100 Words--The Olympics

The Olympics.

A great event every four years. Winter. Summer games.

I’ve watched the Olympics over the years. Being a southern boy, I understood the summer games far better than the winter games. After all, what did I know about hockey or bobsledding?

But, was 2009 the year for our President to be salesperson-in-chief for the city of Chicago? Isn’t the President the Commander-in-Chief and not a community organizer in Chicago?

I thought so.

With unemployment still rising, the economy still sucking wind, earthquakes and tsunamis in American Somoa, seems to me those are far bigger items to focus on.

Send Your Money. Now!

Treasury Department Issues Emergency Recall Of All US Dollars

What Are We Thinking!

I'll admit it up front. You either love Glenn Beck or you hate him. I tend to do a little of both, depending on what he's saying. And, knowing that he got his start at CNN and now he is at FoxNews, again, you'll either think he is the worse liberal on the face of the earth or too conservative for God to accept.

But, what this video. It is troubling, to say the least!

Some Time to Think

On Wednesday, I shared a little of the journey ahead for me and my fellow co-workers at my company. I won’t repeat all of the details. You can simply scroll down and read what I had to say on that previous post.

I thought for a long time before posting what I did. You see, I’ve known what was coming since early December. I’ve had plenty of time to think about it. During Christmas. New Years. And, during Evan’s birthday. I’ve thought about it. I’ve prayed about it. I’ve talked with my wife about it. We’ve looked at what this means to our bottom line.

By no means do I want my words on Wednesday or today to reflect any negative feelings toward the people I serve alongside. There isn’t any anger or animosity there. Honest. I work with some of the greatest people and servants I’ve ever met. I look forward to great days ahead for our company and the people who make up the company. I believe the best days are ahead. We just have to make it through this tough stretch.

At this point in my life, I’ve decided to take a few days off from blogging—not like people come in droves to my site on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday anyway, or any other day for that matter. You know, I’ve tried to stop watching Sitemeter and seeing who is visiting the site and from where. I do peek from time-to-time, the curiosity just gets the best of me. But, I’ve come to accept the fact that I write this blog, not for numbers, but to build friendships and relationships with others. And for that, I’m most thankful that you’ve stopped by the site every day, or if today is your first day. Either way, I feel blessed that you’ve shared a part of life with me.

But, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a few days to reflect on the journey I’m about to take. That journey begins today for me. These are uncharted steps. Since I was 21 years old, I’ve worked. I’ve always been paid for the work I’ve done. Now, I’m employed, just unpaid. I’ll be off a week and then go back to work once again. To my same job. To the same office. Kind of weird just thinking about what is to come.

My goal is to post something new on Monday. That’s not a promise. But a goal. I do know I won’t be sitting at the computer every day next week, waiting for people to comment or to visit my blog. I’ve got a long list of things I want to accomplish next week. And, as my dad would say, “The Lord willing and the creek don’t rise,” I’ll complete that list. On the top of that list will be building Evan a toy box. I’m not a great carpenter by any stretch of the imagination, but this is something I want to build for my son. I want him one day to realize that his father built this, to the best of his ability, during a difficult time in his dad’s life. I want Evan to know that I focused every bit of energy on creating something special for him. I can’t think of a better gift for him, or me.

I’ll be back in a few days. Promise. Maybe Monday. Maybe Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday. Soon. But, I’ll see you again shortly. Friends, thanks for your patience. And prayers. Both are appreciated more than words can say.

In His Name,
Steve

The New Meaning to Stimulus

fur·lough
n.

1.
a. A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member of the armed forces.
b. A usually temporary layoff from work.
c. A leave of absence from prison granted to a prisoner.

2. The papers or documents authorizing a leave.

tr.v. fur·loughed, fur·lough·ing, fur·loughs
1. To grant a leave to.
2. To lay off (workers).

Lately, I have developed a new appreciation for the word "furlough."

You can see the definition above for furlough taken from the free online dictionary. While I already knew the definition and the word, I now understand it far better. Or, I'm about to.

For the first time in my life, I am about to experience a furlough from work. Beginning Friday, I will be on unpaid leave from my job. I'm not alone. Everyone who works for our company will be taking 4 weeks of unpaid leave from January - August. Hopefully, the furloughs will not extend longer than that. I guess we'll wait and see how the economy goes between now and then. And, further into 2009.

You see, I've watched the news since Fall time about the economy and how the economy is struggling. I've watched the news intently as they've talked about businesses closing, job layoffs, shut-downs, and yes, furloughs. At first, I had a causal interest, but as the Fall became Winter, I watched with a different perspective in mind.

Our company hasn't made the news, we are a small business of about 100 employees. So, we rarely receive press coverage, and that's fine. But, the stagnant economy is hitting more than just the big three car companies, The Home Depot, and the banks. It is also hurting companies like the one I work for.

So, beginning Friday, I will be joining the ranks of unpaid American workers who are questioning what 2009 will hold for us. By every stretch of the imagination, I'm thankful I have a job! I'm thankful that my boss has done everything in her power to keep the employees we have. Her job is not one that I would want to have now or ever.

Over the next week, I have a lot of work planned. My wife has given me a very detailed list of "honey-do" things that need doing around the house. I'll be painting. I'll be doing yardwork. I'll be building Evan a toy box.

On the other hand, I won't be working. I won't be answering emails. I won't be answering the phone, networking with contacts, assigning writers with articles, attending meetings. I won't be drawing a pay check. That will be the first time that's happened since I began working full-time at the age of 20 years old.

I'll do fine. God is gracious and He provides. Tonya and I aren't worried. We are blessed far more than we deserve to be.

I would ask you to pray for my fellow employees. Pray for other companies that are facing the same decisions we are facing. Pray for employees, of big and small companies, who will be furloughed or laid off in 2009. Difficult days are ahead in 2009.

I don't blame the Democrats. I don't blame the Republicans. I think all of us share some of the responsibility for where we find ourselves today. We've lived so far above our means that we feel that we are entitled to that. Where are we promised that? Where are we promised that we will have bigger and better than our parents? Where are we promised that someone else should support us? Coverage our mortgage? Bail us out when we get ourselves into debt?

James 4:14 gives the promise. Not the promises above. But another promise. James said (in my paraphrase) that life is just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. If I live to be 75 or even 80, what is that really? It's just a vapor. What's all the money I make? A vapor. What's work really about? Again, a vapor.

So, as you pray, pray for our economy, yes by all means do that. Pray for companies struggling to get by. But, more importantly, pray for people who haven't yet grasped the truth that there is more to life than what takes place at work, or on vacation, or out shopping. Or building treasures on earth. Life is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Life is preparing to meet Him in glory.

A Troubled Economy

Our economy is in trouble. Is there anyone denying that?

If you are denying it now, just wait a few more months, and I can assume you’ll be recognizing the effects of the mortgage crisis, banking and auto bailout, and the increasing employment issues facing our country.

So, who’s fault is it?

I happen to be of the school that believes there is plenty of blame to go around! Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are responsible for where we are now. Then again, so are millions of Americans who bought into the “easy money” lies that have been “preached” for decades and decades.

However, to no one’s surprise, the name calling has begun!

Just last week, the White House began pushing back hard against a New York Times article that essentially blamed President Bush for the sub-prime mortgage mess and the Wall Street collapse.

In a 5,000-word article in the Times on Sunday, under the headline, “White House Philosophy Stoked Mortgage Bonfire,” said Bush was also encouraging a “hands-off approach” to regulation that encouraged “lax” standards on behalf of lenders. “He pushed hard to expand homeownership, especially among minorities, an initiative that dovetailed with his ambition to expand the Republican tent—and with the business interests of some of his biggest donors,” the article said.

“That’s about as myopic as you can get,” White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in response.White House counselor Ed Gillespie lashed out at the Times for its interpretation of Bush’s housing policies. “They’ve had to mortgage their building in Manhattan to help make ends meet, and they’ve been reduced to junk-bond status. I don’t know if the New York Times’ shoddy reporting is the result of being in junk-bond status, or if their junk-bond status is what’s resulting in their shoddy reporting,” Gillespie said.

In fact, the Times’ article ignored a wealth of its own reporting, dating back to the era of Bill Clinton, whom the article mentioned only once, in passing. For example, in September 1999, the Times noted that, “Fannie Mae, the nation’s biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stockholders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.” The 1999 piece went even further: “In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980’s.”

Likewise, the Times made no mention over the weekend of President Clinton’s aggressive deregulation of the financial services industry, which empowered banks, brokerage firms, and insurance companies to engage in some of the very practices—such as credit default swaps—that contributed most to the current fiscal crisis.

While the Times mentioned that mortgage bankers and brokers donated almost $850,000 to President Bush's 2004 reelection campaign, the newspaper omitted the fact that the top three recipients of campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and its sister organization Freddie Mac over the last two decades were all Democrats. Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, head of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; President-elect Barack Obama; and Bush’s 2004 opponent John Kerry all benefited from Fannie and Freddie.

I hate shoddy reporting. I hate even worse when people with an agenda write about their opponents.

Let’s face it folks. The current economic situation didn’t happen during President Bush’s term in office. The problems leading to where we currently are began happening in the 1980s and 1990s.

So, writers, editors, and reporters can take the coward’s way out and blame President Bush (if they are more liberal) or President Clinton (if they are conservative). But for me and my house, we’ll go back to what I said at the beginning—there’s plenty of blame to go around!

The Cost of Christmas Just Went Up!

With all the talk about an economic downturn around the world, even the most romantic person might hesitate before spending the $86,609 price tag for the items in the carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” (If you’d like to see a humorous version of the song, visit Heidi’s site.)

That’s this year’s cost, according to the annual “Christmas Price Index” compiled by PNC Wealth Management, which tallies the single partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, purchased repeatedly as the song suggests. The price is up $8,508 or 10.9 %, from $78,100 last year.

In this tight economy, what’s a romantic to do?

Well, I won’t be buying the 12 days of Christmas. Can’t afford it. And after all, who really needs maids milking or turtledoves?

Those things wouldn’t fit under our tree anyway!

'Nuff Said...