• Airlines should not hire fat stewardesses. Its very disturbing to have an aisle seat in those circumstances.
  
• Puking your guts out while alone in a (she just hit me again) hotel in a lost corner of the country feels like dying alone.
  
• Many of our churches are losing (or have already lost) their sense of “brotherhood”. It is an incredible feeling to watch a group of over 100 men who represent almost that many congregations all pull out checkbooks and help each other out. Many of our church people today do not view brotherhood aid programs as brotherhood, but as insurance. The simplest test of this belief occurs when a member finds “cheaper insurance” elsewhere. I believe that when that happens, it is a clear indication that we have moved away from being stewards, to being owners. We give stewardship much lip service, right up to the point where we have to chip in to help somebody in our churches. This is not right.
  
• It is the most wonderful feeling to come home to a wife and 6 children who love me!
  
• Airplane seats are comfortable for the “average American” which, based on the size of the seats, is apparently about 110 pounds and 5′ 6″ tall. The “average American” who sits beside me on a plane is about 5′ 6″ and weighs about 250-350 pounds. I’m 5′ 11″ and 200. There is no extra space, and I don’t like it when their gut shows up on MY SIDE! Gaaaaaaahhhhh!!!
  
• I was very sick at the meeting. After the meeting, two of the men I’ve gotten to know came over and laid their hands on me and prayed for me. If you’ve ever had somebody do that for you spontaneously, you know exactly how that made me feel. If you haven’t, you should get sick and try it!
  
• Snow is the most beautiful, most troublesome thing. I’m glad for all-wheel-drive vehicles.
  
• I’m grateful for real friends. Not only do I get to spend an eternity with God, I get to spend it with my friends too!!!

Our worship service today touched my heart in an unusual way. I’m often amazed at how there are little snippets in the service that so directly meet the needs of my heart.

This morning most of the songs were ones we rarely sing. The second song this morning was:

In Vain Would Boasting Reason Find

In vain would boasting reason find
The path to happiness and God:
Her weak directions leave the mind
Bewildered in a doubtful road.

Jesus, Thy words alone impart
Eternal life; on these I live;
Diviner comforts cheer my heart
Than all the powers of nature give.

Here let my constant feet abide;
Thou art the true, the living way;
Let Thy good Spirit be my guide
To the bright realms of endless day.

The various forms that men devise
To shake my faith with treacherous art,
I scorn as vanity and lies
And bind Thy Gospel to my heart.

I like how clearly the song communicates the fact that we do not come to God through a process of reason – we come to Him in faith, allowing the words of Jesus to comfort our hearts.

Our Sunday School text today was Isaiah 9-10. The first 7 verses of chapter 9 are a beautiful prophecy of the coming Messiah. Imagine what a comfort that promise was to the people to whom it was written, in a time of great distress and pronounced judgments. In much the same way, our promise of the second coming gives us great hope.

David L. Miller preached a sermon from Hebrews 12:1-5. He talked about following God faithfully. One comment stood out to me: “God is able to do the unusual.” I needed that reminder right now, as I wait on unanswered prayers.

Our closing song was titled “Lead, Kindly Light”. We sang the first verse only.

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see….
The distant scene, one step enough for me.

That is the hard thing: being content to see the future one step at a time.

Got to the hotel, checked in… they only had two non-smoking left. Drove around the back with my truck & trailer, got turned around, found a spot to park, pulled my gear outa the truck and went to my room. What is it with my luck with the swipe cards? No matter what I did, it would NOT work.

Back to the truck, put gear in truck, lock truck. Walk all the way up front. This time the manager is there, and he looks at the person who checked me in and says “You KNEW we don’t rent that room right now – the lock doesn’t work!”

Ok, they’ll get me another room. 2 other customers and 10 minutes later, I’m headed to a new room. All the way back to the truck, grab gear, up to room. Lock works. A little voice in my head said “Start the heater, and don’t settle in.” 15 minutes later, the heater is still blowing cold air. Reverse entry process.

Back at front desk. They’ll give me another room. “I thought you only had two rooms left??”

“Oh, we unlocked a few more.” Wow.

Off to the third room. Warm, nice, comfortable. It took about an hour from the time I got there till I had my room. The layout of the place was a bit odd, and I figured I walked 300-400 yards on each round trip.

The next morning the manager reported that the heater in room two was working perfectly. I don’t get it.

That forenoon, I discovered I was going to need to stay another night. Called the hotel – Could I have the SAME ROOM? No problem. Great! I was safe!

Back that night. Nope, different room, for some inexplicable reason.

Went to my room. Step 1 – fire up the heater. I sat there working on my laptop for about 15 minutes, then realized it was not getting much warmer, and my feet were really cold. Checked the heater, its putting off heat in a rather lazy manner, but it IS heating. Checked the door – bingo. Very bad door seal. Whipped out my leatherman, unfolded it, and jammed the needlenose into the space between the door jam and the door. It worked perfectly. I worked on a software project for several hours, then decided it was time to get some shut-eye. Whipped back the blanket on the bed – Horrors! There was SOMETHING on the sheet and the pillowcase that looked like blood!!

I’ve never been so cross when I called the front desk. The manager brought up new sheets and pillowcases. Housekeeping was getting a whipping in the morning. I wondered how many hotel beds I’ve slept in where housekeeping just fixed it instead of changing the bedding.

I finally went to sleep, and dreamed strange dreams about trucks driving up telephone poles and falling off at the top.

New stove. Happy wife.

My reward.

Nobody’s paying any attention to this, but I’m going to say it anyway: I told you so.

The orange box is the 4-month up trend. We’re clearly out of that, and headed down with LOTS of volume.

I think the blue line is the one to watch next, then the green, then the red.

We’re obviously still well inside the 12-month trend.

This appears to be a direct response to the dollar moving – check out DXY. The implication is clear – investors are using silver as a safe haven for dollars. When they no longer need that safety, they flock back to the dollar. 

Obviously this cannot be a long-term move because of what we know about the dollar, but it looks like this is creating a silver buying opportunity.

I’m posting this because I believe there may be people who read this who have wondered what is going to happen next with our financial situation, and are uncertain what to do. If you are honest enough to see the warning signs on the horizon, and do not believe everything you hear, then this is for you. Maybe these books will help you as they have helped me.

One observation: your understanding (or lack of it) regarding how the dollar works is going to largely define your financial situation over the next ten to twenty years. Not your job, not your debt, not your savings, and not your investments. Your understanding. Because it is your understanding of how money works that defines what you do with it.

For starters, you need to read “The Creature from Jekyll Island“. This will give you an understanding of how the Federal Reserve came into being, how much power it has, and what exactly it can do with that power. The book is a bit long-winded, so if you get bored, read at least about the first half. You’ll get the drift.

Next, read “I Want the Earth, Plus 5 Percent”. This is a short story that will help give you an understanding of the machinations of interest. Its a fun read, and will start opening your eyes to how a fiat currency works.

Then read “The Guide to Investing in Gold and Silver” by Mike Maloney. The first half of the book covers how “money” works, and how it has been abused by EVERY government that implemented a fiat currency. It also clearly shows the outcome of that policy.

Finally, read “Conspiracy of the Rich: The Eight New Rules of Money” by Robert Kiyosaki. I started reading a loaner copy last week (had to give it back), and mine is on the way, so I’m not done yet.

This should get you started in the right direction. You can buy these books for a total of about fifty bucks. It will be the best investment you’ve made in your financial future. If you don’t have the money, check your local library.

Understanding our financial system is the key to making it work for you. If you do not understand it, you will be constantly working for those who do. Which side of that fence would you like to be on?

I do not profess to understand the subject completely, but reading these books, and observing what has been going on in our world has been very instructive to me over the last three years. I hope they help you as much as they helped me.

If you have read these books, and know of something else I should be reading, please let me know!

There are times when I simply cannot make sense of the things that happen in life. I get the feeling that, from some vantage point, it all makes sense. But somehow I just can’t seem to see all the pieces of the puzzle. At these times I just choose to leave all the pieces as I found them, hoping that I get to come back to the puzzle again – and maybe next time I’ll recognize a new piece that fits. Its a strange feeling (for a guy my age) to go through the day, and have things happen that suddenly bring memories to my mind, and tears to my eyes….

Obama Pushes Banking Overhaul

When legislation fails, the solution is more legislation. Does this sound illogical to anybody else?

Folks, lets get real. The problem isn’t legislation. The problem is people. If we haven’t got the legislation right by now, what makes us think we ever will?

Can anyone give me an example of one single person who was tangibly punished for the violations that led to the collapses we witnessed in the last 12 months? No? Maybe this isn’t about legislation….

Maybe, just maybe, its about something more sinister. Maybe…. its about control. Control that wants more than clean, transparent governance of the people, by the people, and for the people. Governance that now wants to control how people think, respond, function.

One thing you can be sure of: more legislation = higher costs of doing business. If the bank’s costs are increased, you can be sure this will be reflected by higher interest rates.

There are many causes currently coalescing to drive our interest rates through the roof. The money supply, the deficit, the increased meddling with banks, the machinations of the Fed. There is only one way out of the hole that the U.S. deficit is digging, and that is with massive, massive inflation.

The future is always uncertain, but right now it seems especially so from a financial standpoint. The U.S. dollar is no longer viewed as the safe haven it once was. The U.S. financial system is clearly not the powerhouse it once was. There are many reasons for this. Due to my beliefs and biases, I not only attribute the current weakness to violations of fundamental principles of stewardship and finance, but also to purposes that are shaping the geopolitics across the entire globe. That subject is far to large to receive justice here.

I offer several observations from this:

1. Now is a really good time to have no debt. Debt expects that tomorrow will be as good as, or better than, today. There are significant indicators that our tomorrows may not be as good as they have been.
   
2. Now is also a good time to be as independent as possible from the supply chains we so easily become dependent on. I know its not very practical to become totally independent, if such a thing is even possible, but there are some things one can do. A large garden providing a lot of your own food is a good start. Planning ahead at least 30-60 days for normal consumption needs can mitigate the risks inherent to sudden difficulties with our normal supply chain. I believe that our reliance on technology to shrink inventories in supply chains has made us especially vulnerable to failures of the supply chain. Any serious failure in the supply chain can quickly escalate, with severe implications for the stability of the populace. Locate and identify good local food resources.
   
3. Now is also a good time to ensure the safety of the value of your cash, if you have any. Land and precious metals are generally immune, in terms of real value, from the dying pains of a fiat currency. The bank is not your friend. You may have friends at the bank, but if the bank fails, you will suddenly find that the bank is: Not. Your. Friend.
   
4. I believe we are nearing a high on the DOW, and the stock market in general. If you have funds invested, this may be a good time to take profits. Look for ways of ensuring the safety of the value that your cash currently represents. Refer to #3.

I believe the greatest danger to many people right now is complacency. The assumption that things will go on as they have for the last 10, 20, 50 years. I do not believe this will be the case.

I know I sound like just another survivalist. However, I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we can see the warning signs. Even if nothing goes seriously wrong, there is no harm done in being very careful with one’s finances right now.

If you wish to have further insight into where we’re headed with our currency, I suggest you read The Guide to Investing in Gold and Silver by Mike Maloney.

For an excellent discourse on how interest works, you can read I Want the Earth, Plus 5%

We have built a sand castle with the illusions of our fiat currency, our efficiencies of mechanical energy, and modern technology. All of them help create the mirage that we can work less. However, the net effect is for everything to cancel everything out – and in the end, it appears to me to be a zero-sum game.

The wheels of the world are beginning to turn more slowly. Are you ready?