your field?
• To keep your team's morale up? 
• How are you setting the example and leading the way?
• What can give your product or service a creative advantage?

God can give you the insight and creativity to do all these things and more.
He loves you and wants YOU to succeed.

Ask Him to give you the ideas and then RUN WITH THEM!
Don't delay.

Time is of the essence when God speaks.

Creatively Yours,
Allison