News Articles from Today - Part 3 of 3

Okay, this last one is a little out there and not so much about the article, but what the article made me think about...Okay, here goes. The Iranian president talked today about the "ending of the American Empire". I've been thinking about about that for a few years now. It occurred to me a few years ago that Rome didn't last forever and that if there's anything that can bring America down it's corruption/politics and economic issues. As far as coruption and politics goes, is it just me or does it seem like the government doesn't really get much done. They all talk a lot, but presidents don't seem to get anything important done in their first term because they are afraid of rocking the boat and not getting elected for a second term. Well, with that logic I think congress is even worse because they never have a "last term". They can just keep on running so they always have to be afraid of making tough decisions that may be the right decision even though people may not like it. It just seems that even when you get a politician on the national stage who defies stereotypes, like Sarah Palin, (ie, young, woman, from Alaska - the furthest place from Washington) that you'd actually start to hear some things that aren't "politics as usual", but guess what, she's just like the rest of the crusty old guys that run this country. Okay that was a lot longer of a political rant than I expected. As far as the economy goes, it sure looks like we're in a tough spot right now. Whether this is statistically acurate or not, we seem to be in the worst housing market, stock market and overall economic state since the Great Depression, and back then we were barely a shadow of the world power we are today. They say that, "If America sneezes the whole world catches a cold." They say that, "The bigger they are the harder they fall." It sure seems like if we're the 800 pound gorilla today, 80 years ago we were just a baby. It seems delusional that one empire could last forever when all the others have fallen...Anyways, that was a lot of fluff with not a lot of content. The point is that the thought that occurred to me 6 or 7 years ago is that I bet America won't exist when I am old in the same form that it exists today. Sorry for the non-sensical meander with no organization...but those are just some thoughts from my observations of the way I see things...Okay, I'm done now. Side note...I just spent the last 45 minutes writing these lame posts instead of opening my bible like I had planned... (If that makes no sense, see my post from a few days ago)

News Articles from Today - 2 of 3

So this next article was on people whose homes are being foreclosed. It was AWESOME! Awesome? You're wondering how home foreclosure is awesome aren't you? Well it was about people that refuse to stop giving their money (tithe) to God; people that will go to financial counselors to seek help in managing their money and cutting expenses so they don't lose their home and after they've cut everything else they can and they are still short they refuse to stop tithing even if it means losing their home!!! THAT is awesome!

One financial counselor said, "After we've gone through their monthly expenses and the only thing left to cut is their tithe, they say 'I guess this home is not for me' and they walk away,"

A couple interesting statistics that the Barna Research Group came out with are that only 5% of Americans tithe and of Christian denominations the highest is Evangelicals at 24%. Interesting, but not entirely encouraging.

There was a lot of other stuff in the article; other examples of people who did similar things to the guy quoted above. And it talks about how people are so committed to not give up on giving back to God, but I just wanted to throw that short bit out there because I knew there was no way I could get lots of people to read that artice, but I could at least get a few people to hear about in on my blog.

The article can be found at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-09-23-tithing-housing_N.htm

News Articles From Today - Part 1 (of 3...I think)

I read two incredibly encouraging news articles and one, not so much on USA Today's homepage today. I'll write about the first here and then separate posts for the others. The first was on retirement. It excited me and at the same time reminded me of one of the huge reasons I could no longer work in the retirement planning industry. I'll try not to mess up the details, but the jist of it is that five or six years ago a well-to-do couple (nearing retirement age) who spent money as it came in on nice cars, collectors items, and whatnot, was told by their financial advisor that they had to cut back spending so that they could retire and live the dream and settle into a "leisure life of sunscreen and lounge chairs" on a small Caribean island. They did everything he advised - they stopped spending and three years later sold everything they owned (including the nice cars, all the collectibles and their home) and moved to the Caribean - except for the last part. They decided they did not want to waste their remaining years away soaking up sun on the beach. Instead they would live simple and teach impoverished children. The story goes on to detail some of what they're doing, but the point is that they didn't buy into the crap that the American Dream means work only as long as you have to so that you can relax the rest of your life away on some beach or golf course.

I'm not articulating this very well (no surprise there) so here are the two sides of the coin:

1. It reminded me that I just couldn't, in good conscience, continue to help people stash away as much money as possible so that they could bask in the sunshine of their greed and waste away the last 10, 20 or even 30 or more years of their life doing NOTHING of any value!!! I wish I had the ability to put into words what my brain feels right now, but that short rant will have to do.

2. It is soooo encouraging to see a couple who GETS IT! It may have taken them a while, but before it was too late they realized there's more to life than a 30 year vacation to end your life on.

I guess that wasn't as inteligent and articulate a rant as I intended when I started typing...Oh well, I guess that's why I'm a coach and not a journalist...

The article can be found at: http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/2008-09-22-dream-retirement-teach-island_N.htm

Sometimes I...

Why is it so easy to put off spending time with God? Why is there always just "one more thing" to accomplish and then I'll spend time with God? Before I know it I just blew the whole day. Then it happens on another day. Then it happens on consecutive days. Then it happens for a week. Then a month. And then before I know it I haven't spent serious time with God in way too long...Then, thankfully, God reminds me that apart from the vine a branch is worthless. Attached to the vine it will bear fruit, be pruned and then become even more fruitfull. Then once I've returned to the vine and begin being nurished back to strength He reminds me of how great it is to be a part of the Body of Christ when a friend calls in need of prayer because she doesn't know how she will make it through the night on her own strength. What a blessing it is to go to the Lord on a friend's behalf. And now I sit; ready to set my laptop down, open my bible and...