Pain

     There is probably no greater pain that we can suffer than the pain of losing a loved one in death.  With just a brief and non-exhaustive examination of pain we can gain a little insight with this fact.

     We will only consider a simple breakdown of pain that happens to us and pain that affects us due to the loss of something.  Consider for a moment the physical pain that we might have to endure.  We could hit our thumb with a hammer.  Or we could stub our toe on a piece of furniture.  These two examples of pain may be very uncomfortable for the moment, but with the passage of time we will recoup and the suffering from the pain will be forgotten.

     We could also have pain from some type of accident which may require us to undergo surgery or we may have some type of illness which also may cause us to have to have surgery.  In either case this type of pain will also pass in time.  We may have some type of scar that would constantly be a reminder of what we had to go through although this may also become part of our distant past and we may not give much additional thought to the pain we had gone through.  This situation may also be one where we will undergo some form of mental pain along with the other suffering.  This may require more time to pass by, if ever, we are to lose this suffering.

     These types of physical pain and many other forms can be things that we have to face throughout our entire life.  You’ve probably also noticed that some individuals are able to stand greater pain levels than others.  And you may find that with time, patience, and certain degrees of practice a person can condition themselves to increase the pain tolerance which they are able to bear.

     In the other direction we can consider the pain of losing something.  You’ve probably at one time or another lost your wallet or purse, or maybe you thought you did.  Such a loss can create great pain and suffering.  A lady that I used to work with lost her purse (well, actually it was stolen).  The pain and agony she went through for months getting her credit cards replaced, a new driver’s license and other things was almost unbelievable.

     Perhaps you’ve lost a job, or a promotion, or the car or house keys.  You know the pain you suffered and how you feel every time you thought about it.  And I can’t even begin to describe the situation of pain when we lose a pet.  A cat or dog or other pet that has become part of the family would leave a devastating empty spot in your heart if they were to be lost.

     However, the pain of the death of a loved one can only be described as pain that hits hard, goes deep, and can last for many years to come.  Perhaps never really subsiding at all.  But here is where we can have faith in God who says “death will be swallowed up forever” (Isa 25:8).  And by providing the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, who “might taste death for everyone” (Heb 2:15), we can look forward to a future where “death will be no more” (Re 21:4). 

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Death, where is your victory?

Death, where is your sting?"

1 Co 15:55

Too Late

            Have you ever had a good friend pass away and then thought about all the times you had wanted to call them or visit them, but never got around to having enough time?  It seems that we all have failed to plan for things within our lives that should be given more priority until it is too late.

            Then they are gone and all we do is think about the times past and what we had done or said and how wonderful it would have been to visit them one more time before they were gone.  If you have ever felt that way, and I’m sure you have at one time or another, why not begin to think about those who are still with us NOW and not have to feel that way about them at a later date.

            Life it just seems is too short for us to get anything done.  When we are younger we always feel that there will always be enough time so why worry about it now.  We also feel that we are invincible and that nothing bad is going to happen to us.  Before we are aware of it the years begin rolling past so quickly that they are almost like a blur before our eyes and then we are on “the downhill side” of life and barely have enough time to get the daily necessities taken care of before the next day is upon us.

            We can complain all we want about life not being fair.  About it seeming that “all the good ones” are taken too quickly.  However, we don’t know when some accident or other event beyond our control is going to happen.  We don’t understand why some of us get the sicknesses we do or why others just seem to “fall apart” before our eyes!

            What we do know is that the time swiftly passes by and we are making excuses for ourselves and why we never did the things we should have been doing all those years before theses years of regret have reached us.  Remember there’s no better time to tell someone how you feel about them than NOW!  You may not have the chance to do it later.

            This hit home to me so well some years back when I was delivering commercial supplies for a company.  Every week I would stop at this little bar/lounge in town and the old couple who owned it was always giving each other a hard time with their comments.  After several years I came in one day and the wife was not there only the husband.  I inquired of him how he could let her have a day off during the week.  Those had always been there together.  His reply was: “She invited her relatives for a visit this week-end and I told her she had to stay home and clean the house.”

            The very NEXT week when I visited, she was there and he was not.  So I inquired:  “So, you took off last week and now he felt like HE should have a day off too!”

            Her reply came back sadly:  “He died!”

            Of course, I felt very ashamed about my comment.  But it goes to show you never know what is going to happen from day to day.

            We need to seize the moments within our lives and make the most of them that we can.  We never know when those precious moments may be the last ones we have. 

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you love someone, tell them.

You will never have this moment again."

Mindset

            You’ve heard it said “I’ve done this before!”  They made an expression for this:  It’s dejevu!”  But maybe the reality is you HAVE done it before!  Or maybe the events have been so close to the present one that it seems that you have done it before.

            What a marvelous organ we have in our brains.  We can relive all the wonderful moments in our lives whenever we want to.  We can experience things that we have never actually experienced ourselves.  Our minds can take us to places we’ve never been to or we can create places that don’t actually exist.

            Our minds have such tremendous creativity that it seems at times that we are only limited in its creativity by the boundaries that we ourselves put upon it.  Your thinking process can become so sensitive that we can include the small, sensations of touch and taste within our thoughts.

            Have you ever listened to a speaker describe the preparation of a meal so enjoyably that you begin to taste the various foods within your mouth?  Your pallet begins to savior them and then to anticipate your actually eating those foods.  I’m sure you have!  You begin to prepare yourself for an enjoyable meal, even if it is only presently in your mind.

            Your mind also makes you a more sympathetic person.  Many advertisers are counting on this ability of your mind.  You’ve seen those ads where the abandoned or mistreated animals are pictured in hopes that you will want to donate your funds for their care.  This ability is also what assists us in showing empathy for other humans and the varying circumstances that they face.

            With this same brain we can learn complex calculations and motor control abilities or the simplest of things like lifting our hand or foot.  We have the wonderful ability to look at situations and reason out a solution to very complicated scenarios.  And we can also look at these various situations and ponder “what if”!  We can change certain variables within the scenario and propound a different solution than the one that had been previously reached.

            Within our “mind’s eye” we can enjoy the beauty of art, music, sunsets and sunrises.  With many other activities we can ponder the past and the future.  Our mental capabilities seem to be limitless, although at the present we use a very small portion of our minds capabilities.

            We can make the decision to look upon our present conditions and resolve to have the determination to make changes for the better.  We should make all the efforts we can to do this if it is at all in our ability to do so.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Often the complexities of our situation

reside only in our mind."

Logical

     It seems in this world today that what used to be a simple and logical solution to many problems is not even considered.  Something like sitting down and talking things out just doesn’t come up in the conversation for bringing an end to conflicts:  And it doesn’t matter if the conflicts are small or large.  The answer is almost always the same:  Let’s fight!

    

     Years ago I heard a comedian who was discussing how the world’s conflicts should be resolved.  I understand that he was only making comments to gain the laughter of his hearers; however, when some of his suggestions are given a logical consideration maybe he had a valid point that was being made.

    

     Let’s consider a couple of the points he introduced.  First, do you recall seeing scenes on television or perhaps you have been within the United Nations Assembly Hall when a “discussion” is going on.  In either case you would often see one of the delegates holding his finger or hand to his ear as he adjusted or concentrated more fully on the translation he was receiving through his ear piece.  The comedian suggested that regardless of what a speaker was saying or how demonstrative a speaker was, the translator should be telling the delegate: “Everything is going to be fine.  We love each other.  Let’s just all get along in peace.”  And other such comments.  Besides isn’t the United Nations purpose to bring peace to the world of mankind?  Like we know that’s going to happen!

    

     His second point was also very interesting.  If nations were determined to have conflicts between themselves maybe there should be a more simple way to resolve these issues.  The leader of each of the conflicting nations should put on a pair of boxing gloves and “duke it out” for ten rounds or whoever wins by knock out first.  There should be an agreed concession to be forfeited or lost by each party prior to the fight beginning.  And the losing party must be willing to accept this loss as a finale to the agreement.

    

     Think of all the lives, the property, the time, and the money that would be saved by proposing such an arrangement!  Millions of young people would no longer be sacrificed to the ravages of war.  Millions of dollars could be saved on not needing such expensive military weapons.  Communities and innocent people in many lands of the world would no longer be subjected to the horrors and disasters of war.  And although it was not available at the time, a lot of money could probably be made by broadcasting the event on “pay-for-view”.

   

     I’m not suggesting any of the above recommendations for a way to resolve the conflicts of human nations today, but it does seem to be that the search for a more peaceful means is often perhaps considered as a last resort.  With the costs of property, lives, and so many other considerations at stake does it really seem logical to bypass a peaceful solution?

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"It seems that the simplest solution to a problem

would be the most logical one!

But that's not often the case."

Abuse

     One of the things I’ve never been able to understand is child abuse.  This is a great problem and concern today and has been growing in severity over the past few years.  With the recent two incidents of parents in California (USA) horribly mistreating their children, that situation is unbelievable.  I was born into a family that wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but we cared for each other when it counted.  I had two older sisters (one has passed away) and a younger brother, being somewhat saddled in the middle.  So I know what it is like when you’re too young to be doing the things that your older siblings would do and I was too old to get the attention at times that my “baby’ brother got.  We had our differences of opinions when we were growing up, we still do.  The same was true with our parents.  I can’t say we were the closest of families, but we had vacation times and other family times when we got together.  But even when we would disagree with our parents or vice-versa never did the situation reach the level of violence that can be seen today.  We were disciplined when we were growing up when it was needed.  But that didn’t mean we were beat all the time.  Sometimes a good stern talk or spending some time in your room was all that was needed.

     Of course, sending a child to their room today would probably not be viewed as punishment.  The child’s room probably has a television, a VCR or DVD player, a stereo system, computer, games, toys, books and almost any other thing you can imagine.

     Maybe the problem stems from a basic lack of love.  Today many parents have children that they don’t want.  They feel they just get in the way.  They leave them alone at home when it’s not necessary.  HOW can you possibly “forget” that you have a baby in the back seat of your vehicle?  They make them grow up fending for themselves.  Parents today will not apply necessary counsel, discipline, and direction that are needed in the lives of their children.  Some feel there is justification for abortions, but in many cases that is only another cop-out --- not wanting to shoulder the responsibility for their actions and raise a child that they never should have had in the first place!

     But often children themselves add to the problem.  They reject authority of any kind.  They seek out their own choice of peers and support their actions by condemning the actions (or lack thereof) of their parents.  They get a chip on their shoulders thinking their parents “owe” them because they never “asked” to be born.  Instead of viewing life as a precious gift, given to them, they waste it and let it fall apart.  Yes, child abuse (actually human abuse) is a problem that everyone should look at more seriously.  And I’m not prepared in this blog to start a discussion of sexual child abuse or the abuse of our older generation. 

     At times it seems that our HUMAN tendencies are not to act very human at all!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You NEVER harm those you love."

Relative

     What would happen if we all woke up tomorrow and everything was doubled in size?  We wouldn’t really notice anything different.  The same would stand true with any other thing we would want to consider if we keep the same relative perspective.  This doesn’t work in the real world, however.  No two things are truly fluctuating in the same relative positioning.

    Take the economic condition as the most flagrant example.  When the cost of housing increases five percent or the cost of groceries, or gas, or clothing, or entertainment, or ANYTHING else --- do your wages increase five percent?  Certainly not!  But we never seem to look at the economy in the same relative terms.  How many times have you heard someone say (or perhaps you’ve said it yourself):  “I can’t believe it costs that much for (whatever)!  I can remember when that was only (so many) cents a gallon, or (so many) cents a loaf, or a pound, or a package!”  Have you ever noticed that when people say these kinds of things and “long for the good old days”, they mention that when things were that price your income was next to nothing?  Maybe $5 a week or $2 a day for long hard hours.

     Yes, all things are relative to something.  But we never want to compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.  That’s only human nature.  We have to minimize the contrast by exaggerating the differences.

     Now don’t get me wrong.  I’d like to see things cost less.  I’d like to have nicer clothes and bigger cars and money left in my pocket at the end of the month.  But I have to recognize that I can’t ask everyone to lower THEIR prices to aide my situation and not be willing to make sacrifices myself.

     And yet this is what people are constantly doing.  They want better roads, better medical care, more police protection or firemen.  They want everything better but they don’t want to pay more for anything.  This can be seen so plainly when politicians are running for office.  They promise so many GREAT benefits, but they also promise to LOWER taxes.  How do people think the cost of all these additional benefits are going to covered?

     And have you ever noticed that in that extremely rare event when things do seem to go right for you and you get a little ahead financial, then you have these long lost cousins, or brother or sister or niece or nephew or SOMEONE showing up with their hand out?  Well --- I guess it is ALL only relative after all.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You can choose those you want to be around,

you can pick those you wish to call friend,

but you are stuck with your relatives!"

Just Pause

     Are you one of those people who are always so busy that you never have time to stop and enjoy what you have?

     I can remember when I was a young teenager.  I used to think that if I only had a part time job I’d have some money to do things with my friends.  They’d go out driving, stopping occasionally at the Dairy Queen for a snack.   Then Friday or Saturday nights it was off to the drive-in.  Some of you may not even know what that is, but if you ask your parents or grandparents they’d be able to tell you.  Maybe there’d be a chance during the summer to go out to the swimming pool or even better go for a drive to the river and find a nice tree with a rope tie-off.  Then you could swing out like Tarzan and make a great splash into the river.  But I never had enough money to do all those things with my friends.  That part-time job would be the answer to my prayers.  Well, I got the job and the money was great.  I’d make $90-$100 a week PLUS any tips I could accumulate.  For a 16 year old I was making really good money (especially at that time).  But then I realized I no longer had the free time to go to the show, or the pool, or the river, or out “cruising” with the guys, or do anything else for that matter.  I had lost sight of what my true objective had been.

     Does this sound a little familiar?  We constantly want to do better or get more, and we lose track of what is really important.  Sometimes life forces us to slow down even when we don’t want to.  A few years ago I began having severe pains in my chest.  Fortunately it wasn’t a heart attack.  But, I wound up having to spend four days in the hospital while they ran some test.  While I lay there in the hospital room bed I had time to contemplate various aspects of my life. That was better than trying to count those little holes in the ceiling tiles!  I’ve come to better appreciate the things that most people don’t consider very important.  When was the last time you lay out in the grass on a beautiful summer day and watched the clouds roll by?  Remember making those clouds become faces, cars, trains, various creatures, or anything that your mind could conceive.

     Today our lives are more motivated by panic response.  We react to situations.  We respond to stimuli.  But occasionally we need to stop the runaway frantic life and smell the flowers, hear the birds sing and take a moment to laugh.  Yes laugh at our lives at times and at ourselves more often.  We probably need to learn to look at the world and at ourselves through the eyes of a child.  We need to re-examine from time to time what are really the important things in our life.  We might find there is a tremendous need to step back for a moment and readjust some priorities.  Besides, if we find ourselves in a medical disaster or some terrible accident that suddenly brings our life to an end, think of all the things we would have missed.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"It's better to pause and play in the grass

before you are placed UNDER the grass!"

Don't Give Up!

     Have you ever noticed that in an office or plant or company of any size it seems that two to five percent of the employees do ninety to ninety-five percent of the work?  But it’s the larger percentage (the part that is hardly ever doing anything) that seems to get all the praise and the higher salaries.

     It would probably be no surprise to most people, but those few who are doing most of the work, are usually living payday to payday, struggling to make ends meet.  And they’re always having some month left over when they run out of money.  Sadly these are also the few that always are afraid to take the chance on something new.  They are always just a few hundred dollars away from having things fairly comfortable each month.  These are the people who should find a part-time income.  Something that doesn’t cost them much to get started.  Something, perhaps, that isn’t going to make them over-night millionaires (what really does?), but can be run as a sideline business 10-20 hours or so a month and provide that extra few hundred dollars per month which is so badly needed.

     Setting up a part-time business may also give you various tax incentives that may help in your over-all financial condition.  I’m not going to try and explain these in this blog because of space and individual circumstance, but it would well be worth your wild to consider the possibilities with a tax professional.

     What type of business should you run?  This too is a very personal question to consider.  But, if you browse through various income opportunity magazines, tabloids and mail offers, or even spend some time on the internet, I’m sure you’ll find something that will interest you and fit your particular needs.

     The problem seems to be that most people --- those who are hard workers and who really need to start a part-time business --- are those who spend those extra 10-20 hours each month complaining about not being able to make ends meet.  Now’s the time to stop complaining and start changing your situation.  To say the least, it will take time and constant effort to make your part-time business a success.  But that is how anything is accomplished.  Pace yourself---continue to move forward with your plans and efforts.  And most importantly DON’T GIVE UP!

     You may find, in time, that an enjoyable part-time business, one that you truly enjoy working may begin to produce a really nice income for you.  An income that will become of itself enough to sustain you and your family during the month.  You may be able to make your business your full-time employment and have the additional freedom of being your own boss.  This would be a great goal to achieve; however, in the mean time the additional income from the part-time business is going to be a great addition to your monthly financial needs.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Take the parts you know,

Learn the parts you don't know,

and you will become completely successful."

Computers

     Well, the article today is really hitting home --- COMPUTERS!  It seems today they’re everywhere.  You can’t buy groceries, shoes, clothes, or just about anything without having it rung up by a computerized terminal.  And have you been to a fast food restaurant lately?  I mean INSIDE, not through the drive-thru, and watched them take your order?  They don’t even have to ring it up!  They push the button that says HAMBURGER and it registers, along with the price.  They press the button SMALL DRINK, FRIES, whatever!  It all registers.  They don’t even have to know the prices on anything.  Then they press another button and BINGO here’s your tendered cash and then your correct change. 

     Kids are getting jobs today --- while they are in school --- and they can’t make change for a dollar!  I’m not jumping the educational system at this point (although we all know there are considerable changes that could be made).  What I am hinting at is:  it seems to me that the computerized age is swiftly carrying our youth in that direction.  Young people are growing up without the benefit (or evidently the NEED) to THINK!  Everything is pushing a button, getting results --- DON’T THINK!

     Many of you probably remember growing up without television (heaven forbid!) and listening to radio programs or playing games as a family.  Things that made you THINK and get involved with others.  Today kids respond negatively if they are told to read a book.  READ!  “Why not wait for the movie (or video)?”is their response.  The avenue of using our brains by means of reading --- imagination --- has almost disappeared.  Do you know what one of the fastest growing areas of education is today?  Computer training: NO not the understanding of computers and how and why they work, but specialized training in specific PROGRAMS, so they will know the right buttons to push.

     I remember having individuals come into my office to apply for a job and one of the first things out of their mouths was that they knew how to program a computer.  That was great!  But I would have to tell them that we don’t do ANY programs with our office operations, but could they follow directions and push the right buttons?  Believe it or not that was sometimes more of a problem than you might think.

     I’d be the first to admit I’m not ready to give up my computer or my other computerized gadgets, but I think we ought to look closer at some of these aspects.  I recall a “picture of the future” I saw in a magazine years ago.  The human was one big round body with a single L-O-N-G arm and ONE finger.  That’s all he needed to push the right button.  Sobering thought isn’t it?

     Yet, some of the very interesting things that many enjoy today are movies.  Have people forgotten where these movies come from?  There are creative imaginations of the people who can THINK beyond just pushing some buttons.  The minds of some of these writers are almost impossible to conceive where they could have possibly “thought up” the stories that we watch as movies on the big screens, but we are willing to pay MILLIONS, sometimes BILLIONS to enjoy watching them.

     What about the new products and processes that are becoming available for us to use each day?  People with marvelous thinking abilities are needed to continue to provide these wonderful things.  We must prepare our young people today to be able to THINK in aspirations of reaching the stars of the future!  We don’t want to create a long armed, one fingered generation for the future.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you learn the simple, basic things,

the more complicated will become easier."

Change

     One thing we can always be sure of is CHANGE!  It occurs around us every day.  In all aspects of our lives.  If it weren’t for change, that is if everything stayed the same, where would we get growth, expansion, and that upward movement that we needed in our business?  Anyone who thinks that they can continue to do the same things that they did 5 – 10 – 20 years ago and get advancement within their business (or their personal life) is only fooling themselves.

     That being stated:  there is purpose in my strange mindset.  We’re passing into the second quarter of 2018 and although I have tried to provide an interesting business topic on a weekly basis for this blog and a second blog post from the depths of my mind, with all other things going on in my life and that constant that I mentioned earlier (CHANGE):  I have decided to once again make adjustments to the blog posts.

     I will continue to make periodic entries to this blog as time will permit me to do so.  I’m hoping that it will be AT LEAST 6-9 posts per month.  However, these entries will come from the inner portions of my mind and be on varying subjects.  This will help me return to the original purpose of the posts to begin with.

 

     The topics will consider the various “quirks” that are floating around within my brain and I’ll try to express them in an unusual manner that will make you think about your own thought patterns.  From time to time I may also throw in a topic on some business aspect if I feel the need to do so, or I may just briefly include a comment on some program, software, or business opportunity that I think you might find appealing or of interest.

     One of my basic reasons for doing this is that I want to keep the blog running with topics that I personal find of interest, but that I think may also be of interest to my readers.  However, and this is the part that has put limitations on my time, I have also began to write some books that I am hoping to have published (probably in E-book form).  I am currently working on THREE books and a possible fourth!  This is becoming very time consuming and I want to keep them moving forward.

     The research alone on these projects is consuming many hours of my time.  And believe it or not, I also have a life with my beautiful wife that I DO NOT want to hinder.  That being said I hope you can understand the need for my changes and will bear with me as I make these necessary adjustments.  

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you can't adjust to change ---

you die!"

Marriage

     Here it is once again the 20^th of April.  As I wrote a year ago this date has many reasons for various people to celebrate.  For me this day especially on this year (2018) has a great deal of meaning.  It is my 50^th wedding anniversary.  I can hear many of you saying “Congrats” and I do appreciate your thoughts very much.  So I was thinking WHAT am I going to write about today?  And the subject should be very obvious:  marriage.

     Marriage is an institution that has been around since the beginning of human history.  When our Creator fashioned Eve and brought her to Adam he was emboldened to utter some of the most beautiful words that have been recorded:  “At last, bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.”  And it was so stated that a man would leave his father and mother and stick to his wife and they would become one flesh.

     Many today have a distorted view of marriage.  They seem to think that it is no longer necessary.  They would rather live together and see “if things work out.”  That’s not making a true commitment to the union.  You are almost saying that you expect a failure in your union.  There are some who choose not to get married because they feel they are forced to do so by the government.  When two people are on social security disability they may lose some of their finances if they decide to marry.

     Others feel that there are too many “handicaps” to “dissolving” the union if they choose to part.  “It’s only a piece of paper!”  They decide it’s not needed for them to stay together.  But with that thought:  a driver’s license is only a “paper” document.  You don’t really need it to drive a vehicle.  But, IT IS needed to be legally recognized to drive.  There are many situations that a marriage certificate is needed to be able to gain some type of legal benefit.

     As I reflect back on the 50 years that I have had the enjoyment of being with my wife I must admit that there have been both good times and bad.  But the bad are so much easy to endure when you have someone by your side that you know will be there to help you when the going gets tough.  And they know that you will be there for them.

     I can’t speak for all people but I can speak for myself.  My marriage has been a wonderful joy within the days that I have lived.  I will also be thankful that I found that person who could spend these days with me and that we could create together the many memories that you have shared.  And my thoughts are that many who may read these words will find that “special” someone for their own lives.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"A good partner can help you

get through bad times."

Accounting

What is Accounting?

     The image of an accountant used to be a hunched over and bespectacled older man sitting in a dark room with stacks and stacks of paper.  That image could not be more outdated!  Now, an accountant is a savvy business professional who contributes substantially to a company’s bottom line.  Becoming an accountant is a smart choice for many (especially if you have a “knack” for numbers).  But, first you’ll need to know what accounting is, and more about understanding accounting practices.  You DO need to understand some accounting principles and terms, but we can relate them all from the business world to our everyday lives.

     To put it simply, accounting is about keeping track of our money.  Accounting is how businesses monitor income, expenses, and assets over a given period of time.  Accounting often is referred to as “the language of business” because of its role in maintaining and processing all relevant financial information that an entity or company requires for its managing and reporting purposes.  Accounting is a field of specialization critical to the functioning of all types of organizations.

     So, in our everyday life “accounting” is keeping track of our money!  Where does it come from?  Where does it go?

     Unlike the U.S. government or other world governments we cannot simply print ourselves more money when we run low (well, not legally).  These governments are now realizing that you CANNOT live off credit indefinitely!  Sooner or later there comes a time of reckoning!  We may find ourselves at this point when we are out of money — but there is more month left!

     Outside the government, the banking system is the only means of creating additional money (I will explain later).  However, now they have learned (I hope) their money IS NOT real and can lead to many financial difficulties if not handled correctly.

     Accounting is also a body of principles and conventions, as well as an established general process for capturing financial information related to an organization’s resources.  Accounting is a service function that provides information of value to all operating units and to other service functions, such as the headquarter offices of large corporations.

     Accountants learn about accounting and engage in a wide variety of activities besides the basic bookkeeping or preparing financial statements and recording business transactions.  Accountants also compute costs and efficiency gains from new technologies, participate in strategies for mergers and acquisitions, quality management, develop and use information systems to track financial performance, tax strategy, and health care benefits management.  Good accountants are vital to a company’s success.

     Good accounting in your personal life is necessary if you are to function within the boundaries of your financial means.  You need to know where you are financially, how you will maintain this position, or what is necessary to change your present circumstances.  You need to prepare and operate within a well thought-out plan of operation.

     Think of the comfort of having a plan in place for you, for your family, which could take the disaster out of an untimely event.

     Think of the power you will feel if you get easy-to-understand information on a regular basis so you can monitor your personal spending habits.

     So — quite simply put:  Accounting is a language:  a language that provides the information you need to understand YOUR financial position.

     In the business world, this information is provided by means of a (1) Balance Sheet, (2) Income Statement, and (3) Statement of Cash Flow.

     The whole purpose of accounting is to provide information that is useful and relevant for interested parties when making decisions regarding the company and its operations.

     The same should be true about your personal financial situation.  Your financial circumstances may not be as complicated as General Motors, Exxon, or some other large corporation; however, the principles of accounting should be used for YOU to UNDERSTAND where you are in your financial life.

     Now, DON’T let the accounting terms cause you a great set-back.  Within any profession you have terminology that is specific to that line of work.  You just need to basically understand what it is we are talking about.

When I mentioned:

            (1)  Balance Sheet:  It is a status report that shows information about the organization’s resources at any one moment in time: Its assets, liabilities and owner equity (stockholders equity).  For you this simply means what do you own?  What do you owe?  The difference is your net worth.

            (2)  Income Statement:  It is a report that shows the flow of revenues and expenses over a given period of time.  You might look at YOUR income statement as what money did you receive during the month and what money did you spend?

            (3)  Statement of Cash Flow:  This statement details the movement of CASH through the organization over a specified period of time.  For you this report would track your cash movements.  It would NOT necessarily agree with your “income statement” because you may make purchases on CREDIT or CHARGE ACCOUNTS and the actual “payment” (or cash out flow) would be a totally different figure.  (Let’s not get too tangled in the terminology at this point.  I think it will become clearer as we go along in understanding your financial picture.)

     However, I think you can understand the need for these three (3) specific reports to give you a clear picture of your financial standing.

So, Why Do We Need Accounting?

     Asking that question of an accountant is like asking a farmer why we need rain.  We need accounting because it’s the only way for business to grow and flourish.  Accounting is the backbone of the business financial world.  After all, accounting was created in response to the development of trade and commerce during the medieval times.

     Italy is our first recorded source for accounting entries, and the first published accounting work in 1494 was by a Venetian monk.  So you see accounting as an organized method for record-keeping has been around almost as long as the trade and business industries themselves.

     Another interesting fact is the knowledge and principles upon which the first accounting practices were established, have changed very little in the many hundreds of years that accounting has been in use.  The concepts of assets, liabilities, and income and the need to reconcile these areas is still the basis for all accounting functions today.

     The process for recording those transactions, and the many reports generated by the compilation of that information has evolved over the last two hundred years.  Thanks to the creation of computers, many of the bookkeeping functions that are vital to accounting, but somewhat repetitive are performed by data entry clerks, and the reports generated come back almost instantly.

     The same is true for our personal financial lives.  We must spend the necessary time to understand our position and financial condition, regardless of how simple or how complex our specific needs may be.

     As you can see, accounting will affect every aspect of YOUR life, for better or worse!

PS

     A great way to better understand your financial situation and needs and to especially provide some training for your children is through an extensive budget and finance program that parents and their children of all ages can watch together.  Check out this program:  Family Finance Video Master Class.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHFUL GEM

"If your road to success isn't there yet,

lay out your plan and build it!"

Surprises

     Surprises --- who of us does not like them from time to time?  Your wife’s face literally beams when you surprise her with a flower arrangement or some candy.  Especially when you do it for no special reason.  And when the boss gives you that unexpected bonus --- words cannot really describe the feeling you have.  I know, it doesn’t happen very often:  maybe never!  But if it did!  How about when the children do their homework, clean their room, cut the grass, or wash dishes --- ALL without even being asked?  Yes, some surprises are truly overwhelming, but nice just the same.

     However, there are seemingly more and more surprises today that are not really wanted.  You’re sitting in a fast food place eating with your family and suddenly a mad man rushes in and opens fire with a rifle.  Or your child is at school and one of their classmates has brought a weapon and suddenly attacks the teacher or another one of the children.  Or maybe not just one student, but a person opens fire to see how many he/she may kill or injure?  Imagine the horror of the woman in Florida some years back who was being interviewed on a television news program at the grave site of her recently deceased child.  Suddenly her ex-husband came into the scene and opened fire on her repeatedly.

     Many politicians, economists, religionists, and others have noted that since the turn of the 20th century, especially since World War I, the world has gone mad!  It’s hard to know what to expect from the people you meet on the streets each and every day.  The woman that pleasantly smiles at you as you pass on the street could be stealing her employer blind.  Or the man who proudly drops off his children at school each day could be beating his wife constantly at home or perhaps even abusing his children.

     You don’t have to try and “think up” situations that may provide these surprises.  Just turn on your television for any evening news report and you will hear the things that will make you sick at your stomach.  It’s almost getting to the point that you no longer want to hear the news.  Just when you think it can’t get any worse - - - IT DOES!

     We can blame our actions on others, on the system, or even excuse ourselves by saying “that’s just the way I am”.  But if we don’t start becoming responsible for our actions and doing the best we can to eliminate this injustice, we’re going to find ourselves with the biggest surprise of all --- the “man upstairs” --- the guy holding our “lease on life” is going to tell us the “lease” is up!  Where will we be standing when that event happens?

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"There are good surprises,

there are bad surprises,

we'll get them both when we least expect it.

That's why they are surprises!"