Cutting Costs

The recession is affecting all of us. If you haven't become a victim of downsizing chances are you know someone who has. People and companies are finding new ways to save money that they had never before thought of. I heard one financial analyst recently say, "People are so scared they're actually beginning to save money." Amazing!

Though there are few, one of the potential good things that has and will continue to come out of these economic hard times is the knowledge of new ways to save money. I have probably heard of at least a dozen different ways that companies are cutting costs in order to keep from cutting jobs.

Some companies are being forced to make such large cuts that down-sizing is inevitable. However, here are some methods other companies are employing in order to retain employees.

I recently read a news article about a New England school system struggling to cut costs without cutting jobs. After making all possible budget cuts they were left with a deficit that would lead to 6 people losing their jobs. In stead of giving them the pink slip (no, not the one for detention) they came up with a better, more inspiring solution. Each employee in the entire school system, from board members to janitors, was asked to work one day for free. They had an astounding surge of support from virtually all employees. The money saved was enough for all 6 people to keep their jobs.

I work part time at a Harris Teeter, and we were recently told that we must now take 40 minute lunch breaks (as opposed to 30 minutes). I saw this as a good thing personally, because I enjoy the extra few minutes to sit peacefully after I've eaten lunch, and the cut in my paycheck is negligible. But the company as a whole saves quite a bit of money.

These two stories teach us something important. If everyone sacrifices a little we can all benefit a lot.

A friend of mine said her company has gone to 4 hour Fridays. She works only a 36 hour week now, but who doesn't want half the day off on Friday? She told me this with a cheery face as she was running some errands on a Friday afternoon.

Some small to midsized companies are making across the board salary decreases. This is difficult on the employees but I think it's a better solution than cutting jobs completely. I would rather make a bit less money than see my office-mate completely lose his or her job.

North Carolina state issued a hiring freeze for management positions. If a manager retires or quits, the position will not immediately be filled. This is one way to save money, and in a lot of cases an office can function for the most part without the manager. I don't say this as a depreciation of any managers out there, because my mother-in-law is a manager for the state, and she's taking care of business!

Other companies are requiring their employees to take some vacation time by a certain date. Who couldn't use a vacation!? Realizing that many people cannot go easily without the pay lost from vacation time, I am trying to see the bright side. At least you still have your job. Hey during your vacation you could work somewhere else a make a few bucks.

Some businesses are considering requiring smokers to pay higher health care premiums. I personally don't have a problem with this. Is it discrimination? No, a smoker chooses to be one.

My neighbor works a very stressful job and it is often obvious on her face. After a tough week recently she paused in our conversation and said something profound, "You know what, as difficult as my job can be, I am sure thankful to have one."

This is a time when we are all stopping to count our economic blessings, and I hope that we don't forget it all when the economy eventually rebounds. It is a privilege to be able to work in the safe and secure work environments provided by this countries freedoms. And it is a privilege to be paid the high amounts of money that we're paid when compared to the rest of the world. Immigrants come to our country with the high hopes that they'll land a job paying as much as 8.50 per hour. That's what I make bagging groceries.

Not ignoring the monetary difficulties of the day, lets try and appreciate what we do have and like an auditor continue to diligently count our blessings.

Growing Pains

She has gotten bigger!

Lola is now just over 3 months old and growing like a weed. I wanted to have more time with a tiny puppy to love and carry around...but now it's getting difficult just to pick her up!

As children grow into adolescence and then into adulthood they go through first time difficult life experiences, which are often referred to as 'growing pains.' I must say we are experiencing a few growing pains of our own due to Lola's rapid size increase.

Little puppy teeth are sharp. And while we're teaching her not to mouth or bite, occasionally she still gets her tiny jaws around a finger or toe and gnaws. Ouch!

We are doing our best to house train her, and for only three months old she's doing great. But accidents still happen, and with her rapid change in size so also comes an increase in the deposit she leaves on our carpet. Eew!

Dakota, our three year old hound, is experiencing her own adjustments as well. Having to accommodate a little thing that looks just like her and wants to mimic her every move has proven to test her K-9 patience at times. Dakota has her own space (under the bed) and doggy bed (a big pillow), and we don't bother her while she's there; however, Lola has not discerned these boundaries and daily invades Dakota's space earning a quick warning growl from her 60lb older sister. Grrr!

But all in all, the little rug-rat is adjusting well and seemingly getting smarter each day. She's a great play buddy for Dakota and is quickly becoming a worthy rival.


Perhaps my favorite moments are when they lay down together to bathe in the sun or look out a window.



More pictures and updates later on.

The Real Lola

After about two months of slow suggestion and mentioning the issue to my wife, she finally gave in! Last Thursday, we drove out into the country toward Graham, NC and picked up what has quickly become the 4th member of our family.


Lola, is a Black and Tan Coonhound mixed with a Walker Hound. When we got her she was 7 weeks old and about 10 lbs. Her birthday is Dec. 31, one of the last puppies born in 2008.


Our main reason for getting her is to be a playmate and company for Dakota (see earlier posts) our Black and Tan Coonhound mixed with a Plot Hound (NC state dog). Next school year, we will be very busy working and will have less time for our animals, but this way they'll keep each other company. Plus I just wanted another puppy!


She's becoming fast friends with Dakota; however, when they play Dakota still overwhelms Lola with her size.









I can easily foresee them becoming inseparable.


Her markings are strikingly similar to Dakota's, which is okay with me, because Dakota is one of the prettiest most elegant dogs I've seen...at least for a mutt.

Rutba

Shortly after the US bombings in Iraq began a group of Americans were traveling on the road away from Baghdad in jeeps. After a while the convoy noticed that the last jeep was no longer following. They turned around to go look and found their comrades' vehicle wrecked on the side of the road with only bloody seats on the inside. They traveled to a nearby town in Western Iraq called Rutba and found their friends, two of which had severe head injuries. They found a Muslim Iraqi doctor and asked him to help their friends. The doctor said, "Three weeks ago your country bombed our country, but I will take care of them anyway." When the Americans asked the doctor how much money they owed him he replied, "Nothing, just go back to the US and tell them what it's really like here."

This reminds me all to well of a story Jesus told that we often call The Good Samaritan. Samaritans were the sworn enemy of the Jews, yet Jesus' story had a Samaritan taking care of an injured Jewish man to no gain of his own. The one who is supposed to be your enemy ends up saving your life.

The doctor in Iraq no doubt had seen the devastation first hand that the American bombings had inflicted on his country and his people. But when he was faced with injured Americans he chose to extend them the same kind of charity as the man in Jesus' parable. This Muslim doctor was practicing the kind of living that Jesus prescribed and that Christians strive to follow, including his command to "love your enemies." Perhaps we Christians should follow this Muslim's example.

One of the men in the convoy from this story lives in Durham, NC. He has helped to start something called The Rutba House which is part of the New Monasticism movement. You can read about it here. The Rutba house is a covenant community that strives to follow the Acts model of community:

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." -Acts 4:32-35

Perhaps we could all take a lesson from Rutba, whether in Iraq or in Durham.

Twenty Six

I recently turned 26 and had a wonderful birthday full of surprises thanks to my lovely wife. In honor of my more than a quarter century on earth and in the style of Facebook's "25 Things About Me," here are 26 things I've learned about myself or this thing we call life.

1. Like my sister, my favorite ice cream is Mint Chocolate Chip. Breyer's makes the best.
2. Also like my sister I am somewhat musical and can carry a tune...unlike my dad.
3. I play the drums, most keyboard percussion instruments, guitar, and I am learning the harmonica.
4. Like my brother, my favorite video game of all time is River City Ransom for the NES.
5. I was married May 20, 2006 to my lovely wife and best friend, Heather.
6. Like my parents, I am a Christian; however, my faith is often expressed differently than theirs.
7. I have a dog, Dakota. She's great. The three of us pal around a lot.
8. Everyone experiences suffering, and no one's suffering can be compared to or judged by another person's suffering. The best way to help is to walk with another through his suffering.
9. I have worked in the grocery store business for a total of 5+ years.
10. I've always wondered what really happened to the Lost Colony.
11. I've been skydiving. And I hope to do it again.
12. I hate that I live in a culture that is sickly obsessed with material things. Sometimes I want to live in another country with as few 'things' as possible.
13. Apparently my sister can trace my genealogy back to John Alden and Priscilla Mullen of the Mayflower.
14. I graduated from UNC-CH with a Bachelor of Music and will soon complete a Master of Divinity from Campbell University.
15. Life and death are not opposites. Death is the only for sure part of life. The opposite of life is more likely loneliness. There's no refuting that humans thrive on our relationships. Without any relationships, more people would find no reason to live.
16. I love movies. My wife and I watch them all the time. My favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption, but the Dark Knight is a close second.
17. I think that there is a God out there. After all, where did all this stuff come from?
18. I love to go skiing. I was on a ski racing team for three seasons in school. In eighth grade I placed 5th overall.
19. I've been to Alaska for over a month, Northern Ireland for two weeks and Mexico for a day.
20. I don't know what I'm going to be in the future, and I'm glad of it.
21. I'm a band geek to the end. Although, being a band geek has got me into 3 Carolina-Dook games, free trips to Florida and DC, and front row seats when the Tar Heels won the 2005 NCAA basketball tournament.
22. I get a kick out of making puns. The worse they are the better.
23. The more I write, the more I realize that I like writing. The same goes with reading.
24. Like millions of others I am into Harry Potter. I blame/thank my brother for that.
25. It seems like too often, the more money people have the more they want and worry about it. Also, the more they have the less of a realistic perspective on life they have.
26. I think every so often we all ought to cry for the violence that we allow to take place everyday in our world and for those who starve when we're trying to lose weight. Then we should do something about it.

Comments welcome.

Too much for me

Concerning how average Americans can help out economy, I recently heard someone describe it this way: In the past years, under the Bush administration, the word for Americans was spend; but this year if we really want to help America, the word is save.

Much of our economies problems are due to Americans living outside of their financial means, buying houses too big, taking out large loans, living off of credit cards and racking up debt in so doing. No wonder the federal government went a little spending crazy as well. As a country, we need to seek out the oldest members in our families and ask them how to save money, because they most likely grew up pinching every penny. My great-grandmother sure did.

Barack Obama's inauguration is tomorrow, and as we look toward the changing of the presidential guard I think back to some of statements he made concerning cutting government spending. He repeatedly promised to review the federal budget line-by-line in order to cut spending anywhere possible. I think that's a good thing.

However, I am concerned about Obama's ability to carry out a presidential term that spends less than previous administrations. In one month of campaigning, Obama spent more money than had ever before been spent on any candidates entire campaign. And now I find this article concerning the cost of his inauguration.

Clinton's inauguration in 1993 cost approximately 33 million.
In 2005 Bush spent around 42.3 million.
Tomorrow's celebration is expected to cost more than 150 million.

I should first say that I am a supporter of Obama, but that's just way too much money for me. What if the government set the example of saving money by actually...saving money? What an idea?!

I realize more people than ever are planning on attending tomorrow's party and speech, but I cannot condone spending over three times the amount needed just 4 years ago. I can think of (and I'm sure Mr. Obama can too) many better ways that money can be used.

I also realize the Obama is probably not planning the inauguration himself and has little say over the money spent. I just hope that this is not a foreshadowing of how money will be spent during the next 4 years.

I have high hopes for our country's recovery in the next few years, and I hope that our new president leads us well. May we all do our part in the effort.

He Built More

While visiting family in Asheville over the holidays my wife and I were taken to the Biltmore House as a Christmas present. Having grown up in Asheville, the notion of visiting the Biltmore House is nothing new. However, the last time I went was in third grade, and I hardly remember it. So, our trip this Christmas was very exciting.

Some Fun Facts: The Biltmore House was built (paid for) by George Washington Vanderbilt. Construction lasted six years, starting in 1889. George Vanderbilt presented the completed house (a summer home) to his wife and daughter on Christmas Eve, 1895. What a present! At the time, the Biltmore House was and still is America's largest home, containing 250 rooms. It currently sits on a humble 8,000 acre estate; however, when Mr. Vanderbilt purchased the estate in North Carolina it was a mere 125,000 acres, most of which has since been sold off, but the largest portion was given to the state and serves as the epicenter of what is now Pisgah National Forrest.

The house itself is magnificent! In the picture above you can use the tiny specs in front of the house as a scale...they're people. As we took the self-guided tour lasting 2.5 hours (to only see 60 of the rooms) I stood in constant wonder. Simply the grandness of the house is astonishing. Everything is bigger, doors, windows, tables and ceilings. But at the same time the detail with which is was designed is amazing. Everywhere we looked there were carvings, etchings, statues, engravings, designs and prints. From the furniture to the molding, nothing is plain.

It is difficult to describe the Biltmore House with the same words used to describe today's modern homes. It might be better to say it is like entering a castle built and designed by a wealthy and meticulous artist. If the house were a song it would be a grand symphony. If it were a painting it would be the roof of the Sistine Chapel. I'm sure everyone who tours the house has the same thoughts that I did, "I'd love just to live here for a day and have the run of the whole place!" However, I don't think one day is enough time to see the whole house, much less to find your way out again.

While trying to describe the scenes on which we gazed, I was reminded of a biblical author who too had trouble describing what he saw. When writing Revelation John had trouble describing his visions. He was forced to use analogies by saying "I saw something like..." When describing the heavenly throne room in chapters 4-5 he did his best to describe with human language a scene that is simply indescribable. When reading the Greek New Testament, the words and language in Revelation are not always easy to put together. There's bad grammar, words left out and what seems to be mis-spellings. It is almost as if the author was scribbling as fast as he could to put down on paper (or papyrus) the images he had been shown.

The Biltmore House was very impressive indeed. It is an example of what man can accomplish and build even back in the late 1800s. But even the most impressive dinning room or estate can't hold a candle to what I image the New Heaven and New Earth will be like. John spends an entire chapter describing them at the end of Revelation, because they are so great and so astounding. He describes the great vastness of the city of God, but also describes the smallest details such as the gem stones at the gates.

Let us not forget that nothing we create, or do, or accomplish can ever compare to what God has already done. As good and moral as we are, we are still sinful beings. As proud and credentialed as we may become, we are still unwise when compared to God. Isaiah 65:6b says "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." The best aspects about human life cannot compare to the hypothetical weakest aspects in God's character; "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." 1 Corinthians 1:25.