Why I love my Wife
My wife has the most amazingly beautiful skin, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is very determined and hardworking but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is an amazing cook, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife speaks multiple languages but it isn’t why I love her. My wife worships the Lord with all her heart, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife makes good money but it isn’t why I love her. My wife is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife has connections with high ranking government officials, but it isn’t why I love her. My wife gave me 4 amazing children, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife is humble and doesn’t self-promote, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife is a fabulous hostess, but that isn’t why I love her. My wife makes me a better investor, but that isn’t why I love her. I love my wife because…. Everyday I choose to love her. My love isn’t dependent upon her actions, looks, or wealth. True love isn’t a feeling, it is a choice to overlook shortcomings and slights. Love responds with respect, care, concern, and affection. Happy Birthday my...
read moreRelax and take a Knee
The Genesis of the blog is from my following facebook post. “Usually I skip the Anthem for NFL games. But Sunday Morning I was watching online. I looked at the Ravens players who were kneeling during the anthem… I looked at them and became curious, They grew up in an America that I don’t fully understand.Their Experience of being an American is substantially different from mine. Perhaps we should listen rather than shout. Seek to understand their concerns and see if we can’t find a way to make this an America that we all can be proud of.” It not that I agree or disagree with taking a knee, I can appreciate and respect the opinions of many voices in this discussion. I can appreciate our President’s opinion and those who share it. (We live in one of the most amazing countries in the world, we should be grateful we were born here) I can appreciate the NFL owners, players union, and commissioner telling the president don’t tell us how to run our business I can respect John Harbaugh for “he indicated that the Ravens’ decision to “express themselves” was theirs to make, and he said he didn’t know whether players would protest before Sunday’s home game against the AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers.“ I can respect Mike Tomlin for not wanting to participate in politics and keeping his team in the tunnel I can respect Ben Roethlisberger for regretting that decision I can love the image of Alejandro Villanueva standing with his hand over is heart I can respect Richard Petty for telling his employees failure to stand would result in being fired. I can love Jerry Jones and the Cowboy response There are also some opinions and expressions I can’t respect: If you wear the shirt of a dictator who systematically repressed his people and destroyed his country’s economy You tell me there is no Police brutality You tell me there is no such thing as racial discrimination (I have been both victim and beneficiary of it). You can’t succeed in America because of (insert excuse here…. Your race, your gender, your sexual preference, your religion, your hair color, Your weight, your parents). We are all allowed to have our opinions and they usually represent our feelings. Your feeling are valid and your reality. Your opinions aren’t facts. Your opinions aren’t as important to others as they are to you. (most people don’t care about your opinion). My opinion shall remain a mystery. I shall seek to understand why those amazing Black athletes don’t feel represented in our nation. I will encourage everyone I can to be the best person they can be…. No...
read more2 lessons from Frozen
With 3 young girls I get to watch frozen on a regular basis. Of all of the Disney animated movies, this is the only one I will let the watch as often as they want. There are 2 themes I reinforce and teach them from this movie. Don’t keep your gifts and talents hidden: Each of us has a unique talent and skill set that if used properly will make this world a better place. Don’t let fear allow you to keep them hidden. You will be miserable. When you unlock and use your talents, you will find your destiny, and be happier. Sometimes others will do things do encourage you to hide your talents. They could be well meaning teachers, parents, or friends, and they will try to steer you into a “safe” or “normal” life. “If you are to busy living the life someone else wants you live, who will live your life?” You owe it to the world and yourself to pursue your passions and talents. You talents can be used to help or hurt others: She used her talent to help her sister have so much fun. Her anger and frustration almost destroyed her city. It almost killed her sister. It all depended on how she chose to use her talent. A persuasive person can help others by helping them search and buy the perfect product that meets their needs, or they can con someone and take advantage of them using that same skill. The strongest kid in school can stand up for the oppressed or be an oppressor. We choose! The beauty of that tower she created is awe inspiring. (Yes I know it is magic and not possible in the time she did it.) Your life will be a “swirling storm inside” until you unlock your true calling. My most important job as a parent is to help my daughters find who God created them to be. I can’t let my desires for them or thoughts of what they should like affect my responsibility. Your Life’s work should be a thing of beauty! When you unlock your talents and passions you will find yourself dancing to work. You don’t have to live in misery. Don’t let others hold you back from the life you were created to...
read more5 inexpensive tips to help sell your home
Selling your home is like entering a Beauty Contest, and how you dress your home is a vital component. Here are some simple steps to make your home the prettiest in the pageant. 1.Declutter: When taking pictures or showing the property it is best if you home looks more like a photo in a magazine: Hide the toaster (Countertops empty except for a few accents pieces Half full (or half empty) closets and bookshelves. (Let them think they have plenty of room for their stuff) Get rid of the extra Furniture. (Furniture should leave lots of open space in the rooms) Those precious collectibles… start packing some of them away. The goal is to make your home look like what we all dream our home looked like. Do your best to make it look like an airbrushed model on a magazine. 2.Paint: Paint to your house, is like makeup on a beauty contestant. It can hide imperfections and make your home look younger. Light neutral colors are best. Use dark colors only as accent tones. Lighter color paints open up a space. 3.Give your property a sidewalk Serenade: Landscape and prune your property especially around the house. Those trees with low branches, trim those branches back. Don’t let the branches hide your home or make your yard seem smaller. No need to take the tree out just trim the lower branches. Trim the hedges (The smaller and cleaner they are the bigger your home and property will look) Plant some flowers Fresh mulch Keep the grass cut; it makes your yard seem larger. 4.Smell pretty: Light scent that gives fresh sense, the plug in ones are great. If you have a basement get a dehumidifier and reduce the musty smell that often comes from a basement. Send the dog and cat to a friends if possible. Yes, I know they are a part of your family, but they are not a part of your buyer’s family and that is what matters. 5.Clean: Put a shine on everything you can. This is a continuance of the airbrushed model theory. Remove as many pimples as you can. Wax the floor, clean the windows and mirrors. No leaves overflowing the gutters, no oil and grease spots on your driveway floor. These steps will help your buyer picture themselves living in the house. It will help your home be the queen of the home selling pageant. Want to see what your home is...
read moreThe spoils go to the persistent
Dr Kelly Flanagan made the following comment in a recent post: “I have been a witness to people who quit avoiding suffering and decide to carry it—venturing into the world full of courage, because they know they can bear the weight of it, because they know it won’t overwhelm them, because they know they can stand strong in the midst of it.” Success doesn’t usually go to the most talented or the luckiest. It usually goes to the one who was beat down, failed, was rejected…. And then they got back up at tried again this time a little smarter. Every time they get knocked they get up again. Four years ago my investing in rental real estate had almost bankrupted our family. I had to negotiate out of a deal I had made. I had made a commitment and it had led my family to the point… “where keeping that commitment would have meant taking food and shelter from my children.” At that moment I could have quit, here are a list of excuses that would have convinced most it was a “smart decision to get out of rental properties:” It is too hard to find good tenants; especially in that neighborhood. Maintenance costs on older homes are to high The economy is so bad tenants don’t have money to pay rent You have to be rich to invest in real estate With all the new rules it is impossible to borrow money to renovate a home I didn’t make a list of excuses, I made a list of lessons learned. Then I got better as a property manager. I became a better business man. And I became a better husband and father. Using these lessons I focused on the properties we had left. I was determined to do it better. Many of these hard lessons became the foundation of our current success. 2013 was our best year ever, and I still have lots of improvements to make to my systems and procedures. Our success would not have happened if it wasn’t for those hard lessons and experiences we had 4 years ago. Our rental income is now a substantial source of income for our family. What once threatened to take food from my children, now allows me to stay at home with them 2 days each week. We are on our way toward our long term family goals. I could have let frustration, suffering, struggle, and pain stop me from being a property owner. I could have let those failures beat me up. I choose to chalk-up the $50,000 loss to education expense. I chose to persist and pursue my dream. My success in real estate hasn’t come because of luck, talent, or inheritance. Success came because I persisted after setbacks and failures. Letting my failures and setbacks teach me. What is your success story? When have you been beaten down but kept going to find success?...
read moreHow to increase your minimum wage!
First the impact of raising the minimum wage for everyone: 1. You will have fewer jobs: Most minimum wage jobs are basic entry level jobs. These jobs require little training or specialized skills. Which means; when the labor costs gets to a certain level; companies can often develop a machine to replace that job. (PS the machine rarely takes breaks, doesn’t need days off, no health insurance). Some jobs will be replaced by automated systems and machines. Fewer jobs for those with little training or skills. How many baggers do you see at your grocery store these days? How often do you self-scan your items? How often do you hear an automated response when you call a company? Companies found a way to design away the jobs. How many Cashiers does Amazon have? 2. People have less incentive to improve themselves. If your minimum wage is $11 to $15 per hour some people will be satisfied with that income level and not do technical training that makes them more valuable to society. Every day we each rely on millions of people to make our lives more convenient and enjoyable. Many of these people you will never see, and yet their contribution to our lives is vital. The more skills and education people have the more they can contribute to the rest of us. So, please go out and be the best “you” you can be, it will bless the rest of us. 3. Your burger will get more expensive: That increase in labor cost has to be passed onto the consumers. It will increase inflation. Prices of products increase and this will especially hurt those most sensitive to these price changes. Those most sensitive to price changes are often the same who the minimum wage increase is designed to help. The cost of living will rise and people will again scream for another increase to the minimum wage. The cycle and situation will remain the same… So, What is the solution? Minimum wage jobs are not designed to be a career. They are a starting point not the finish line. Here are 3 idea for increasing your minimum wage: Education: This doesn’t have to be a traditional college so here are some other options Technical school, there are great programs for becoming a better you in several fields. Apprenticeship, some of these are formal, or you can also find that talented local person who will train you in an informal process through experience.\ Military: most jobs in the military don’t involve carrying a rifle every day. They train you with real world skills that will transfer to your life after the military Entrepreneurship: this is finding a need and filling it by providing a product or service. Instead of looking for a job look for a way to serve others. If you looking for a way to get started try Dan Miller’s 48 low cost business ideas.(Affiliate LInk) Persistence: If there is a position you want, keep pursuing it. Then once you get it, keep pursuing and working hard. “When you do more than you get paid for eventually you’ll be paid for more than you do.”- Zig Ziglar Comment below: tell us what other ways people can increase their minimum wage?...
read moreDoing your taxes is as easy as managing your fantasy football team?
One of the DIY tax programs describes doing your own taxes “as easy as managing your Fantasy football team.” This may or may not be true depending on 3 factors: 1. How good of a Fantasy Manager are you? 2. How complicated your Tax situation is? 3. How much time you plan on investing in your tax education? How good are you? I play in 3 fantasy leagues and I am a mediocre manager. I spend probably 1 to 2 hours per week during the season reading news. Then I listen to sports radio and watch 3 to 5 games each week. During the 15 week season, I spend about 12 hours each week on football related education. Not including listening to sports radio while driving. I suspect the better managers spend even more time. And the worst, ignore their teams, have guys on byes in the starting roster and finish last, and probably spend almost no time. It is probably not a linear relationship and there is a lot of luck. However, the more time you spend the greater your chances of winning your league. How Complex are your taxes? If you have no kids, don’t own your home, and your only income is from a w-2 job… File your own. Your difficulty level does compare to “installing a light bulb, or being a bad fantasy manager.” Easy peazy! It is amazing how often smart people miss things deductions on their tax return. Or deduct things that could get them in hot water with the IRS. Just because you are smart at your specialty, doesn’t mean you will prepare your taxes correctly. It seems our government enjoys changing the tax rules and adding lots of new ones. How much time are you going to spend learning about taxes? I spend about 180 hours per year on my football education. Thanks to that I am a mediocre fantasy manager. I spend around 1500 hours each year learning and preparing taxes. I am a very good preparer, and constantly getting better. Let a professional’s experience work for you. Yes I know this article may seem self-serving, and it is because I want to serve you. I want your taxes done correctly. I want to see you become wealthier each year. Last year over 55% of my clients paid less than $95 to have a professional prepare their taxes. Let me help you file your return with confidence. Learn more about my tax preparation services...
read moreThe Looming Bitcoin collapse
“Bitcoin is the currency of the future.” “The first first ever fully decentralised payment network on the planet (and still the strongest), moving billions of dollars of value every day with no fees.” “There has never been anything like this before.” This is the rhetoric of Bitcoin evangelists. Is it true? I remember hearing about “the new economy” and how internet companies would change the world and make investor rich (Dot com bubble). In the 1630’s, one tulip bulb in Holland became worth an entire years earning for a wealthy merchant. Human history is littered with obscene and unrealistic valuations for various currencies, commodities, or securities. Money is a tool used to simplify a transaction between 2 or more parties. It is a recognized store of value. It can have intrinsic value such as Gold or silver, or it can be a fiat currency. Almost all currencies today are Fiat currency and are backed by a government that has a vested interest in the long term value of that currency. Bitcoin has none of this (read what Alan Greenspan thinks here). Fiat currencies usually deflate in value over time, (causing inflation in the prices to purchase goods and services with those currencies). Slow, controlled, and consistent inflation over time has some economic advantages. However, sometimes currencies depreciate rapidly causing hyperinflation. Hyperinflation is a very real risk of Fiat currencies. In Zimbabwe everyone was trillionaires. Although now those trillion dollar notes are worth nothing (except as a collector item). Zimbabwe no longer has its own currency, it uses U.S. Dollars. (Currencies that went to zero) Bitcoin is a virtual fiat currency. There is a growing group of people who use it as money. Some vendors are even beginning to accept it as payment for goods and services. The value of a bitcoin has exploded over the last few months and seems to be growing at an accelerating rate. Why is this happening? Why do people feel the need to use this currency? Markets are driven by 5 things: 3 are actual and 2 are perceived: Supply: how much of the product is available. Demand: How much people want of a product Price: impacts demand and how much is supplied Fear: people hate to lose what they have. Greed: People want to make money without having to invest something in return. What is driving Bitcoin? Bitcoin is being driven by fear and greed. The interesting thing is fear and greed are both driving the price up. Some people buy Bitcoin because they fear their national currency (or several national currencies) will become worthless. Which is a valid fear based on the national debt loads of several western nations. Is Bitcoin the right investment if you fear your national currency becoming worthless? Some are buying it to make money because it is the wave of the future. Some believe the price will go up for a long time as everyone converts to it. They want to buy early and become a Bitcoin millionaire. Why the bubble will burst? It has no intrinsic value. You can’t eat it or use it to produce something. It is not regulated and backed by a government that regulates the creation of the currency. When the factory workers and the school teachers start buying them; I could...
read moreCreate your Personal Vision and Mission Statement
What is a vision statement? Your vision statement is the flowery, abstract, concepts and goals you want to see happen in your life or business. It is the dream. I will use poeticrevival.com’s vision statement as an example. Poetic Revival is a faith based poetry site and their vision statement is: “To see the Glory of God spread like a wildfire over drought stricken land; where the heat from fiery flames awaken dormant seeds, to grow with new life from the ashes.” This vision statement paints a picture; you can see a raging wildfire exploding across the forest. The fire turns the thick forest into a black smoldering wasteland scene. Then we see the green shoots of new life begin to grow from the ashes of the seeming wasteland. It is a great picture, that gives us a vision of what Poetic Revival wants to happen in the world… but it doesn’t tell us how we are going to accomplish our vision. What is a mission statement? A Mission statement tells the actions you will take and the tools you will use to accomplish your vision. It expresses the “what” and the “how” you will utilize to see the dream happen. Once again let us look at Poetic Revival and their mission statement. “Bring Revival through spoken word, poetry, verse. Using web, print, audio, and visual avenues to expand minds, encourage hearts and inspire change.” What they are bringing: “Revival through spoken word, poetry, verse.” How they will deliver it: “Using web, print, audio, and visual avenues” How to create your vision statements: Picture your funeral… see each group of people that is in your life. Your spouse, your family, your co-workers, your church, your communities, your customers…. What did you do with your limited time on Earth? What do you want each of those groups to say about you? What mark do you want to leave on this world when you are gone? How are you going to make the world a better place? In your answers to these questions you will begin to find your vision. Creating your mission statement: Evaluate the following three areas: Skills and talents (what are you good at?) Opportunities (who do you know, where do you have credibility, what can you do?) Passions (what gets your motor running, what you love doing?) The collision of these 3 areas is where your current mission should be focused. If you are there it is time to create a plan to move to those areas. That is where you will most likely find your most success. Your current mission is not a forever thing. As you move up your mountain of success you may see other opportunities open, develop new skills, or find new passions to purse. Then you should revisit your vision and mission. Do you want help developing vision and mission statements then create a plan to pursue? I am here to walk you through the process of find your mountain of success. Fill out the form below to find out more and jump-start your life with life coaching! Name(required) Email(required) Phone Number(required) Best time to call (please include timezone) Why are you interested in Life Coaching?(required) Submit...
read moreShould You have a Personal Vision Statement?
The vast majority of us desire to reach a pinnacle of success. This usually requires years of hard work and climbing to reach your desired high point. If you “started with the end in mind” what do you want to accomplish before your life is over? I want you to picture yourself at the bottom of a cliff face. You want to reach the top, so you start climbing. After several hours you have reached a small cave in the cliff face. You rest for the night and keep pushing higher. You are caught in violent rainstorms with driving wind, but nothing will stop you. The drive for success keeps pushing you higher. The goal of reaching the peak drives you on. Others who started the journey with you are so far behind you can’t even see them anymore. After weeks the cliff face begins to finally mellow out. The storm clouds are now below you. You can see your pinnacle! As the dawn rises you look across the canyon and see all the other cliff faces you could have chosen to climb. In the beginning you just started climbing the cliff face in front of you. Never pausing to look around at what other cliffs you could have climbed. After years of effort you reach your pinnacle and realize…. You climbed the wrong cliff. You are not where you want to be. You are on the wrong side of the canyon. Many people climb the mountain of success only to realize at the end of their life they climbed the wrong mountain. Having well-developed vision and mission statements can be a guide. Your vision statement can ensure you are on the right pathway of success. You life will probably change and you get to revisit your vision and mission. Then you get to adjust them to your life changes. You Vision and Mission statements can be a foundation for success in your life. You will know why you are climbing and what you hope to have at your pinnacle. Are you climbing the right...
read more48 days book
