Bob's Occasional Musings

Advance the Church Conference

2010-04-15T14:30:00.002-04:00

There is a terrific conference being held on April 26 - 28th in Durham, NC. Here is the link for the conference.

ADVANCE THE CHURCH

"YOU CANNOT MULTIPLY WEALTH BY DIVIDING IT"

2010-04-10T18:15:00.002-04:00

This quotation is part of a longer sermon by Dr. Rogers' from 1984 in a larger series titled God’s Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom and it also appears as a passage in Dr. Rogers' 1996 work Ten Secrets for a Successful Family complaining that "by and large our young people do not know either the importance or the value of honest labor"

You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the industrious out of it. You don't multiply wealth by dividing it. Government cannot give anything to anybody that it doesn't first take from somebody else. Whenever somebody receives something without working for it, somebody else has to work for it without receiving. The worst thing that can happen to a nation is for half of the people to get the idea they don't have to work because somebody else will work for them, and the other half to get the idea that it does no good to work because they don't get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

How true is this ... even more today as we read articles about how 47% of people don't pay any taxes at all.

What does the Bible have to say about redistribution of wealth? I would encourage you to read an excellent article at one of my favorite Christian financial websites: Redistribution of Wealth in the Bible.

Obamacare, TRICARE & Military Healthcare

2010-04-03T15:55:00.003-04:00

A week or so ago, I emailed our area's congressman, Randy Forbes concerning the Healthcare bill and how it will affect Tricare and military medicine for retired veterans. There is a lot of information and mis-information out there but felt that Congressman Forbes would have the answer. I am posting his reply below:

Thank you for voicing your concern about the implications of health care reform legislation on TRICARE coverage. On March 21, 2010, I joined 211 Democrats and Republicans in the House in voting against the health care bill (H.R. 3590). Unfortunately, H.R. 3590 passed the House and became law, while another bill (H.R. 4872) that made changes to the signed health care reform bill was later passed by the House, also without my support, and Senate.

The day before the final vote on the health care bill in the House, I voted in support of an emergency measure, the TRICARE Affirmation Act (H.R. 4887), to prevent TRICARE programs from being negatively affected by health care reform legislation. H.R. 4887 passed the House unanimously and is awaiting action in the Senate, where it will have to be passed there before the President can sign it into law.

I believe the 9.2 million Americans that make up our military personnel, retirees, and their families deserve to enjoy the health care coverage and protection they have earned and come to expect. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, you may be assured that I will continue to pay very close attention to this issue. I will not waiver in my commitment to preserving access to quality care for our nation's military personnel and their dependents.

Over the course of the last year I had conversations with thousands of people across the Fourth Congressional District. Through these letters, emails, and conversations the vast majority of my constituents agree that while Congress must eliminate discrimination against those with pre-existing conditions and make insurance more accessible and affordable, this bill is not the way to do it.

Specifically, physician organizations representing 500,000 physicians across the country and in the Fourth Congressional District expressed strong opposition to the legislation. Seniors expressed concern that the bill would take more than half a trillion dollars out of a Medicare system that will be bankrupt by 2017. Cash-strapped states are uncertain of the effects of an expansion of Medicaid when they have already had to lay off school teachers and law enforcement officers. Furthermore, individuals and small businesses are wary of how they will hire new employees when we are faced with half a trillion dollars in new taxes at a time when unemployment is at 10%. While I support expanding health care insurance coverage, this cannot be done at an unacceptable price to our seniors, local governments, and small business owners.

In addition, the way this bill became law demonstrates why so many Americans are frustrated with government. The process lacked transparency and accountability as the bill was crafted behind closed doors. Members were denied the right to offer other proposals that would improve our health care system at a lower cost. The bill included backroom deals to secure last-minute votes at the expense of taxpayers and relied upon a hijacked budget reconciliation process that was originally designed to make it easier to cut federal spending. This was not the way to overhaul health care, which accounts for a sixth of our Nation's economy.

I will continue to do everything I can to fight to protect the doctor-patient relationship, reform the way Washington works, and create a legacy for our children and grandchildren that does not include a burdensome national debt.

For more information, check out the TRICARE website in regards to the Healthcare Bill.

Government Spending - Need A Laugh?

2010-04-01T05:25:00.002-04:00

I saw this video this morning and started my day with a smile. Thanks Tim Hawkins!

Healthcare Reform Time Line

2010-03-27T19:00:00.002-04:00

I won't even begin to say that I understand the healthcare bill and it's implications for the future. But I did run across this timeline and thought I would share it with my readers.

Infographic by HealthInsuranceProviders.com: Compare health insurance options from many different providers!

Thanks to Health Insurance Provider website for this timeline.

Reach Into Your Wallet and Smile

2010-03-26T16:03:00.005-04:00

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

"The key to learning how to be a cheerful giver begins with acknowledgment that God is the owner of all the stuff you have. You, on the other hand, are the caretaker of God's treasure. Getting your heart around this truth can be a real test, especially since the world at large preaches loudly and often that you are only as significant as the stuff you own. If you feel a compulsion to give that's born out of guilt or a sense of duty, your heart may not be ready. Do you give because of your love for God? Your concern for others? When your heart is right, giving is easy."

"Things to Do"

1. Ask God to give you a heart for giving.
2. Review your budget and consider what it would take to give to God off the top.
3. Read the story of the widow's mite in Luke 21:1-4 and examine what that story implies about how you ought to give.
4. Invite a Christian friend to discuss what it means to be a caretaker of your belongings rather than an owner.
5. List 5 ways you can give back to God in addition to monetary giving.
6. Choose one thing you can do without and determine to give the money to God instead.

(Taken from the book, Checklist for Life)

Malachi 3:10 (NIV) Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Liberty University Files Lawsuit Against the Government Takeover of Healthcare

2010-03-24T19:33:00.002-04:00

I saw this article today and wanted to post it here as well. Here is an excerpt:

Jerry Falwell Jr. is Chancellor and CEO of Liberty University (LU), the largest Christian university in the world, with more than 58,000 students in its residence and online programs. LU employs over 5,100 people and is self-insured, offering quality health insurance and health savings accounts to its employees. Since it is self-insured, LU will be forced to pay a fee for each covered "life" (employees, spouses and dependents), and face many other burdensome, costly, and unnecessary regulations. LU is also concerned that the government takeover of the student loan industry, included in the reconciliation bill, will negatively impact its students.

Maybe with all the lawsuits going on, the heathcare bill will be tied up in the courts forever.

Follow Up on Giving Away the Church Offering

2010-03-23T05:58:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about Sonlight Church giving away an offering to the congregation. Since then, 41 stories have been posted on our website about people who have been blessed by the give-away. Even more stories have been emailed to the church or cards placed in the offering, telling us awesome stories.

I have to admit, as the "finance guy" for Sonlight, I struggle from time to time with faith and stewardship. I look for a balance in managing what God has already provided His church (stewardship) and what He is going to provide in the future (faith). As I mentioned in the first post, the church had already missed a Sunday of offering and now we were getting ready to skip a second one. Watching the bills pile up on my desk ... shuffling them around, wondering how we could even make payroll. During this time, I prayed more then ever for the church's finances .... and God, as always, provided above and beyond what I could have imagined.

While I don't want to steal all of Hershel's facts for this Sunday, since the 28th of Feb. (our Give-Away Sunday), we have collected over $42,000 in undesignated funds, almost $7000 more then usual for that time frame. All of this occurring during a building campaign as well. We are hearing stories of families stepping up and starting to tithe, lives being changed, people learning .... and living "crazy love" for God. I was blown away last Friday when I added up and saw that the leadership of the church had pledged $430,000 towards the Revolution Campaign. And yes, I did add it up, not once, not twice, but three times to be sure I was right. As I have shared with some of you, there were many times the staff was discouraged during this campaign; but goes to show that God is in control, that He overcomes our inadequacies, and provides for His people.

Luke 18:27 - "What is impossible for people, is possible with God."

My Apology to all the Dave Ramsey Fans but ....

2010-03-21T06:04:00.006-04:00

there are times when using a credit card may just be better ... at least safer, then using a debit card. A recent article in Yahoo Finance lists 10 Places Not to Use Your Debit Card. Click on the link for the article and more information but here is a summary and some thoughts about the article.

1. Online

"You don't use a debit card online," says Susan Tiffany, director of consumer periodicals for the Credit Union National Association. Since the debit card links directly to a checking account, "you have potential vulnerability there," she says. Phone orders also fall into this category.

Most of what I order online, I use a credit card. I do have a debit card from Paypal I use occasionally but since it doubles as a credit card and is not tied to a specific bank account, I have some protection.

2. Big-Ticket Items

With a big ticket item, a credit card is safer, says Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. A credit card offers dispute rights if something goes wrong with the merchandise or the purchase, she says. "With a debit card, you have fewer protections," she says.

What is the best way to purchase a big ticket item? Pay cash ... it gives you power to bargain and avoids running up a credit card that might be hard to pay off.

3. Deposit Required

When Peter Garuccio recently rented some home improvement equipment at a big-box store, it required a sizable deposit. "This is where you want to use a credit card instead of a debit," says Garuccio, spokesman for the national trade group American Bankers Association.

That way, the store has its security deposit, and you still have access to all of the money in your bank account. With any luck, you'll never actually have to part with a dollar.

I would agree here and as you will see below with hotels, etc. they can and usually will "freeze" a certain amount of money on a debit card, often for days after you done using the service.

4. Restaurants

"To me, it's dangerous," says Gary Foreman, editor of the frugality minded Web site The Dollar Stretcher. "You have so many people around. Anecdotally, the cases that I'm hearing of credit or debit information being stolen, as often as not, it's in a restaurant," he says.

The danger: Restaurants are one of the few places where you have to let cards leave your sight when you use them. But others think that avoiding such situations is not workable.

5. You're a New Customer

Online or in the real world, if you're a first-time customer in a store, skip the debit card the first couple of times you buy, says Breyault.

That way, you get a feel for how the business is run, how you're treated and the quality of the merchandise before you hand over a card that links to your checking account.

I am wondering why you would shop in a store that you feel that uncomfortable in anyway. Again, I think using cash as a first time customer would be the way to go. You can still get a feel for the business without the hassle of using credit or debit cards

6. Buy Now, Take Delivery Later

Buying now but taking delivery days or weeks from now? A credit card offers dispute rights that a debit card typically does not.

As with anything, take the time to know what your credit card and debit card can do for you ... what kind of protection they offer. How many of us really know what our credit/debit cards can do for us?

7. Recurring Payments

We've all heard the urban legend about the gym that won't stop billing an ex-member's credit card. Now imagine the charges aren't going onto your card, but instead coming right out of your bank account.

Another reason not to use the debit card for recurring charges: your own memory and math skills. Forget to deduct that automatic bill payment from your checkbook one month, and you could either face fees or embarrassment (depending on whether you've opted to allow overdrafting or not).

Recurring payments are hard to do with cash though it can be done. A credit card is a good idea for recurring charges but as with any credit card, you want to be paying it off every month.

8. Future Travel

Book your travel with a check card, and "they debit it immediately," says Foley. So if you're buying travel that you won't use for six months or making a reservation for a few weeks from now, you'll be out the money immediately.

Some travel agencies will let you reserve your trip with a credit card and then pay for it with a debit card closer to the actual trip.

9. Gas Stations and Hotels

This one depends on the individual business. Some gas stations and hotels will place holds to cover customers who may leave without settling the entire bill. That means that even though you only bought $10 in gas, you could have a temporary bank hold for $50 to $100. (I have never heard of that ... has that happened to anyone).

Ditto hotels, where there are sometimes holds or deposits in the hundreds to make sure you don't run up a long distance bill, empty the mini bar or trash the room. It can be problematic if you're using a debit card and have just enough in the account to cover what you need.

Most hotels and rental car agencies have signs explaining the amount they will hold and for what time frame. If you are using a debit card at a hotel, gas station or car rental place and you don't see that information, ask someone.

10. Checkouts or ATMs That Look 'Off'

Criminals are getting better with skimmers and planting them in places you'd never suspect -- like ATM machines on bank property.

So take a good look at the machine or card reader the next time you use an ATM or self-check lane. Does the machine fit together well or does something look off, different or like it doesn't quite belong? Make sure it doesn't look like it's been tampered with.

I have seen this one the local news so it is happening out there. Next time you go to your normal ATM machine, look at it carefully and see what it looks like now .... it may save you at a later time.

Bottom Line: If you can pay cash, that is the BEST way to go. If you use a debit card exclusively, just beware of the challenges you might face when you use it. I use a debit card only when I have to put in my PIN to use it. I can't condemn credit cards since I use one myself ... but my wife and I pay ours off every month and have for almost 25 years now.

FANTASY BASEBALL DRAFT NIGHT

2010-03-20T20:43:00.003-04:00

I have participated in football fantasy leagues in the past and always enjoyed them; even winning the championship in my second year. This year, I was invited by Dan Gifford to join a fantasy baseball league. Tonight was the draft and, as you can see from my picture, I was ready with a multitude of notes, rankings and so on. I decided to base a lot of my choices on a stat called OPS which is a combination of on base percentage and slugging percentage. Here is my team after the draft:

Catcher - Victor Martinez
1B - Joey Vitto
2nd - Dan Uggla
3rd - Alex Rodriguez
SS - Jason Bartlett
LF - Adam Lind
CF - Nate McLouth
RF - Alex Rios

INF - Nick Johnson
OF - Franklin Gutierrez

Bench:
Everth Cabrera
Orlando Cabrera
AJ Pierzynski
Jeff Francoeur
Austin Jackson

I have a weak outfield as I concentrated too much on an infield. One thing I didn't like was the 2 minutes to decide who to choose. But, it was fun overall; my son joined me and helped me track players. We will see how I do.

Using BING for Cash Back on On-line Purchases

2010-03-14T19:30:00.002-04:00

These days one has to be wary of all the spam email and questionable ways to get money out there on the Internet. About 3 months ago though I heard about a cash back way if you make purchases online that was sponsored by Microsoft's new Search tool called Bing. Having signed up and used it now a number of times, I can say its a great way to get a rebate on certain purchases.

Signing up for Bing is free. But you do need to be logged into your Bing account when you go to purchase an item. I have used BING exclusively with Ebay which gives me 8% back on all my purchases. To quality, the purchase has to be a BUY IT NOW item and use a Paypal account to pay for the item. An example of a recent purchase I made for the church was a new Youth projector screen. The cost around $1100 but received $88 back. When I first started, the money took a few weeks to show up in the account. Now a days, it is automatically placed in the paypal account.

There are many more stores that you can look through with money back percentages noted for each store. You can search for a particular item and it will find that item in the stores for you.

If you make purchases online, Bing is a great way of reducing the cost. As with anything else, comparison shopping is recommended. I usually can find the best prices on Ebay so that is where I would suggest starting. Have you had some experience with using Bing? I would love to hear other people's stories.....

What If You Had Church ... and No Volunteers Showed Up

2010-03-12T04:59:00.006-05:00

Well, that's sort of what Highlands Fellowship Church. Here is an article about a creative way to recruit volunteers.

"Imagine if your church had no volunteers next week. No one to park cars. No one to pass out bulletins. No one to display music lyrics on a screen for worship. Imagine that your staff has to do everything next weekend. Sound crazy?

Jimmie Davidson thought so. When the creative team of Highlands Fellowship in Abingdon, Va., started talking about the idea as part of a weekend focus on “Crazy Service,” Davidson, the church’s senior pastor, thought the idea sounded risky. They depended upon their volunteers to help make the service effective and well-run, the kind of worship service where people wanted to invite their friends.

But the Highlands team also knew that a weekend without volunteers was an ideal way to show the congregation just how much volunteers mattered to the running of the church.

Highlands has always been the kind of church that takes risks. So on Sunday morning Davidson and his staff gathered the volunteers for a thank-you breakfast. That’s when he told volunteers they wouldn’t be volunteering that day.

When people came into the worship services that weekend, they were struck by a completely different kind of Highlands experience. No one was there to hand out bulletins, help with parking, put the lyrics to the music on the screen, or greet people as they came in.

Just one person was up front leading worship – not the typical worship team and praise band. The staff handed out the song lyrics copied poorly on sheets of paper.

And although Jimmy had told the church this would be a bad weekend to bring their friends, few people listened. There were many first-time guests. In time Davidson explained what was happening to the congregation and apologized to guests. People seemed to “get it.” During the service, 500 people committed to serve at Highlands. (The church has about 1,250 volunteers throughout a typical week.)

Here are some tips Davidson shared for other churches considering a “volunteer-less” weekend service:

This shouldn’t be how you start mobilizing people for ministry. Highlands had already done ministry fairs and taught frequently on the idea of S.H.A.P.E. (during the weekend service and in C.L.A.S.S. 301). Plus, Davidson notes he has been at the church for 15 years and earned credibility along the way.
The staff needs to be well-informed. Since they are doing a lot of the work during the service, they need to know what is expected of them.
Don’t tell your volunteers until that morning. Word will leak out anyway. Let it be as much of a surprise as possible.
You’ll still want children’s ministry volunteers. Davidson wanted parents to be able to focus on the message without distraction.
Let the service be rough. That’s part of the experience. The roughness will help the congregation understand more clearly the value of volunteers during the weekend service."

While I was reading the article, I thought about Sonlight Church and the number of volunteers it takes each week when we don't have our own building. Certainly makes me thankful for all those who serve faithfully every Sunday. Also got me thinking what Sonlight Church would look like without any volunteers on a Sunday.

http://www.pastors.com/blogs/ministrytoolbox/archive/2010/03/10/crazy-risk-a-weekend-with-no-volunteers.aspx

Giving Away a Church Offering

2010-03-11T10:09:00.003-05:00

A Revolution in Giving

On the 28th of February, Sonlight Church did something very unique ... well, unique for our church anyway. We didn't take up an offering. Yes, you read correctly, a church that didn't take up an offering. But wait, there is more. Instead, we took an average Sunday's offering, around $8500, divided it up into 330 envelopes and gave them away to the people in the congregation that day. (A side note ... there were EXACTLY 330 people in worship that day). The envelopes, given away at random, contained cash from $10 to $500 along with invite cards and instructions. The idea was to go out into our community and bless someone with the money as God leads. We also asked that the people who received the envelopes tel the church what they did with the money. Some people emailed their stories, some dropped a card in the offering last Sunday with their story .... and others posted on the Revolution Website we created especially for the event.

Since the church already had lost one Sunday's offerings due to snow, it is a true test of faith that God will provide. So far, God has provided the funds, through His people, and we have been able to pay the bills as they have come in.

God is awesome!

Church Golf Outing

2010-03-09T21:54:00.004-05:00

The church staff took a half day off today and along with some members of our church, played golf at Calhoun Plantation. It was a perfect day and while I have played better, I enjoyed the chance to get out and play. I rode with Dan Gifford, our new youth pastor and despite not having played in years, he had some terrific shots and will get even better as he plays.

I was able to save $15 on today's round by purchasing a Tee Time Golf Pass. I purchased it off of Ebay about 3 weeks ago for $45 minus around $3 off from Bing (more about that another day). I am keeping track to see how much I end up saving with the book.

One of the best drives I had was on the 18th hole. As I walked up to my ball, this is what I saw Needless to say, I had no shot so I did what any good golfer would do .... I putted the ball back into the fairway.

Around Town Transportation

2010-03-08T16:08:00.003-05:00

I have been thinking lately about purchasing a motor scooter. Nothing big, mind you. Memories of Marines with long hospital stays and multiple surgeries will keep me from ever getting a motorcycle. But I have been looking at the 50cc scooters. I think it would be a great mode of transportation around town. They get like 50-75 mpg and since most of my travels anymore are within a 5-6 mile area, it might be just the thing. I like the idea that I don't need a license or classes .... should just be able to hop on and go. The ones I have looked at go around 30 mph max which is pretty close to the speed limits in the areas I travel. I have totally convinced myself yet and it certainly doesn't replace a car. More importantly, I don't have the total approval of my wife who I would certainly need an OK from. I will keep shopping around (mostly on Craigslist) and see what I can find. Who knows, perhaps one day soon, you will see me driving around, helmet on, heading to the office, to the Y, or to the grocery store. Stay tuned for further developments......

Yard Sale Season is Almost Here

2010-03-06T17:12:00.003-05:00

As many of my readers know, I love to hit the yard and garage sales. Of course, during the winter months, there is few if any to go to. Today was the first nice weekend day in a while and I went to around 10 yard sales and threw in 6 thrift stores. I think I spent a total of $3.50 at the yard sales on some books. Nothing at all worth talking about at the thrift stores. The books I did get however should at least pay for the gas I spent trucking around about 60 miles total.

Besides the usual Ebay items this year, we will be looking for items for my son Robbie's apartment for next year in college. Personally I think all he needs is a knife and some plates since I figure he will be mostly living on peanut butter and jelly. But, we will find what he needs, for the most part, over the next 6 months. Gotta love the yard sales.

TAX TIME

2010-03-05T06:59:00.002-05:00

My wife and I met with our CPA to get our taxes done last night. It's always an appointment I fear for a number of reasons. Even though my wife does a great job of keeping track of all the tax "stuff" that comes in, we always seem to be missing something. I will say that this was the 3rd year in a row that we got our taxes done before April 15th. We are fortunate to have an excellent tax person who is patient with us as we work through the process of our investments and the farm paperwork (which I have no clue at all what that is involved).

The bottom line as we left the office: We had all the required paperwork for us, we would get back around $2000 in federal and $17 in state taxes. It's as close as we have been in a while. Because of our investment income, we pay our taxes on a quarterly basis and sort of "guesstimate" what the economy is doing and adjust our taxes as needed.

Except for one more piece (not our responsibility), our taxes are complete. I can sleep easy for another year.

BACK TO BLOGGING

2010-03-04T10:57:00.002-05:00

After WAY to long of a break, I decided to start back again with my blog. The writing is good for me and I need to take the time to post items of interest. When I decided to take a break last July, I thought it would only be for a couple of weeks. Those weeks have turned into months and every time I see the blog .... I think to myself, I REALLY need to get back to it.

So wish me luck here as I start back!

Talk to a Person, Not a Recording

2009-07-08T21:43:00.002-04:00

We have all gone through the drill ... calling customer service and have to weave our way through a maze of recordings. All you really need is to talk to a real person - but how do you do that?

One place that might be able to help is GetHuman. This site provides some hints on how to get through to a real person on some of the more popular sites. I have not tried any of them so I don't promise they all work but at least, it might be a start.

Do you want to win those customer service battles? Check this blog site for a terrific article on steps to take when dealing with companies.

5 Reasons to Rent A Car vs Driving Your Own for Vacation

2009-07-05T15:58:00.005-04:00

Our pastor is currently on vacation and is now extending it a few days due to car problems. He chose to use his own, older van rather then rent a newer one. Would he have been better off to rent a van? In the past, because we were driving older cars, my wife and I would rent a car whenever going out of state. We found that the comfort and peace of mind was worth the cost.

Here are 5 reasons to rent a vehicle vs driving your own car:

1. Renting a vehicle has less chance of breaking down on the road.

When you rent a vehicle it usually have a lot fewer miles on it then your own. It usually has had the necessary maintenance done and if you do break down, its the responsibility of the rental agency to get you a new vehicle as well as pay for any repairs that need to be made.

2. Better gas mileage

Obviously, this would have to do with what vehicle you normally drive and which one your rent. Because rental cars are newer, the gas mileage is going to be as good as it can be. The van we used to own was getting about 15 miles/gal. while the vehicle we would rent would get 25 miles/gal. which, for a 1500 mile trip, the savings was around $100 based on the $2.50/gallon.

3. Less wear and tear on your own car

Long distance highway driving can be very tough on a vehicle. Save those miles on your own car and put them on a rental will extend the life of your car.

4. Rent a vehicle that may be more suited for type of vacation

Perhaps you own a small car but are going camping and need extra room. Instead of jam packing the car and have your family sitting on each other's lap, rent a larger vehicle for comfort. On the other side, if you are heading out on a trip and don't need to take your SUV, rent a smaller car that can save you gas and money (See number 2)

5. Renting a vehicle can give you an opportunity to try a vehicle that you might want to purchase.

I needed to go out to visit my daughter in Indiana by myself and went to rent a car. I had seen many HRT's around town and when one was available, I jumped on the chance to try it. My daughter didn't like my color choice but it did give me the chance to try one.

Each trip and situation will be different. But when going on vacation or on a long trip, consider renting a vehicle vs. using your own. Going on sites like priceline can also save you some money in renting a vehicle. Be sure to use a reputable company who will be able to provide you service in the event of a problem with your rental.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Me

2009-07-04T09:11:00.006-04:00

A year ago today, I started this blog mostly to keep up with the rest of the staff at Sonlight Church. It started out more on a personal focus but has moved towards personal finance and church administration. I have enjoyed it though its more work then one can imagine and easy to get burned out. But the fact is, its good for me. It makes me read and study what's going on in the world, think about my own finances as well as the the business part of Sonlight.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and relaxing 4th of July and, especially on this Independence Day, I am PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

Rick Monday - Greatest Play in Baseball History

2009-07-03T09:07:00.002-04:00

I saw this video on another blog and felt it was a great 4th of July entry.

Opportunity Scams Target Churches

2009-06-29T21:55:00.002-04:00

From the Federal Trade Commission: FTC Consumer Alert

There’s no cost to your church. It may even make money to use for good works. It’s a win-win situation, right? Maybe not. In fact, it could be a scam.

Con artists with similar pitches are targeting African-American churches with so-called opportunity scams. Emphasizing a shared faith, culture, or concern for the community to win your trust, they offer the opportunity to use equipment or services that supposedly won’t cost the church a thing.

Their goal? To get access to your church’s bank account, either by lifting account information from a check or by persuading you to sign up to have payments automatically deducted from the account. Once they have access, they can make oversize withdrawals or completely clean out thes account.

Recently, scammers offered computer equipment to the staff of several churches, claiming the cost would be covered by a “sponsor.” The church staff simply had to sign an agreement to lease the equipment, make a regular payment, and deposit checks from the sponsor to cover the checks the church staff had written. But in the end, the equipment didn’t work, the sponsor checks started bouncing, and the churches had thousands of dollars taken out of their accounts.

How can you avoid a potential church opportunity scam? The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, recommends remembering:

A contract is a commitment. Before you sign a contract — like a lease — make sure you understand what it’s saying. Don’t rely on the person making the pitch to sum up the details. They may gloss over obligations outlined in the agreement that can cost your organization a lot.

If a contract says you’re financially responsible, take it seriously. A special payment arrangement where a third party reimburses you for payments you make is a sign of a scam. Don’t take someone’s word that the language in the contract is “standard” or a “technicality.”

Scammers may look legitimate. They may direct you to websites they’ve created, or they may say they are working with other churches in your area. Don’t be swayed by an appearance of legitimacy. Do research on an organization before you do business with it.

Never wire back money. In some schemes, scammers send a generous check, asking you to deposit it and wire back a portion or to make a payment right away. Days later when the bogus check bounces, the scammer will have made off with your money.
If your church has experienced a scam like this, report it to your state Attorney General. You can find your state AG at naag.org. You also can file a complaint with the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint, or 1-877-FTC-HELP.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

The Misuse of Credit

2009-06-25T17:33:00.002-04:00

by Crown Financial Ministries

Most Americans living today were born into a debt-dominated society. In fact those under the age of 30 cannot remember a time without home mortgages, automobile loans, school loans, and credit cards.

However, just because these means and instruments for indebtedness seem to be normal and acceptable in today's society, and even in our Christian society, it does not mean that these types of indebtedness are normal in the eyes of God.

Reasons for misuse
It is important for ministers to understand so that they can teach their congregations that credit and credit cards are not the problem; it is the misuse of credit that is the problem. The misuse of credit and credit cards is generally rooted in four areas that are contrary to sound biblical principles of finance: get-rich-quick, lack of trust, ignorance, and misconception.

Get-rich-quick. A major portion of debt exists because, to most American Christians, borrowing seems faster and simpler than saving in order to buy. Most of our current debt can be traced directly to the availability, or lack of availability, of credit.

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5).

Lack of trust. Regular and routine borrowing, regardless of circumstances or justification, is an evidence of a lack of faith in God's written promises and a lack of trust in Him that He will keep His word.

Most Christians who are in debt because of borrowing either don't understand God's promises, they don't feel that the promises apply to them, or they don't believe the promises. Because God is concerned about every aspect of our lives, including finances, He knows our needs and will provide them in His time according to His plan, not what we think we need when we think we need them.

Borrowing is not sinful, but dependence on credit is an indication that those who borrow have not surrendered all of their rights to God and to His direction for their lives.

“The Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33-34).

Ignorance. According to the Word of God, ignorance is the absence of wisdom. Wisdom comes from God and, therefore, God's Word is the cure for ignorance (Proverbs 1:32; 2:6; 3:4-6). The economic wisdom of the world says to accumulate and multiply wealth and possessions by borrowing.

God's Word says that we must be content with what we have and that He will supply all that we need.

According to the Research Institute of America, the average Christian family in America pays more than 25 percent of their net spendable income in interest on accumulated debt.

Misconception. In today's Christian society in America the general feeling is that cautions against borrowing implied in God's Word apply only to debt borrowed to purchase possessions that depreciate. Borrowing is allowed for items that appreciate in value.

That may be good common sense, but it is not a biblical principle of finance. God's Word doesn't state what borrowed money should be used for; it just cautions against being indebted to anyone. Besides, nothing appreciates forever, not even houses.

Conclusion
Unfortunately, most Christians in America have compromised God's standards and have bought into the world's system of accumulating possessions by accumulating debt. But, the simple fact is that, according to God's Word, He knows what we need and He will supply those needs when He feels we should have them. By trusting Him and His Word, we can prevent debt and live a debt-free lifestyle.

Get A Free Laptop (but read the fine print)

2009-06-22T17:38:00.002-04:00

I am heading home after working out at the Y today when I hear this radio commercial for a free laptop. The commercial goes on to say it won't cost a thing, even the shipping is free. Of course, as the saying goes..... "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". The commercial gave a website to check out.... crazyfreepc.com. I thought, OK, I need to check this out because I knew there would be a catch.... and there is.

When you go to the website, you will see some high tech laptops, from Sony, HP and even an Apple Macbook Air. Just put in your email, pick out your laptop and away you go..... well, not so fast. Let's look at the fine print:

In order to receive your gift you must: (1) Meet the eligibility requirements (2) complete the rewards bonus survey (3) complete a total of 13 Sponsor Offers as stated in the Gift Rules (4) Follow redemption instructions.

13 sponsor offers...... they even give you a link to check out a sample of the offers. Almost all of them require some sort of purchase (plus S&H of course). I looked at some of the offers.... I took a random 13 offers and the total money spent would be $1200. That is if you remember to cancel your "trial subscriptions" before the real charges kick in. The offers include applying for credit cards, purchases of coffee, magazines, DVDs, CDs, newspapers, insurance and so on.

I wonder how many people actually go through with this, how much do they end up really paying for that laptop. In this day and age, I would think that no one would buy into this scam..... oops, I mean offer. But advertising isn't cheap so there must be people out there who will go into debt, just to get the "free laptop". A quick check in google shows that people are even being harassed on the phone buy this company.

Do you want a laptop? Save for it, place it in your monthly budget; put money away each month and purchase one once you have the money to pay cash for it.