Happy New Year's Eve! Well, it's almost time to turn those calendars again, so I thought it fitting to take a look back first. This is the time to reflect on our lives to be thankful for the blessings we received, and to look at what changes we can do to make our lives better.
One of the definitions of the word reflection is the production of an image by, as if by a mirror. A mirror, what a fitting place to start. When is the last time you really looked at yourself in the mirror? Do you like what you see? Are you proud of your accomplishments? Are you satisfied with your life? Do you find yourself surrounded by loved ones and many friends?
If any of those answers are not exactly what you are happy with, the place to start is with the reflection in the mirror. What can you do to make a difference in your life, or in the lives around you that you care for? Tomorrow is a new year, a new beginning. Change starts with you, no one else.
I've heard this quote several times from Mike Ditka, hall of fame coach of the Chicago Bears. "The past is history, tomorrow's a mystery, today is a gift, that's why they call it the present." Today is the day to start changing.
As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Final Report Card
Every Saturday, I've been summarizing what has gone on in the financial markets, primarily with the health of the US dollar and its correlations to other markets. Well, it has been happening just as I have laid out in my Sat. report cards. This will be the last report card for 2007, so it will be the benchmark for 2008.
Last week I mentioned that the moves of the Federal Reserve and 5 other world central banks took extraordinary steps to prop up the strength of the US dollar. But I also wondered how long the affects would last. It looks like it is not going to last too long. This week (even a short week at that due to the holidays), the US dollar index fell from 77.62 down to 76.10, a significant drop. This means that the value of the dollar fell when compared to the other major world currencies. Consequently, gold and silver both shot up in value to $839.50 per ounce and $14.81 per ounce respectively. The increase for gold was 3.4% and for silver was 3.2% in a short trading week.
In January, I expect this trend to continue and even pick up speed. Since putting 114 billion available to banks in loans has not encouraged spending, the value of the dollar will continue to plummet. This will spur on inflation. Double digit inflation for 2008 will almost be assured. The Fed will continue to reduce interest rates, but it will likely slow things down just temporarily as it has since Sept. Gold and silver and other precious metals will continue to climb in value as I mentioned on my Dec. 1st post. The target price I set for gold is $1250 and silver is $24.50 per ounce within 6 months. Those even may be low considering the perfect economic storm that is developing.
The wildcard that remains is what will happen to the price of oil. If oil continues to go up significantly in early 2008, that will accelerate things considerably. If oil inches up, it will be more gradual. The other major developments that can strengthen the economic storm will be events like the US invasion of Iran and the replacement of the US dollar with the Amero. However, I do not expect these events to happen until 2009.
Time will tell. Be prepared.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. I Corinthians 10:11-13 (NIV)
In the coming weeks, I will focus on setting goals and how your credit score affects you. Stay tuned ...
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Last week I mentioned that the moves of the Federal Reserve and 5 other world central banks took extraordinary steps to prop up the strength of the US dollar. But I also wondered how long the affects would last. It looks like it is not going to last too long. This week (even a short week at that due to the holidays), the US dollar index fell from 77.62 down to 76.10, a significant drop. This means that the value of the dollar fell when compared to the other major world currencies. Consequently, gold and silver both shot up in value to $839.50 per ounce and $14.81 per ounce respectively. The increase for gold was 3.4% and for silver was 3.2% in a short trading week.
In January, I expect this trend to continue and even pick up speed. Since putting 114 billion available to banks in loans has not encouraged spending, the value of the dollar will continue to plummet. This will spur on inflation. Double digit inflation for 2008 will almost be assured. The Fed will continue to reduce interest rates, but it will likely slow things down just temporarily as it has since Sept. Gold and silver and other precious metals will continue to climb in value as I mentioned on my Dec. 1st post. The target price I set for gold is $1250 and silver is $24.50 per ounce within 6 months. Those even may be low considering the perfect economic storm that is developing.
The wildcard that remains is what will happen to the price of oil. If oil continues to go up significantly in early 2008, that will accelerate things considerably. If oil inches up, it will be more gradual. The other major developments that can strengthen the economic storm will be events like the US invasion of Iran and the replacement of the US dollar with the Amero. However, I do not expect these events to happen until 2009.
Time will tell. Be prepared.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. I Corinthians 10:11-13 (NIV)
In the coming weeks, I will focus on setting goals and how your credit score affects you. Stay tuned ...
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Friday, December 28, 2007
Seek First to Understand
This week, I've been discussing relationships as we visit with family and friends over the holidays. Understanding what constitutes a deposit or withdrawal in an emotional bank account is only the beginning. But how does one do that?
The key to understanding an individual is empathetic listening. This is so much more than hearing the words coming out of his or her mouth. First of all, as much as 90% of communication is non-verbal such as pitch, volume, tone, body language, and environment. Tone for example can be used for expressing emphasis, contrast, or emotion of the person speaking. Pitch and volume can definitely be used to show sincerity and emphasis. Body language and facial expressions speak volumes about the general meaning and context of the message.
This is why women seem to be better at empathetic listening than men. Women pay much more attention to the non verbal part of communication. Men are usually very straightforward and simple when it comes to communication. They tend to focus on the words for the meaning.
The key is to be able to understand from the other person's perspective, or "putting yourself in the other person's shoes". Once you understand how the other person perceives (sees) things, you will have the context on how to understand her message, and ultimately her needs. Once the needs of both parties are known, there can be cooperation to work together so that both sets of needs are met creating a win/win situation. When this is done, the bond of the relationship grows immensely stronger.
Showing that you care about the other person, how she thinks, what's important to her, is so very important to new relationships as it is to lifelong partners. When you do this first, to seek the understanding of the other person, the chances are greatly improved that the other person will respond in kind. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. That is what makes or breaks empathetic listening.
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the utterance from my heart will give understanding. Psalms 49:3 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
The key to understanding an individual is empathetic listening. This is so much more than hearing the words coming out of his or her mouth. First of all, as much as 90% of communication is non-verbal such as pitch, volume, tone, body language, and environment. Tone for example can be used for expressing emphasis, contrast, or emotion of the person speaking. Pitch and volume can definitely be used to show sincerity and emphasis. Body language and facial expressions speak volumes about the general meaning and context of the message.
This is why women seem to be better at empathetic listening than men. Women pay much more attention to the non verbal part of communication. Men are usually very straightforward and simple when it comes to communication. They tend to focus on the words for the meaning.
The key is to be able to understand from the other person's perspective, or "putting yourself in the other person's shoes". Once you understand how the other person perceives (sees) things, you will have the context on how to understand her message, and ultimately her needs. Once the needs of both parties are known, there can be cooperation to work together so that both sets of needs are met creating a win/win situation. When this is done, the bond of the relationship grows immensely stronger.
Showing that you care about the other person, how she thinks, what's important to her, is so very important to new relationships as it is to lifelong partners. When you do this first, to seek the understanding of the other person, the chances are greatly improved that the other person will respond in kind. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. That is what makes or breaks empathetic listening.
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the utterance from my heart will give understanding. Psalms 49:3 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Making Deposits
Yesterday, I discussed an analogy of an emotional bank account to describe relationships. Instead of money, an emotional bank account measures the level of trust you have with another person.
Building or repairing relationships take time; there are no quick fixes. Genuine deposits have to be made on a regular basis. There are six major types of deposits.
Understanding the individual is really the key to all of the other deposits. You cannot know what constitutes a deposit with another person until you understand him or her. What you might perceive as a deposit might be considered a withdrawal by the other person because it does not meet the needs or touch his or her interests. It has to be as important to the other person as the other person is to you. For example, what do you think of a Christmas gift you receive that you don't like? You're not going to be very thankful to the person who gave it. Conversely, if it is the perfect gift, you care so much more for that person because he or she was so thoughtful.
The little kindnesses and courtesies are the 2nd type of deposits. Small slights, little forms of disrespect, and inconsiderate actions make large withdrawals. In relationships, the big and important things are the little things. The old taunting "sticks and stones ..." is one of the biggest lies ever told.
Keeping a commitment or promise is a major deposit; consequently, breaking one a major withdrawal. People tend to build their hopes and dreams around promised. Once betrayed, your future commitments will not mean much. Remember the story of the boy who cried "Wolf!" once too often.
Clarifying expectations is sometimes very necessary because conclusions and actions are based on expectations. If they are not clear, misunderstandings arise causing hurt feelings, disappointment, and withdrawals of trust. Beware of implicit or assumed expectations that are not expressed. "You didn't tell me" is a recipe for a major withdrawal. This is especially important with new relationships. First impressions tend to remain in our minds a long time.
Personal integrity generates trust. Lack of integrity can erode and undermine all other efforts to create high trust because the person then appears to be phony. Double standards also fall into this category. That person probably has ulterior motives that will serve his own interest without a genuine gain for you creating a lose/win situation. A person showing integrity walks his talk. One way to manifest integrity is to be loyal with those who are not present. In doing so, we build trust with those who are present. Integrity also means to avoid any communication that is deceptive. In this way, integrity goes beyond honesty.
There are always times when we have to make withdrawals from our emotional bank account. When this happens, we should sincerely apologize. Sincere words can even turn the withdrawal into a deposit. "I was wrong" and "I'm sorry". However, if this occurs too frequently, our apologies will not be interpreted as sincere and will count as a withdrawal. People will forgive honest mistakes, mistakes of judgment; but they are unlikely to forgive mistakes of the heart, the ill intention, or the hostile motive.
Maintaining a high emotional bank account with everyone you interact with on a regular basis will help you become a more effective person; whether you are a parent, child, manager, employee, teacher, or student. It will facilitate meaningful relationships and allow them to grow. Effective communication will be easy, allowing your needs and the needs of others to be understood, enabling cooperation to exist. Your needs will be met along with the other person's creating a win/win situation. This can be applied with one on one or as part of the interdependent actions of a whole organization. Thus, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Success is now shared by all.
A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish. Psalms 49:20 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Building or repairing relationships take time; there are no quick fixes. Genuine deposits have to be made on a regular basis. There are six major types of deposits.
Understanding the individual is really the key to all of the other deposits. You cannot know what constitutes a deposit with another person until you understand him or her. What you might perceive as a deposit might be considered a withdrawal by the other person because it does not meet the needs or touch his or her interests. It has to be as important to the other person as the other person is to you. For example, what do you think of a Christmas gift you receive that you don't like? You're not going to be very thankful to the person who gave it. Conversely, if it is the perfect gift, you care so much more for that person because he or she was so thoughtful.
The little kindnesses and courtesies are the 2nd type of deposits. Small slights, little forms of disrespect, and inconsiderate actions make large withdrawals. In relationships, the big and important things are the little things. The old taunting "sticks and stones ..." is one of the biggest lies ever told.
Keeping a commitment or promise is a major deposit; consequently, breaking one a major withdrawal. People tend to build their hopes and dreams around promised. Once betrayed, your future commitments will not mean much. Remember the story of the boy who cried "Wolf!" once too often.
Clarifying expectations is sometimes very necessary because conclusions and actions are based on expectations. If they are not clear, misunderstandings arise causing hurt feelings, disappointment, and withdrawals of trust. Beware of implicit or assumed expectations that are not expressed. "You didn't tell me" is a recipe for a major withdrawal. This is especially important with new relationships. First impressions tend to remain in our minds a long time.
Personal integrity generates trust. Lack of integrity can erode and undermine all other efforts to create high trust because the person then appears to be phony. Double standards also fall into this category. That person probably has ulterior motives that will serve his own interest without a genuine gain for you creating a lose/win situation. A person showing integrity walks his talk. One way to manifest integrity is to be loyal with those who are not present. In doing so, we build trust with those who are present. Integrity also means to avoid any communication that is deceptive. In this way, integrity goes beyond honesty.
There are always times when we have to make withdrawals from our emotional bank account. When this happens, we should sincerely apologize. Sincere words can even turn the withdrawal into a deposit. "I was wrong" and "I'm sorry". However, if this occurs too frequently, our apologies will not be interpreted as sincere and will count as a withdrawal. People will forgive honest mistakes, mistakes of judgment; but they are unlikely to forgive mistakes of the heart, the ill intention, or the hostile motive.
Maintaining a high emotional bank account with everyone you interact with on a regular basis will help you become a more effective person; whether you are a parent, child, manager, employee, teacher, or student. It will facilitate meaningful relationships and allow them to grow. Effective communication will be easy, allowing your needs and the needs of others to be understood, enabling cooperation to exist. Your needs will be met along with the other person's creating a win/win situation. This can be applied with one on one or as part of the interdependent actions of a whole organization. Thus, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Success is now shared by all.
A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish. Psalms 49:20 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Emotional Bank Account
Since the holidays are a time for spending with family and friends, I thought it appropriate to discuss personal relationships. One of the best analogies about the workings of a relationship is from Stephen R. Covey in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He compares a relationship to a emotional bank account. Except the emotional bank account measures the amount of trust we have in another person instead of money. Deposits can be made through acts of kindness, courtesy, honesty, integrity, and keeping commitments. Withdrawals are made through acts of disrespect, discourtesy, ignoring the other person, cutting the other person off when speaking, not listening to what the other person is saying, betraying trust, threatening or manipulating the other person.
It's easy to see how this could apply to relationships. If you have a large balance with someone because of repeated deposits over time, they will readily trust you. Even if you do something that would constitute a withdrawal from the emotional bank account, that would be easily overlooked and temporary in nature. You have plenty of emotional money in the account. On the other hand, if you have zero in your emotional bank account, or worse, a negative balance, you would be treated with little patience or even very harshly when encountering the other person. The communication will be marked by tension, uncertainty, posturing, backstabbing, and intended double meanings; because you have zero level of trust with the other person.
Relationships that have constant or frequent interaction require continuing deposits to remain satisfying and productive. Some people think along the lines of the axiom "what have you done for me lately?" If continuing deposits are not made, the relationship will deteriorate to one of accommodation, where both parties simply are tolerant of one another. If deposits still are made, it may deteriorate further to one of hostility, resentment, and defensiveness. The next step downward would be a relationship of open warfare.
So what deposits have you made with the people that you care about?
The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email. DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
It's easy to see how this could apply to relationships. If you have a large balance with someone because of repeated deposits over time, they will readily trust you. Even if you do something that would constitute a withdrawal from the emotional bank account, that would be easily overlooked and temporary in nature. You have plenty of emotional money in the account. On the other hand, if you have zero in your emotional bank account, or worse, a negative balance, you would be treated with little patience or even very harshly when encountering the other person. The communication will be marked by tension, uncertainty, posturing, backstabbing, and intended double meanings; because you have zero level of trust with the other person.
Relationships that have constant or frequent interaction require continuing deposits to remain satisfying and productive. Some people think along the lines of the axiom "what have you done for me lately?" If continuing deposits are not made, the relationship will deteriorate to one of accommodation, where both parties simply are tolerant of one another. If deposits still are made, it may deteriorate further to one of hostility, resentment, and defensiveness. The next step downward would be a relationship of open warfare.
So what deposits have you made with the people that you care about?
The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email. DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
A Strange Birthday Celebration - Part II
(A True Story of Christmas)
by J. E. Greenlee
Continued from yesterday ...
The great day of celebrating his birth finally arrived, and some of his people did come bringing gifts and thanking him for his goodness to them. But to his dismay, most of the citizens never came to his house at all on this day of celebration. And the gifts brought to the king by those few who came were very meager when compared with the gifts they had given to themselves.
For the most part, the people said they had been so busy with all the celebrations and personal plans that they had forgotten about the king. Several said they had thought of him, but really could not work it into their schedules or budgets to come to see him or bring a gift. A few were known to be quite put out when it was suggested that going to the king's house or remembering him with a gift was important.
Those people who did come to his house and who brought their loving gifts were were welcomed and blessed by the king. He told them again of his great love for each of them. And each received from the king a priceless gift. But when they had gone and he was alone again, the king fell to thinking of the vast numbers of his people who had forgotten and forsaken him. How could they have forgotten? Had he not loved them all? How could so many of his beloved people who had found the time and money for shopping and feasting and partying and decorating and all sorts of celebrations – how could they possibly be so thoughtless, so ungrateful or selfish? Did they not know that he, too, had feelings? Was not the purpose of the birthday celebration originally planned to honor him?
When the king was alone, pondering these questions, he felt the tears well up in his eyes. And in his loneliness, he wept. One thought brought some hope and consolation. Even though they had forgotten him, he had not forgotten them.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
by J. E. Greenlee
Continued from yesterday ...
The great day of celebrating his birth finally arrived, and some of his people did come bringing gifts and thanking him for his goodness to them. But to his dismay, most of the citizens never came to his house at all on this day of celebration. And the gifts brought to the king by those few who came were very meager when compared with the gifts they had given to themselves.
For the most part, the people said they had been so busy with all the celebrations and personal plans that they had forgotten about the king. Several said they had thought of him, but really could not work it into their schedules or budgets to come to see him or bring a gift. A few were known to be quite put out when it was suggested that going to the king's house or remembering him with a gift was important.
Those people who did come to his house and who brought their loving gifts were were welcomed and blessed by the king. He told them again of his great love for each of them. And each received from the king a priceless gift. But when they had gone and he was alone again, the king fell to thinking of the vast numbers of his people who had forgotten and forsaken him. How could they have forgotten? Had he not loved them all? How could so many of his beloved people who had found the time and money for shopping and feasting and partying and decorating and all sorts of celebrations – how could they possibly be so thoughtless, so ungrateful or selfish? Did they not know that he, too, had feelings? Was not the purpose of the birthday celebration originally planned to honor him?
When the king was alone, pondering these questions, he felt the tears well up in his eyes. And in his loneliness, he wept. One thought brought some hope and consolation. Even though they had forgotten him, he had not forgotten them.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com
Monday, December 24, 2007
A Strange Birthday Celebration
(A True Story of Christmas)
by J. E. Greenlee
Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story ...
by J. E. Greenlee
If the following story were not true, it would surely be unbelievable. It is true, however, as you yourself will agree when you read it.
There once was a great king. His love for his people knew no limits. Although the kingdom was very large, the king knew every person by name. Everything the people of the kingdom had was a gift freely given by the loving king. So, to show their love and appreciation to the king for all he had done for them, the people decided to have a great celebration to honor his birthday. Everyone agreed it was a marvelous idea. Preparations for the celebrations were very elaborate. No expense was spared by the people. They adorned their homes with lights, decorations, and expensive ornaments. There were parties, dinners, and celebrations throughout the kingdom.
All the people brought gifts for their friends and family. Many of the gifts which the people gave each other were quite expensive, involving considerable indebtedness. In fact, the people spent more on the birthday celebration then they spent at any other time of the year.
Many who were not citizens of the kingdom, and who did not even know the king, joined in the celebration. Their celebration of the king's birth was marked by excessive drinking. Since they did not know the king, they invented a good-natured, fat fellow in a red suit. He laughed a lot, but never really said anything. But that didn't matter because they were too busy celebrating to listen anyhow.
The day set for the birthday celebration drew near. The gifts which people had brought for each other were piled high. The decorations were beautiful. Huge amounts of food were prepared in all the homes and banquet halls. The king watched eagerly during the preparation. A number of people mentioned him and spoke of what a great king he was. The king waited each day expecting at any time to hear from the people about his role in the celebration. Weeks in advance, he prepared his house to receive the many people who would be coming with their presents for him.
Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story ...
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