Judging

What keeps us from being qualified to judge?

• We do not know all the facts.
• We are unable to read motives.
• We find it impossible to be totally objective.
• We lack "the big picture."
• We live with blind spots.
• We are prejudiced and have blurred perspective.
• Most of all, we ourselves are imperfect and inconsistent.

(Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 266)
30/Sep/2010 8:58

Joy and Peace

If you live your life as much as possible according to spiritual laws, you can expect your share of joy and peace, satisfaction and success. (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 19 September)
29/Sep/2010 9:51

Supply Run

I need to be more understanding about how people see things and allow for different reactions to the same event. (Daniel Schantz, Daily Guideposts - 2008, 20 September)

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Yesterday some bad weather passed to the north of us. I made a supply run to BJ's driving in the rain we received from being on the south edge of the storm. It didn't take too long to gather the items I wanted because I brought along a list. I got lucky at the checkout. The person in front of me was almost done when I arrived. They have those lines where you check out yourself, but I don't like to use them. I think it takes longer to check out myself because I often need to get assistance when the device can't read some item I'm trying to purchase. All new technology is not convenient.
28/Sep/2010 8:44

Candles

I like to think we can be candles. It doesn't matter if we're big or small, what color we are, or where we come from. It doesn't matter if our light is small. When we don't share it with others, we diminish ourselves, spiritually. Each time we feel we're not good enough or wise enough or we just don't care enough to try to help someone else, we put distance between ourselves and our Higher Power. (Anonymous, British Columbia, Canada, As We Understood..., Al-Anon Family Group, p. 24)
27/Sep/2010 9:54

Fall Gardening

Thoughts are the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life. (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 255)

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Melva's busy spreading mulch on the garden. I'm busy making trips to the garden center to buy the mulch. The minivan can haul ten bags at a time without blocking the back window. So far I've purchased twenty-six bags. I think she used thirty-six bags last year. The other day Melva bought a couple of orchids at Loew's. She is going to attempt to nurse them back to health. I'm looking forward to watching the two poinsettias we nursed back to health outside this year. We had three and lost one.

Mr. Dickie
26/Sep/2010 8:06

Business

I have sometimes heard men say politics must have nothing to do with business, and I have often wished that business had nothing to do with politics. (Woodrow Wilson) 25/Sep/2010 8:31

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During the recession our Chevy Chase Bank was bought out by Capital One. It's too early to tell whether this will be to the customers advantage or disadvantage. Recently the name change inside and outside of the bank's branches was completed. They also switched from the old bank website to the new bank website. This week I made the website cut-over myself and added a button for the website to my browser toolbar. It will take a while to adjust to the new pages. Not yet completed are the issuance of new bank cards and replacement of checks.

I also added a toolbar button to access the credit union website which I hadn't been using. I had to call to get help before I could get signed on.

Last night I worked for about an hour to gain access to the website of our insurance company. This is another website that I hadn't been accessing.

All of this is part of my effort to see if I can take advantage of having instant access to help me to better manage our family financial business. It remains to be seen if I will have the personal discipline to learn how each site works and then avail myself of the available services. I anticipate that some memory issues will have an impact on how successful all of these changes will be. I think that anything I can learn to use will be better than how I have been operating.

Mr. Dickie
25/Sep/2010 8:44

The Recession Is Over

When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger. (Epictetus in One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 23 September)

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Recently the federal government announced that the recession has been over for some time. If you believe this you haven't done your homework. Consider this. If you have $15,000 to put into a bank or credit union how much will you have at the end of one year? Here are three results from a calculator I used on the Wallet Pop website. What does the bank mean when their employees say, "We want to help you out?" Would you be willing to loan me $15,000 for one year if I paid you back $15,008?

Bank savings account at 0.05% interest - $15,008
Bank Certificate of Deposit at 0.45% interest - $15,068
Credit Union Certificate of Deposit at 2.13% interest - $15323

For further information on whether the recession is over you might enjoy reading the September 23, 2010 column of Washington Post writer Michelle Singletary.

The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/22/AR2010092205546.html


Mr. Dickie
24/Sep/2010 8:12