Someone is Watching - Right Now!

I have been using a devotional book called "God IS Enough" this year. It's a selection of devotions collected from the writing of Hannah W. Smith, author of "The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life." This is one I take out about every 5 years and am always challenged,encouraged, and refreshed through it. For example, Ms. Smith writes:

"Some Christians seem to think that all the requirements of a holy life are met when they are very active and successful in Christian work. Because they do so much for the Lord in public, they feel a liberty to be disagreeable and unchristlike in private. But this is not the sort of Christian life I am depicting. If we are to walk as Christ walked, it must be in private as well as in public, at home as well as abroad; and it must be every hour all day long, not only at stated periods or fixed occasions. We must be just as Christlike to our employees as we are to our minister, and just as "good" in our place of work as we are in our prayer meetings. It is in daily living indeed that practical piety can best show itself; and we may well question any "professions" that fail under this test of daily life.

A cross Christian; an anxious Christian; a discouraged, gloomy Christian; a doubting Christian; a complaining Christian; an exacting Christian; a selfish Christian; a cruel, hardhearted Christian, a self-indulgent Christian; a Christian with a sharp tongue or bitter spirit - all these may be very earnest in their work and have honorable places in the church, but they are not Christlike Christians."

And later: FULL POST

Getting over the weirdness!

Dear Dave,

I'm starting a photography business on the side to help generate extra income. I have friends who've told me they'd like to use my services. However, I feel weird about charging them, because they're friends. How do I get past that?

Daniel

Dear Daniel,

I understand how you might feel weird taking money from friends, yet you're providing a service, and you've opened this business to make money. They're going to pay another photographer if you don't do the job, so why shouldn't they have the fun of working with someone they already know and like?

There's a psychology at work here. If you comp or discount them now, they may never see you as a true professional. But if you charge them a fair price, you'll be establishing yourself as a pro.

Still uncomfortable? Tell them you'll do the work free of charge this time if they'll help you find six new clients. There's nothing wrong with a trade, especially when you're starting out. Just make sure you get something worthwhile in the deal!

- Dave

Determining when to sell FULL POST

CHANGE!

Our country and our institutions are going thru changes that many of us could not foresee just a few months ago. Our new President takes office this week in spite of all the doubts and skepticism that surrounded his candidacy. All of the problems that we are facing seem distant for just a brief moment as the world pauses to consider the significance of this event. Many of you have contacted me to thank me for highlighting John McLendon in last weeks MMM and for those who have not Goggled his life's events, there is still time to do that. But I wish for you to not try to bring perspective to these events or explain them away. My wish for you is to start a "day one" mentality! FULL POST

Christian Business Owner - Eternal Fruit

Jesus said in John 15:8 "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (NIV) In our last post we said that what God cares most about is what He paid the highest price to obtain, and that the salvation of His children is His focus. But what does that mean to us, in our modern expression of life? How can we contribute and what can we do to participate with Him? And how does that relate to bearing fruit?

I would like to offer this: FULL POST

Linkedin.com use...

At present, there are over 20 million profiles on the Linkedin.com site. The site is heavily used by recruiters, many of whom do not pay fees to get direct access to contacts. Some key tips are:

• Add an email address to your profile, bypass all the intermediary steps and enable recruiters to contact you directly
• Add a photo if comfortable with the option, since it helps personalize the profile
• If you are no longer employed with the most recent employer, correct the profile and save recruiters the time calling your former employer
• Build your network of contacts continually, enabling you to expand your scope of relationships and potentially assist others
• Join groups that relate to your profession or specialty areas of interest

Get the most from your Linkedin.com experience!

Transformation - In Your Business - From Macro to Micro

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

                                                                   Romans 12:2 FULL POST

BASKETBALL PICKUP GAMES AT THE WHITE HOUSE

President-elect Obama shares a passion for sports that allows many of us to admire even if our political view differ at times. There will no doubt be some pickup basketball games at the White House and hopefully the injuries will be limited to the usual weekend warrior aches and pains. Much has been made about our next President being our first African American to hold that position and one of the unique portals of my generation has been this transformation of racial changes. Many of us not only lived thru the racial rioting of the 1960's but I drove thru it on my first day of graduate school in June, 1967, at Case Western Reserve. FULL POST

WHAT CURRENCY DO YOU TRADE IN?

Most people who live in the USA would naturally say dollars to this question but many of us actually have many forms of currency that we use to get along in life. Professional athletes trade their skills for positions on their teams and thus financial gain. Singers use their voices to apply their talents and thus earn stardom and monetary rewards. Still others are able to use their personality or good looks to advance careers thru perhaps sales or modeling. I often hear from my friends on the golf course that they are happy they have not had to make a living from their skills with a driver and a golf ball. In fact, I am happy that I do not have to make a living playing golf or my family would have had to support me!

The reason this is so vivid is the aftermath of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. What Mr. Madoff used as currency was clearly the most valuable asset that anyone can have in the investment world, namely TRUST! So many people thought they knew this man and their level of trust was so high that they exceeded good judgment by placing all their assets with his firm. Already there are three charities that are known to have closed their doors completely and their good intentions and outreach have been destroyed. Many individuals have started to pick up the pieces of their lives by being forced to sell their higher priced homes to move to more humble abodes. The shock waves have not yet touched all of the people that will be affected by this apparent fraud. FULL POST