DH came down with high fevers (104 degrees) sweats and weakness over the 4th of July holiday. We waited the three CDC required days to see if he would improve. He didn't. So I took him to the ER last week. As soon as we entered the hospital there was a warning that if you were experiencing flu like symptoms to promptly put on a mask. We did. We met with Reception, filled out the required forms and sat in the Waiting Room. We waited 1 hour in the ER before DH was called in for an examination.
Our health insurance covered the ER, less a $50 co-pay. DH expressed his Swine Flu fears. After a thorough exam and chest ex rays, the doctors determined it was pneumonia. I have my doubts about that because ALL of DH's symptoms reeked of Swine Flu. We were given 3 prescriptions to fill in addition to the inhaler the hospital provided. The meds cost us $69 because we didn't have RX coverage but in retrospect, each prescription would have had a $20 co-pay, so that would have been a cost of $60. Not much savings there.
I think my readers know by now my husband is a driven, work-a-holic man. Despite my screaming and yelling, (I even called his mother, but she too, caved) he still insisted on going to work after only 2 days.
Where is he now?
Flat on his back, at 2PM in the afternoon, sleeping soundly with such loud, rattling snoring that it is making the neighbors windows shake. He's sick again. Imagine that? Who'd a thunk? But what do we women know, eh?
Needless to say, he hasn't gotten the sailboat finished nor moored, despite paying all the mooring fees in full. What a waste of time and money. He's got a big job coming up out west, that will pay him a few grand but I shudder to think about the impact of all of this on his health.
What is it with men?
Why can't they just take it easy?
Why are they so driven?
If it were I who had gotten sick, I would have gladly stayed in my bed, TV remote in hand, bon bons at my side and to hell! with the outside world, bills, boats and the job!
But, I digress.
In the end, the little bacteria bug always wins. He's flat on his back, taking a much needed rest and all I need to do for him now, at this time, is wait it out.
And so the beat goes on.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Bringing Back Sunday Dinner: A Must-Have American Tradition.
Statistics are strong that a family that eats just one meal together per week, preferably on a Sunday, reap such good results that they are staggering. Kids are more well adjusted, improve in school and interact better in social situations. Marriages improve, couple relations improve and family social situations improve.Imagine that? Just from eating one uninterrupted (no TV or distractions) great Sunday meal together.
When I was growing up, Sunday afternoons were spent having an early dinner together with all my aunts, uncles and cousins at my grandma's house. My family did this for many, many years until my mother died. Somehow, we let the tradition slip through our fingers. I revived it again when I had my own children and will bring it back once again when I have grandchildren.
Our lives may or may not be hectic but we should make an effort to clear our calendars for at least one day (preferably more) per week. I elect Sunday. Have a bar-b-que, potluck or summer picnic. Wintertime could be a giant bowl of soup and bread. Whatever. Just make sure it is just a time that is free from the glaring TV, video game or iPod. Ask your kids what is going on in their lives. Ask your SO how his or her day/week has been. Talk to each other. Look at each other. Share a meal together.
And so it goes.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A Tale Of Two Decisions.
This is a true story of 3 friends, all from the Hamptons, NY who made two different decisions back in 2001 and the results they reaped today in 2009. It was the almost-height of the real estate market (2001) and we all asked ourselves the same question: do we stay or do we cash out and go.
In 2001, the dot com bubble burst and I personally, as a financial manager didn't like what I was seeing. I didn't like the way banks and credit card companies were treating it's customers. I also didn't like the way mortgage holders treated it's loan holders. Apparently, most lenders were cocky and nasty. They treated their customers with disdain. To me, that's not good business. Throw in the fact that the stock market took a dive in 2001 and a micro-recession brewed. Since most people didn't actually feel the decline, they never heeded my financial warnings.
I advised both of my good friends BFF#1 (a carpenter/technician) and BFF#2 (an architect) to cash out of their homes and use their equity to purchase another home in a more rural setting, for cash and to also eliminate all debt, charge cards and pay off all car loans. BFF#1 took my advice. BFF#2 refused. He still wanted to hold onto his dreams of grandeur. He still wanted to become a super, uber, multi-millionaire. Not that there is anything wrong with that. He just didn't recognize that the playing field had been changed and a whole new set of rules were required to get to his end result. Sadly, he played by the old rules and lost out.
For discussion sake, let's say that in 2001, after we three sold our homes, we all came out with $500k cash. This is a life-changing amount of money. Both myself and BFF#1 chose to relocate to upstate New York (within 20 minutes of each other) where the living price tag was way cheaper. BFF#1 chose a community neighborhood and paid $250K cash for their home. The wife, however, went a little crazy spending that extra $250K (pool, horse lessons, $6K summer camps for the kids, $25K vacations) till she whittled the savings down to $30K. After all, she reasoned, her husband was working nationally and was earning $100K per year. Thankfully, through her husbands insistence, she drove a fully paid for Ford Focus station wagon (which she hated, but more on her attitude change later). He drove a paid-for, used Ford Taurus and they had absolutely no credit card debt. They paid their bills in full each and every month.
DH and myself went more rural. We decided to buy land and build our own home in order to keep costs down. My goal was to retire, at the age of 50 and make our windfall last. DH is 6 years younger than I, and he wanted to continue to work, but only as a self-employed. Our final housing costs amounted to $170K. We erected a custom built modular home on almost 4 acres of land. Our accountant advised us to invest our remaining funds in the stock market. I declined vehemently. I didn't like the losses sustained from the dot com disaster. I only opted to put $25K in the stock market (as 'play' money). The rest was placed in laddered CD's, which at the time were paying 6%. DH and I paid off all our debts and drove used cars, that we paid for in cash. DH worked on building his business. I worked on developing a new lifestyle.
BFF#2 chose to stay in the Hamptons. He still had dreams of 'making it big'. Fresh from divorce and with a pocketful of cash, instead of buying a home outright for $400K, he decided he was going to leverage his money. He chose to entangle himself with the very people I told him to avoid: lenders. He bought a $700K fixer-upper in Southampton that he thought he could turn for $1.5 million. After all, he was an architect, right? He put $200K down and financed the rest. He also financed and leased 2 new cars for both himself and his new wife. He got a brand new hip Jeep, she a chic new status SUV. He financed a sailboat. He financed a new business. He financed his brand new life.
The remodeling and repairs on his fixer-upper dragged on and almost depleted him. No problem, thought he. He just refinanced, pulled out the equity and continued on his merry, dreamy way. Despite the financial warning DH and I bestowed on him, he was certain our way was wrong and his way was the highway to fulfilled dreams. "Why suffer?" he always used to ask us, when he saw us struggling. "Take out a loan against your property and live a little."
Over the course of the past eight years, BFF#2 refinanced twice. He had to refinance last year because he needed money to pay his taxes. He never got to sell his $700K home for that $1.5 million. In fact, he can't even sell it for what he paid for it. He never quite got to all the remodeling and the repairs. Something was always coming up. Yesterday, he called DH to tell him that his 2 cars were just repossessed and his home is in foreclosure. His dad felt sorry for his wife and personally bought her a used vehicle to use to chauffeur around the four kids (yes, he has 4 sons). The wife got into an accident and found out the hard way her husband never paid the car insurance. Her drivers license was suspended and they have no money to fix up the car. In order to drum up some cash, BFF#2 rented out his home for the whole month of August and he, his wife and kids now have nowhere to live. Hopefully, the rental will go through before the foreclosure does. The only thing BFF#2 can depend on is his used, fully paid-for, beat up Jeep mobile.
BFF#1, just got laid off six months ago. It was the second time in a year that he lost his job. His wife keeps thinking he is going to get another job that will pay him that $100K a year. Both she and him have some serious, serious lessons to learn. BUT, here is the good news: they live in a great home without a mortgage. They have no credit card debt. They both drive fully paid-off cars. NOW, my girlfriend absolutely loves and adores her Ford Focus station wagon! And they have around $50K in savings plus his dwindling retirement accounts. They are both in their early 50's and can wait out the stock market. She has been able to hold onto her retail position. He has been able to find work as an independent contractor. They have made some smooth financial moves such as: no more horseback riding lessons (daughter works part time and pays for it herself), no more camps, designer clothes, dinners out etc. and their college-bound daughter opted for a state commuter community college and pays her own (cheaper) tuition. The family had room to be flexible, change their plans accordingly because they weren't weighed down by debt. Needless, to say, I'm their new hero and they are thankful they took my advice in 2001. Who, in their right mind, wants to deal with mortgage lenders, credit card companies and their ilk in this economy?
Sometimes, DH and BFF#1 share their jobs. DH can do some carpentry and installations. And BFF#1 can do some electrical. Either way, both friends keep bringing in weekly money and technically, to me, that's all that matters.
As for BFF#2, I know the only reason why he called my husband last week was to look for a place he, his wife and four kids could crash in for the month of August. Sorry, dude. As cruel as you may think this may sound, DH and I and my two daughters together with their respective SO's will be sailing Narragansett Bay come August. Yup, we'll be sitting up on The Hill, drinking our Bellini's and watching the 'Good Life' drift by. You were right: Why should we suffer?
Somebody has always bailed out your butt since the day you were born. Time to grow up and take responsibility for your actions. Your four sons are watching.
And so it goes.
In 2001, the dot com bubble burst and I personally, as a financial manager didn't like what I was seeing. I didn't like the way banks and credit card companies were treating it's customers. I also didn't like the way mortgage holders treated it's loan holders. Apparently, most lenders were cocky and nasty. They treated their customers with disdain. To me, that's not good business. Throw in the fact that the stock market took a dive in 2001 and a micro-recession brewed. Since most people didn't actually feel the decline, they never heeded my financial warnings.
I advised both of my good friends BFF#1 (a carpenter/technician) and BFF#2 (an architect) to cash out of their homes and use their equity to purchase another home in a more rural setting, for cash and to also eliminate all debt, charge cards and pay off all car loans. BFF#1 took my advice. BFF#2 refused. He still wanted to hold onto his dreams of grandeur. He still wanted to become a super, uber, multi-millionaire. Not that there is anything wrong with that. He just didn't recognize that the playing field had been changed and a whole new set of rules were required to get to his end result. Sadly, he played by the old rules and lost out.
For discussion sake, let's say that in 2001, after we three sold our homes, we all came out with $500k cash. This is a life-changing amount of money. Both myself and BFF#1 chose to relocate to upstate New York (within 20 minutes of each other) where the living price tag was way cheaper. BFF#1 chose a community neighborhood and paid $250K cash for their home. The wife, however, went a little crazy spending that extra $250K (pool, horse lessons, $6K summer camps for the kids, $25K vacations) till she whittled the savings down to $30K. After all, she reasoned, her husband was working nationally and was earning $100K per year. Thankfully, through her husbands insistence, she drove a fully paid for Ford Focus station wagon (which she hated, but more on her attitude change later). He drove a paid-for, used Ford Taurus and they had absolutely no credit card debt. They paid their bills in full each and every month.
DH and myself went more rural. We decided to buy land and build our own home in order to keep costs down. My goal was to retire, at the age of 50 and make our windfall last. DH is 6 years younger than I, and he wanted to continue to work, but only as a self-employed. Our final housing costs amounted to $170K. We erected a custom built modular home on almost 4 acres of land. Our accountant advised us to invest our remaining funds in the stock market. I declined vehemently. I didn't like the losses sustained from the dot com disaster. I only opted to put $25K in the stock market (as 'play' money). The rest was placed in laddered CD's, which at the time were paying 6%. DH and I paid off all our debts and drove used cars, that we paid for in cash. DH worked on building his business. I worked on developing a new lifestyle.
BFF#2 chose to stay in the Hamptons. He still had dreams of 'making it big'. Fresh from divorce and with a pocketful of cash, instead of buying a home outright for $400K, he decided he was going to leverage his money. He chose to entangle himself with the very people I told him to avoid: lenders. He bought a $700K fixer-upper in Southampton that he thought he could turn for $1.5 million. After all, he was an architect, right? He put $200K down and financed the rest. He also financed and leased 2 new cars for both himself and his new wife. He got a brand new hip Jeep, she a chic new status SUV. He financed a sailboat. He financed a new business. He financed his brand new life.
The remodeling and repairs on his fixer-upper dragged on and almost depleted him. No problem, thought he. He just refinanced, pulled out the equity and continued on his merry, dreamy way. Despite the financial warning DH and I bestowed on him, he was certain our way was wrong and his way was the highway to fulfilled dreams. "Why suffer?" he always used to ask us, when he saw us struggling. "Take out a loan against your property and live a little."
Over the course of the past eight years, BFF#2 refinanced twice. He had to refinance last year because he needed money to pay his taxes. He never got to sell his $700K home for that $1.5 million. In fact, he can't even sell it for what he paid for it. He never quite got to all the remodeling and the repairs. Something was always coming up. Yesterday, he called DH to tell him that his 2 cars were just repossessed and his home is in foreclosure. His dad felt sorry for his wife and personally bought her a used vehicle to use to chauffeur around the four kids (yes, he has 4 sons). The wife got into an accident and found out the hard way her husband never paid the car insurance. Her drivers license was suspended and they have no money to fix up the car. In order to drum up some cash, BFF#2 rented out his home for the whole month of August and he, his wife and kids now have nowhere to live. Hopefully, the rental will go through before the foreclosure does. The only thing BFF#2 can depend on is his used, fully paid-for, beat up Jeep mobile.
BFF#1, just got laid off six months ago. It was the second time in a year that he lost his job. His wife keeps thinking he is going to get another job that will pay him that $100K a year. Both she and him have some serious, serious lessons to learn. BUT, here is the good news: they live in a great home without a mortgage. They have no credit card debt. They both drive fully paid-off cars. NOW, my girlfriend absolutely loves and adores her Ford Focus station wagon! And they have around $50K in savings plus his dwindling retirement accounts. They are both in their early 50's and can wait out the stock market. She has been able to hold onto her retail position. He has been able to find work as an independent contractor. They have made some smooth financial moves such as: no more horseback riding lessons (daughter works part time and pays for it herself), no more camps, designer clothes, dinners out etc. and their college-bound daughter opted for a state commuter community college and pays her own (cheaper) tuition. The family had room to be flexible, change their plans accordingly because they weren't weighed down by debt. Needless, to say, I'm their new hero and they are thankful they took my advice in 2001. Who, in their right mind, wants to deal with mortgage lenders, credit card companies and their ilk in this economy?
Sometimes, DH and BFF#1 share their jobs. DH can do some carpentry and installations. And BFF#1 can do some electrical. Either way, both friends keep bringing in weekly money and technically, to me, that's all that matters.
As for BFF#2, I know the only reason why he called my husband last week was to look for a place he, his wife and four kids could crash in for the month of August. Sorry, dude. As cruel as you may think this may sound, DH and I and my two daughters together with their respective SO's will be sailing Narragansett Bay come August. Yup, we'll be sitting up on The Hill, drinking our Bellini's and watching the 'Good Life' drift by. You were right: Why should we suffer?Somebody has always bailed out your butt since the day you were born. Time to grow up and take responsibility for your actions. Your four sons are watching.
And so it goes.
Monday, July 6, 2009
White House Green Garden: Loaded With Poison Lead. Bon Appetite!
Just as Michelle Obama was dishing out those green beans, heirloom tomatoes and turnip greens, word comes out the organic (?) garden is loaded with lead poisoning. Here's a quote from this Guardian Co UK news release:
It was meant to be a show case for healthy living, with the first lady, Michelle Obama, personally putting hand to pitch fork in a crowd of school children to dig up the first White House vegetable garden in more than 50 years.
Instead, an embarrassed White House admitted today that the plot - whose lettuce, herbs and other produce have been consumed by the first family, visiting dignitaries, local school children and a women's homeless shelter - had tested positive for elevated levels of lead.
A spokeswoman for the White House said the soil in the garden had lead concentrations of 93 parts per million of lead. Health experts say it is safe to raise leafy vegetables in soil with concentrations of 10-50 parts per million, and urban gardens typically have raised lead levels. However, it is advised for young children to be tested for exposure to lead if they play in areas where lead concentrations exceed 100 parts per million. The Environmental Protection Agency puts the threshold for dangerous lead levels at 300 parts per million.
Apparently, in the Obama's rush to be green, no one thought about testing the soil first before planting. Brilliant. One can only wonder what else will turn into a catastrophe from Barack Obama's race to get things done before thinking about it's consequences.Children are especially vulnerable to exposure to lead, which can cause neurological and kidney damage, and stunt their growth. The White House would not say whether the Obamas or the children who had helped tend the garden would be tested for lead exposure.
The White House stated July 2, 2009 that the lead levels are not life threatening.
Fork anyone?
And so the beat goes on.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Happy 4th Of July to 48 of the 50 States.
Facing huge deficits this July 4th, only 2 of the US of A 50 states are still solvent. The other 48 are broke. According to this article from the BBC News, many states, cities and towns have to resort to draconian measures in order to stay afloat.
California, completely out of money has had to issue I.O.U.'s to it's vendors, employees and tax refund recipients. Unemployment in the state is nearing 12%.
New York, whose senate has been in chaos for almost 4 weeks as of this writing, hasn't passed a law is as much time.
Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Arizona failed to reach any budget agreements. They have had to ask local banks to loan their workers their wages. Most have suspended all expenditures for a week.
Florida has had to suspend all school programs.
Why is this happening?
Very little of the stimulus money has been paid out to all of the 50 states. The states' solution then has been to raise taxes, reduce services, lay off government employees, cancel summer school, close state parks, reduce health care and benefits, suspend infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc) repair and maintenance. Here's a quote:
California, completely out of money has had to issue I.O.U.'s to it's vendors, employees and tax refund recipients. Unemployment in the state is nearing 12%.
New York, whose senate has been in chaos for almost 4 weeks as of this writing, hasn't passed a law is as much time.
Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Arizona failed to reach any budget agreements. They have had to ask local banks to loan their workers their wages. Most have suspended all expenditures for a week.
Florida has had to suspend all school programs.
Why is this happening?
Very little of the stimulus money has been paid out to all of the 50 states. The states' solution then has been to raise taxes, reduce services, lay off government employees, cancel summer school, close state parks, reduce health care and benefits, suspend infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc) repair and maintenance. Here's a quote:
The reductions in state spending will also have a negative effect on the economy, deepening the recession in states where the cuts are most severe.
It was concern about such economic effects that led the Obama administration to include substantial aid to state budgets in its $787bn fiscal stimulus plan that was passed by Congress in February.
But relatively little of the promised money has arrived yet, and meanwhile the speed and scale of the downturn has made their fiscal position much worse.
Have a Happy 4th of July, my fellow American citizens. Enjoy the fireworks. That's if your county is having any fireworks. Most counties have cancelled them due to budget cuts. President Obama will be having a wonderful vacation this August on Martha's Vineyard. " Just off Cape Cod in New England, the island is where America's Democratic elite comes to let its hair down each summer, enjoying "clambakes" on the beach, garden parties, sailing and golf. " Yup. He'll be hob nobbing with all those Goldman Sachs Wall Street executives. You know the ones? The guys who all own those mansions up on the Vineyard and are responsible for this whole financial mess we poor voters have found ourselves in. Here's a quote: "From tech stocks to high gas prices, Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression - and they're about to do it again" run, don't walk, to your nearest kiosk and buy Matt Taibbi's latest piece in Rolling Stone magazine. (click here for the article)
Oh, and here's another tid bit that should make your weekend: reports just released show that all the Obama staff employees, are being paid 18% MORE than President Bush's employees. Thought you'd like to know.
And so it goes.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Happy, Wealthy and Wise. The Secret To My Success.
The secret to my success is something most people don't want to hear or listen to. Nonetheless, there is no denying my accomplishments. I didn't, however achieve my success alone. No, I had help. The assistance is available to anyone who asks and the best part about it is that it's free.
Oh yes, I'm an elitist.
I answer to only one thing. I answer to a higher authority.
Back in 1987, when the stock market crashed and I lost all my money and my business failed, and I didn't have a job and while I was waiting for the sheriff to come and pull me and my family out of our home (sound familiar anyone?) I happen to be watching TV. I came upon a television station with some man chanting that if anyone was out there watching who was facing complete financial ruin, he had the answer to my problems. That man was Pat Robertson and the television channel was CBN Broadcast. Robertson posted a free 800 phone number to dial and I hurriedly placed the call. I immediately spilled out my woes to the unsuspecting receiver and was told to turn all my problems over to God. We mumbled some prayer together and the receiver sent me a parcel of finance books to help me learn how to put my financial world in order.
The first thing I learned was how to set up a budget and to ask myself a question before I made any new purchase: was this a need or a want? Needs were permitted but wants had to be saved for. The budget was to follow a formula: a certain percentage of your take home pay went towards housing, insurance, food & clothing, etc. The second thing I learned was that debt was a form of slavery. Once I turned my life over to the Lord and made the commitment to follow His teachings, the rest was easy. The sheriff never came to my door. My husband and I found good paying jobs and slowly we paid back our bills and got out of debt.
The story doesn't stop there. Feeling cocky and secure 13 years later (2000) I thought I could live my life without God. After all, I was plush with money, had a successful business again......who needed God anymore? Certainly, not I. So, I got a Mastercard and went on a whirlwind California vacation. Traded in my old, almost paid-off affordable car and leveraged for a brand, new shiny foreign, black, sports car. Refi-ed my almost paid off Hamptons home and poured the borrowed money into my business (after all, it was an almost done deal that my business was being sold for a high six-figure). I will always remember a scene from my life forever in my head. There I was, sitting on top of the world, who, in a matter of days was going to be a very wealthy woman. I was driving my car through Main Street in Bridgehamton, NY. It was a bright sunny day and I could feel the sun on my face through the open top of my black, almost-convertible sports car, sipping on a mochachino from Starbucks, grooving on the blasting music of Celine Dion singing 'That's the Way It is' saying to myself: well, this sure was easy.
I didn't realize that that summer day would be my last happy day for many years to come. The dot com disaster happened a few months later thus negating the sale of my computer business (the buyer was $2 million dollars in arrears and debt), because of dwindling sales my Apple Inc. license was curtailed. As my business faltered my debts rose, my car was eventually repossessed (as was my new boat) the home refi left me with a tripled monthly mortgage payment and 30 more years of debt vs the only 9 years I originally had left. The final nails in my coffin came on September 11, 2001: the bombing of the World Trade Center.
To say I goofed up would be equal to dropping a penny into the Pacific Ocean. I had abandoned my Christian financial principals, racked up scores of debt, chose to live the 'good life' rather than a prudent, cost effective life and hadn't prepared for the inevitable as God had suggested. I had gotten myself into such a mess that I knew no man could ever get me out of it. I needed Divine Intervention. I again called CBN, slobbered my tale of woe to the kind receiver on the other end and asked God to forgive me and get my life back on track again. God is kind and God is good but this time God had to teach me a lesson that was going to be so deep and so entrenched in pain that it's fear would forever keep me on the narrow track of good and tight financial discipline.
I used to think that the years 2001 to 2007 were my wasted years. Those years were spent moving, running, hiding and losing every single thing I ever owned in my whole entire life. I moved to find jobs, I ran to evade debts, I hid because I was embarrassed, I lost because I had to be rebuilt from the ground up. I understood what it meant that in order to fully follow God, one must give up all worldly possessions. I had to lose everything, accept it and replace my attachment to material wealth and assets to relying on God and Jesus for my daily bread. Not a government, not a human, nothing connected to the universe was ever going to make me happy ever again. Once I came to that realization, everything else just followed into place.
They say that God can restore whatever has been taken away. I didn't ever think my life could or would ever be like the way it was. But, it is. Only better. Once I turned my life over again to Jesus Christ, once I told Him, I messed up yet once again, and once I vowed to do it just one more time, His way, my life was restored. Yes, it's been a brutal 6 years. The lessons were painful. I thought I had wasted my life from age 50 to 56 (2001 to 2007) but now I realize that God was training me to successfully weather the worst financial catastrophe since the Great Depression. I can successfully say that this crisis has meant absolutely nothing to me. I haven't lost one penny. I live debt free, have work, make money, live well, eat well and in all honesty, laugh at the perils of the materialistic world. I used to worry about the deeds of the current and past administration. Now, they mean nothing. Why? Because I get my grace from a higher authority. One that is way more powerful than mere mortals. (The biggest joke is the 'Cap & Trade' bill pending in Congress. Man actually thinks it can change and alter the weather. Ha!)
I used to live in the most wealthiest area on the globe: The Hamptons, Long Island, New York. I used to have a second retreat in the Catskill Mountains of upstate, New York. How could God ever replace that? The beaches of East Hampton were ranked 6th best in America.
Today, I live in the Catskill Mountains and I own a second retreat in Newport, Rhode Island. Both properties are fully paid for and never had a mortgage. How did God do that? How did that happen? The wealth in Newport far exceeds any riches the artificial Hamptons could conjure up. The beaches in Newport are rated at #4 in the US. God's plan is perfect. How did He do it?
Today, I sail a 22 ft. Catalina sailboat that far exceeds the 17 ft WellCraft motorboat I had back on Long Island. How did God do that? My sailboat is fully paid for ($6100) and is way more fun than the indebted ($14,000) motor boat.
Today, both my husband and I drive brand new, fully paid for Ford Focus's. No one can ever come into our driveway and repossess our vehicles. How did God do that? We also have a 2000 Jeep that DH is restoring so that he can tow the sailboat and will also make a great beach vehicle for my 2 daughters to enjoy. How did this happen?
Today, DH and I run a successful business. We pay our bills on time. Have money in a savings account, have fully funded and vested retirement accounts (after being fully liquidated back in 2001). Contracts keep pouring in (DH has enough work scheduled till 2010). We are back taking (paid for) vacations both nationally and internationally. We've even discussed buying a (used) RV this fall (now that we have a towable Jeep) and seeing the Grand Canyon. How was the joy brought back into our lives?
I used to have insurmountable debts, bills and tax liabilities ($171,000). Today, I have none. How did that happen? How did God do all of this for me, a lowly mess-up, loser such as myself?
There's a secret to living a successful, wealthy life. It's a proven formula, that yes, dates back to biblical times. And we mere mortals can think whatever we want about ourselves, but we are not better than God.
Today, Pat Robertson has written a new book entitled: Right On The Money-Financial Advice For Tough Times. It is filled with current advice on how to get your debt under control, how to set up a budget, buy a home, prepare for retirement, run a business and just plain, old common sense on how to weather the current economic crisis. I went to my local library to loan out the book but the Director didn't look too hopeful into securing the book for me. His question to me was "Is that Reverand Pat Roberston, the religious man?" Then he made some inference to Bernie Madoff and the like. Robertson is no Madoff, nor does he ask for any money. Religion aside, Robertson is an extraordinary financial expert with more than forty years of experience and success. Since my library refused outright to purchase Robertson's book, I bought a used one off of Amazon. I plan on donating it to the same library when I am finished. (I wouldn't put it past the library however, to either refuse the book or just throw it in the garbage.)
For free, you can call CBN (The 700 Club) @ 800-759-0700 and request free pamphlets on how to get your financial life in order. I would, however, consider giving away my copy to someone who really needs it. Send me an email and let me know. Even if you want to discard the religious notions and are fully entrenched in the belief that God does not exist, the financial advice is still something to reckon with and behold. For me, personally, God has proven He is real and has infinite power over the universe. His lessons can be forceful and strong but His generosity and kindness can be an everlasting beacon in an unkind world.
God bless.
And so the beat goes on.
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PS: If you're wondering if I tithe, I do BUT it isn't the 10%. I give what I can BUT DH and I also give back by helping others or volunteering our time. Also, I watch the 700 Club everyday, especially the opening reports on the news. If you want fair and balanced information, their newscasts are accurate and unbiased. Of course, CBN additionally covers news that applies to Christianity, but still covers all worldly events as they unfold.
Oh yes, I'm an elitist.
I answer to only one thing. I answer to a higher authority.
Back in 1987, when the stock market crashed and I lost all my money and my business failed, and I didn't have a job and while I was waiting for the sheriff to come and pull me and my family out of our home (sound familiar anyone?) I happen to be watching TV. I came upon a television station with some man chanting that if anyone was out there watching who was facing complete financial ruin, he had the answer to my problems. That man was Pat Robertson and the television channel was CBN Broadcast. Robertson posted a free 800 phone number to dial and I hurriedly placed the call. I immediately spilled out my woes to the unsuspecting receiver and was told to turn all my problems over to God. We mumbled some prayer together and the receiver sent me a parcel of finance books to help me learn how to put my financial world in order.
The first thing I learned was how to set up a budget and to ask myself a question before I made any new purchase: was this a need or a want? Needs were permitted but wants had to be saved for. The budget was to follow a formula: a certain percentage of your take home pay went towards housing, insurance, food & clothing, etc. The second thing I learned was that debt was a form of slavery. Once I turned my life over to the Lord and made the commitment to follow His teachings, the rest was easy. The sheriff never came to my door. My husband and I found good paying jobs and slowly we paid back our bills and got out of debt.
The story doesn't stop there. Feeling cocky and secure 13 years later (2000) I thought I could live my life without God. After all, I was plush with money, had a successful business again......who needed God anymore? Certainly, not I. So, I got a Mastercard and went on a whirlwind California vacation. Traded in my old, almost paid-off affordable car and leveraged for a brand, new shiny foreign, black, sports car. Refi-ed my almost paid off Hamptons home and poured the borrowed money into my business (after all, it was an almost done deal that my business was being sold for a high six-figure). I will always remember a scene from my life forever in my head. There I was, sitting on top of the world, who, in a matter of days was going to be a very wealthy woman. I was driving my car through Main Street in Bridgehamton, NY. It was a bright sunny day and I could feel the sun on my face through the open top of my black, almost-convertible sports car, sipping on a mochachino from Starbucks, grooving on the blasting music of Celine Dion singing 'That's the Way It is' saying to myself: well, this sure was easy.
I didn't realize that that summer day would be my last happy day for many years to come. The dot com disaster happened a few months later thus negating the sale of my computer business (the buyer was $2 million dollars in arrears and debt), because of dwindling sales my Apple Inc. license was curtailed. As my business faltered my debts rose, my car was eventually repossessed (as was my new boat) the home refi left me with a tripled monthly mortgage payment and 30 more years of debt vs the only 9 years I originally had left. The final nails in my coffin came on September 11, 2001: the bombing of the World Trade Center.
To say I goofed up would be equal to dropping a penny into the Pacific Ocean. I had abandoned my Christian financial principals, racked up scores of debt, chose to live the 'good life' rather than a prudent, cost effective life and hadn't prepared for the inevitable as God had suggested. I had gotten myself into such a mess that I knew no man could ever get me out of it. I needed Divine Intervention. I again called CBN, slobbered my tale of woe to the kind receiver on the other end and asked God to forgive me and get my life back on track again. God is kind and God is good but this time God had to teach me a lesson that was going to be so deep and so entrenched in pain that it's fear would forever keep me on the narrow track of good and tight financial discipline.
I used to think that the years 2001 to 2007 were my wasted years. Those years were spent moving, running, hiding and losing every single thing I ever owned in my whole entire life. I moved to find jobs, I ran to evade debts, I hid because I was embarrassed, I lost because I had to be rebuilt from the ground up. I understood what it meant that in order to fully follow God, one must give up all worldly possessions. I had to lose everything, accept it and replace my attachment to material wealth and assets to relying on God and Jesus for my daily bread. Not a government, not a human, nothing connected to the universe was ever going to make me happy ever again. Once I came to that realization, everything else just followed into place.
They say that God can restore whatever has been taken away. I didn't ever think my life could or would ever be like the way it was. But, it is. Only better. Once I turned my life over again to Jesus Christ, once I told Him, I messed up yet once again, and once I vowed to do it just one more time, His way, my life was restored. Yes, it's been a brutal 6 years. The lessons were painful. I thought I had wasted my life from age 50 to 56 (2001 to 2007) but now I realize that God was training me to successfully weather the worst financial catastrophe since the Great Depression. I can successfully say that this crisis has meant absolutely nothing to me. I haven't lost one penny. I live debt free, have work, make money, live well, eat well and in all honesty, laugh at the perils of the materialistic world. I used to worry about the deeds of the current and past administration. Now, they mean nothing. Why? Because I get my grace from a higher authority. One that is way more powerful than mere mortals. (The biggest joke is the 'Cap & Trade' bill pending in Congress. Man actually thinks it can change and alter the weather. Ha!)
I used to live in the most wealthiest area on the globe: The Hamptons, Long Island, New York. I used to have a second retreat in the Catskill Mountains of upstate, New York. How could God ever replace that? The beaches of East Hampton were ranked 6th best in America.
Today, I live in the Catskill Mountains and I own a second retreat in Newport, Rhode Island. Both properties are fully paid for and never had a mortgage. How did God do that? How did that happen? The wealth in Newport far exceeds any riches the artificial Hamptons could conjure up. The beaches in Newport are rated at #4 in the US. God's plan is perfect. How did He do it?
Today, I sail a 22 ft. Catalina sailboat that far exceeds the 17 ft WellCraft motorboat I had back on Long Island. How did God do that? My sailboat is fully paid for ($6100) and is way more fun than the indebted ($14,000) motor boat.
Today, both my husband and I drive brand new, fully paid for Ford Focus's. No one can ever come into our driveway and repossess our vehicles. How did God do that? We also have a 2000 Jeep that DH is restoring so that he can tow the sailboat and will also make a great beach vehicle for my 2 daughters to enjoy. How did this happen?
Today, DH and I run a successful business. We pay our bills on time. Have money in a savings account, have fully funded and vested retirement accounts (after being fully liquidated back in 2001). Contracts keep pouring in (DH has enough work scheduled till 2010). We are back taking (paid for) vacations both nationally and internationally. We've even discussed buying a (used) RV this fall (now that we have a towable Jeep) and seeing the Grand Canyon. How was the joy brought back into our lives?
I used to have insurmountable debts, bills and tax liabilities ($171,000). Today, I have none. How did that happen? How did God do all of this for me, a lowly mess-up, loser such as myself?
There's a secret to living a successful, wealthy life. It's a proven formula, that yes, dates back to biblical times. And we mere mortals can think whatever we want about ourselves, but we are not better than God.
Today, Pat Robertson has written a new book entitled: Right On The Money-Financial Advice For Tough Times. It is filled with current advice on how to get your debt under control, how to set up a budget, buy a home, prepare for retirement, run a business and just plain, old common sense on how to weather the current economic crisis. I went to my local library to loan out the book but the Director didn't look too hopeful into securing the book for me. His question to me was "Is that Reverand Pat Roberston, the religious man?" Then he made some inference to Bernie Madoff and the like. Robertson is no Madoff, nor does he ask for any money. Religion aside, Robertson is an extraordinary financial expert with more than forty years of experience and success. Since my library refused outright to purchase Robertson's book, I bought a used one off of Amazon. I plan on donating it to the same library when I am finished. (I wouldn't put it past the library however, to either refuse the book or just throw it in the garbage.)
For free, you can call CBN (The 700 Club) @ 800-759-0700 and request free pamphlets on how to get your financial life in order. I would, however, consider giving away my copy to someone who really needs it. Send me an email and let me know. Even if you want to discard the religious notions and are fully entrenched in the belief that God does not exist, the financial advice is still something to reckon with and behold. For me, personally, God has proven He is real and has infinite power over the universe. His lessons can be forceful and strong but His generosity and kindness can be an everlasting beacon in an unkind world.
God bless.
And so the beat goes on.
_________________________________________________________________
PS: If you're wondering if I tithe, I do BUT it isn't the 10%. I give what I can BUT DH and I also give back by helping others or volunteering our time. Also, I watch the 700 Club everyday, especially the opening reports on the news. If you want fair and balanced information, their newscasts are accurate and unbiased. Of course, CBN additionally covers news that applies to Christianity, but still covers all worldly events as they unfold.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Forty Days and Forty Nights.
For the past month, of at least 30 days, it has rained here in the NorthEast a total of no less than 26 days. The rain hasn't been drizzle rain. It's been heavy downpours, torrential gusts of wind and hail, lightening, thunder and violent storms. Trees have been downed, areas have been flooded and life for most has become a drenched existence.
Home building has either been delayed or stopped due to the inclement weather. Most sporting events, such as baseball and golf have been prolonged. Attendance is down quite considerably. This is a bad time to be in the tourist industry. The domino effect has hit the restaurant business, travel agencies and lodging accommodations. It's a rain that just won't stay away. With the hurricane season quickly coming upon the area, I'm afraid more torrential rain is in the future forecast.
Farming has also been affected by the constant deluge of rain, water and flooding. Crops have either had their original plant date delayed or worse yet, washed away. We can anticipate higher food costs in the immediate future.
Looks like we all will need to brace for tougher times ahead.
Has this constant barrage of rain been an after effect of global warming? I don't know. The last time we had excessive rain like this was in 1954, over 50 years ago. Prior to that, massive rain storms were in the latter part of the 1800's. Did we have automobiles and excessive energy emissions back then? Not to my knowledge. Why did it rain heavily in the NorthEast back in 1884, just like it's raining heavily now?
The only thought that pops into my mind is the story of Noah, an ark, two of each animal (male & female) and rain for forty days and forty nights.
Anybody have a paddle?
And so the beat goes on.
Home building has either been delayed or stopped due to the inclement weather. Most sporting events, such as baseball and golf have been prolonged. Attendance is down quite considerably. This is a bad time to be in the tourist industry. The domino effect has hit the restaurant business, travel agencies and lodging accommodations. It's a rain that just won't stay away. With the hurricane season quickly coming upon the area, I'm afraid more torrential rain is in the future forecast.
Farming has also been affected by the constant deluge of rain, water and flooding. Crops have either had their original plant date delayed or worse yet, washed away. We can anticipate higher food costs in the immediate future.
Looks like we all will need to brace for tougher times ahead.
Has this constant barrage of rain been an after effect of global warming? I don't know. The last time we had excessive rain like this was in 1954, over 50 years ago. Prior to that, massive rain storms were in the latter part of the 1800's. Did we have automobiles and excessive energy emissions back then? Not to my knowledge. Why did it rain heavily in the NorthEast back in 1884, just like it's raining heavily now?
The only thought that pops into my mind is the story of Noah, an ark, two of each animal (male & female) and rain for forty days and forty nights.
Anybody have a paddle?
And so the beat goes on.
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