We Have to Make It Hard to Get to God
June 30th, 2010
Posted By: Andy Willoughby
Without a doubt it is time to change the face of religion in America. We have to find a way to make it hard to be acceptable to God. If it was hard, everybody would want to do it. Well maybe not everybody. Some people would probably still want to play house and pretend there is no daddy. But if you could be a hero by accepting the Lord, if you could get some kind of recognition, if you even earned a Face book comment by trusting Jesus to purchase you a ticket to heaven it would be a much more popular trip.
If people could say, I was the youngest person to climb Mount Everest and stick my pick in the holy grail of salvation, then we would admire the transformation. If there was just something we could do on our own to earn our place on the train through eternity, mass transit would be popular even in America. We have to come to grips with the truth. Big humans want to do it themselves. We also want the credit for it. We need to be able to study really hard to get it. Just accepting something as truth is just too easy. The answer couldn’t possibly be in a book you can find in any hotel room. It must be hidden somewhere deep in the center of the universe. Now there is a concept that would sell! Books could be written, movies made.
If there were some rules about who could be a chosen one we could get our arms around that. If everyone had to be dressed the same, or for some, not dressed at all would make sense. If you had to have a certain tattoo you could be a believer would even help. Of course some might say you couldn’t have any tattoos. Now we are getting somewhere. Truly we have to make this complicated if it is going to work.
The real trouble with a faith based on the works of the creator is anyone could join. Poor people and rich people, smart people and not so bright, why even handicapped people could grasp a simple truth built on trust. It wouldn’t matter what color you are or even what political party you were a member of. We couldn’t let it be that easy, how could we be in if someone else is not out?
Why the masses would accept it! That kind of religion might be dangerous! Especially if the foundation of this movement was to treat others as we want to be treated, (we know how poorly we really feel about ourselves). Best to hire Hollywood stars to depict these threats to society as nitwits, flim flams & self righteous.
But self righteous is the answer, we have to find our own way, do our own thing, be our own savior. We couldn’t let someone else pay our debt to society. Believing that a man with a name could be the way, is just a weak person’s way out right? The whole concept is preposterous it is just too simple, too easy, too obvious.
But if it was true and we could accept it, if it were really as simple as trusting Jesus to have cut our path, we would be in a real predicament. Since we didn’t pay our own fare we would have to accept all the other freeloaders aboard. We would all be equal, the same, together, like family. The more naïve and simple of us might even feel compelled to inform others of the free ride available under the assumption others would consider it good news.
Easy, Affordable Ways to Green Your Business
June 22nd, 2010
Posted By: Andy Willoughby
I want to share an article from Entrepreneur written by Lydia Dishman about how to get your business green incentives by reducing, reusing, conserving and recycling.
Easy, Affordable Ways to Green Your Business
Green business initiatives are buzzworthy for good reason: They are a boon to the environment as well as a company’s balance sheet. A greener workplace reduces impact on the planet while being a healthier and more productive place to work. And according to Matt Becker, the head of BDO’s Green Energy Tax Practice, “Green incentives were the most significant group of tax credits and deductions for businesses this past year.” Companies that took steps to go green were eligible for up to four different sources of savings, says Becker, with tax incentives being offered from federal, state and local governments, “plus the added bonus of utility savings.”
But contrary to what many cash-strapped small-business owners may think, Marcos Cordero, CEO of the Green Business Bureau, which offers green business certification, says sustainability management doesn’t have to cost a lot. “Many things require simply changing behavior that results in excessive waste. Start small and building sustainability will pay for itself,” says Cordero.
Whether you run a homebased business or an off-site enterprise, here are several simple and affordable things you can do to run an eco-friendly business that will green your bottom line.
Reduce
Cordero says many office-based businesses spend too much on paper and toners. If you must print, he suggests trying nonbranded toners. “Private-label and re-manufactured toners are often 70 percent cheaper and work just as well,” says Cordero, a savings of hundreds or thousands of dollars, with no upfront costs.
How to Finance a Growing Business
June 14th, 2010
I want to share an article from The Wall Street Journal written by Colleen DeBaise about how to expand your home-based business to increase wealth with business lines of credit, microloans or bank loans.
How to Finance a Growing Business
We’ve looked at how you can get your hands on the cash necessary to start your own business. (See related article, “How to Fund a Start-up”) But once you’ve been operating for a few years, you might need another round of cash—this time to expand or improve your business.
For instance, say your home-based business has really taken off. You’ve hired a few employees, you’re regularly meeting with more clients—and now the space in your basement seems pretty tight. You dream of buying or leasing some nice office space, furnishing it to suit your tastes, wiring it for Internet access and installing new equipment.
Expansion into new locations or territories is generally the most common reason a small business might search out a business loan. An entrepreneur who’s been in operation a few years might have other reasons to seek out financing, too—perhaps he or she wants to buy more inventory, upgrade equipment, renovate an existing facility or simply boost working capital.
Sometimes a growing business might have enough capital to fund an expansion or improvement outright. But the owner might seek out financing to ensure there’s enough money on hand to cover any unexpected businesses expenses that arise. And of course, some business owners simply can’t afford to lease new space or open another store unless they’ve got a loan. In that case, they’re betting that the revenues generated by the expansion or improvement will cover the cost of the loan.
It’s always a calculated risk to take on debt, so if you are considering it, you need to make sure the benefits are worth it. Maria Coyne, head of KeyBank’s Business Banking in Cleveland, cautions that loans aren’t for the unprepared: “If you lend someone money who’s not ready for it, or who doesn’t have a plan for it, then in many cases you are just hastening their failure.” In other words, you’d better do your homework first.
A Special Thank You
June 10th, 2010
Posted By: Andy Willoughby
I want to thank all of my Facebook friends, skin friends, DNA family and XanGo family who have supported us through the passing of our son Jason. Your comments and encouragement moisten my eyes (which is good for a contact wearer) and microwave my heart. What a blessing you have all been! The house looks like a combination of a greenhouse and a Golden Corral Buffet. Despite Jason’s siblings own suffering, AJ and Alisa (with precious spouses Jill and Gregg) have lifted us on their shoulders and carried us through ignoring their own pain. The grandkids tender hugs were especially euphoric. Our siblings and staff have been the concrete under our feet. The best of all is we know that Jason is now residing in a mansion prepared by the Lion of Judah. I feel like we won the kindness lottery!
Today’s Heartaches Are Tomorrow’s Muscle
June 3rd, 2010
Posted by: Andy Willoughby
Being a Christian does not mean you won the lottery to peace, prosperity, health and happiness. Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. Paul found peace in prison and Jonah found it in the belly of a fish. We can be under the circumstances or rise above them. We all have our circumstances, but they are temporary. Eternity will be filled with good days. God gave us the ability to express emotions of both joy and sorrow, which probably means he expected us to experience both. Some stains only tears wash away. We all walk this walk of life together alone.
The Key To Happiness
May 24th, 2010
Posted By: Andy Willoughby
Every year my green boat tries to retire. I go to start it up for the first time and it plays possum. I have guests waiting to ride my boat and it doesn’t start. This year too, it was just a fuse, but it was a pain and embarrassing. Most material objects will wear out, rust or quit and eventually let you down. It is just stuff, fancy stuff is just stuff. If you have it and can afford it, fine. If you can’t afford it, you aren’t missing much. Oh and find company with people who want to be with you, not for your material objects. If our passions are in our possessions we will be disappointed. However, if our passions are in our eternal relationships (God first), we have hope for being happy.