It is time for prayers of lament, with all their emotion!

Lament, there is an entire book in the Old Testament devoted to it. The Psalms are replete with it. The actual number is open to interpretation and debate, but it is safe to say that 1/3 of the Psalms are songs of individual lament or songs of sorrow for the nation of Israel. Christina Fox recently wrote in the Ligonier Ministries blog, “Lamenting is an art […]

2020-05-27T23:04:39+00:00May 27th, 2020|

If retirement isn’t on the burner, it needs to be!

Retirement is a difficult subject for younger generations. The entire concept seems a bit foggy and out of focus. For someone who has recently begun a career, planning a vacation or the next date is more exciting. Saving is challenging when there are student loans to pay and graduate school begins soon. Planning for a stage of life 40 years away may seem tiresome for couples who […]

2020-05-27T01:17:55+00:00May 27th, 2020|

Install a Safer Barrier for Retirement – Keeping Your Plans on Track

Chances are, if you are a fan of NASCAR or the Indy Racing League (IRL), you know what safer barriers are. The Steel And Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier was designed by a team of engineers in collaboration with NASCAR and the IRL. These barriers are designed to absorb the dynamic energy that is released when a race car, traveling at a high speed, crashes into a […]

2020-05-22T02:00:45+00:00May 22nd, 2020|

Changing Your Future – Principles that May Be Helpful

Aspirations…hopes…dreams…passions we want to pursue….

We all have them, or at least we all have had them at some point in time. There is not a child that enters the world who does not have an imagination. Children can easily play in the world of make believe. We have all dreamed of hitting the game winning home run, being the catcher to throw out a key runner trying […]

2020-05-20T14:31:26+00:00May 20th, 2020|

Healthy Choices to Take Your Mind Off the News

Two popular words seem to propagate the current news headlines, “Pandemic Panic.” Many people find themselves consuming more news, across more networks, than ever before. Living in states where shelter at home and keep businesses closed orders have been extended, there seems to be little else to do. There is also the nature of human curiosity to not want to be the one who misses the latest […]

2020-05-18T16:28:30+00:00May 18th, 2020|

Lifetime Income – a Foundation for Retirement

In 2016, Liz Davidson began an article with the words, “Our retirement is not our parent’s retirement.” What an illustration of understatement as literary device! Fifty plus years ago, I remember discussions my parents had with coworkers, family, church friends, and others about retirement. They normally centered around 1) the pension provided by a company, 2) Social Security, and 3) (when only immediate family was present) […]

2020-05-15T11:51:44+00:00May 15th, 2020|

Rules (uh…suggestions) for Retirement

As the information for this post was being gathered and arranged, I noted several similar titles. “8 Rules to a Better Life.” “11 Healthy Rules to Live By.” “15 Rules for a Happier Life.” “16 Simple Rules for a Successful & Fulfilling Life.” Then, someone found a way to prevent anyone from “one upping them” by writing, “50 rules to LIVE by if you want a positive […]

2020-05-13T01:32:46+00:00May 13th, 2020|

Have World Events Increased Your Retirement Worries? – Some Expenses Go Down in Retirement

Five short months ago, many began the new year thinking “2020 is going to be my year!” We began with such optimism. Now many of wonder, “When will sports return?”, “When will we be able to watch new TV programming that is NOT a news show?”, “When will the COVID-19 virus end?”, and maybe “Will I ever be able to buy toilet tissue and paper towels again?”

Of […]

2020-05-11T13:25:39+00:00May 11th, 2020|

Are Lower Gasoline Prices Good News or BAD?

Have the cheaper gas prices been a welcome sight? Sure.

Those of us old enough to remember gasoline prices under 30 CENTS per gallon (yes…we are now seasoned citizens) also remember the oil embargo of 1973 that caused price increases and lines at the gas pump. We also remember the oil crisis of 1979 which resulted in shortages around the world, prices doubling overnight, gasoline stations not having […]

2020-05-08T13:08:48+00:00May 8th, 2020|

Controlling Everyday Expenses – Auto Insurance

“Insurance,” the mere mention of the word has the potential of triggering memories of unhappy phone calls wrangling with people in some distant call center. Insurance in all its forms seems to be accompanied with thoughts of expensive premiums and unfeeling corporate entities. Friends who own vacation property were recently complaining about the inability to control the annual increase in premiums.

Insurance can be frustrating…until…you need the benefits […]

2020-05-06T14:35:26+00:00May 6th, 2020|