I finally was able to stick to my giving plan yesterday. Going into the year I resolved to give 10% of my revenue- right off the top. Well as the checks got bigger, I started to question the plan. Nonetheless, I am sticking to the plan and will continue to try and out give God which will never happen. My wealth is owned by God and comes from God.

I have been going back and forth with BofA about eliminating my 4.50 monthly maintenance fee on my Health Savings Account. Keep in mind, I have 3 checking accounts, a savings account, mortgage, 2 credit cards and investment accounts. It just seems wrong to have to pay this fee. BofA is sticking to their policy of no reduction of the fee unless you have a Wealth Management Account at ML. This seems absurd and will be looking at another bank to handle this account.

Listened to a great sermon by Dick Foth at National Theatre Church. He gave an example of being focused on loving others when entering a room. Instead of coming into a room with an attitude of “Here I Am!” try an attitude of “There You Are!”

My wife has come down with what everybody else seems to have in the community- running nose, sore throat, fatigue etc. She was going to go to the doctor, but I became defensive and told her to let the virus run its course. My position was mainly financial. We have a high deductible and the visit would come right out of my pocket. I don’t like acting this way, but I know I am not in the minority. Unless the illness is major or the visit is categorized as prevention, our family will do our best to fight the common cold with home made remedies.

Made the Surface Pro 3 purchase yesterday! I like the mobility of this solution and look forward to the change. There will be some bumps during the transition and I need to accept this as part of any move forward.

We have not received a lot of snow here in Fredericksburg, VA this year. Today we are expecting a big dose of the white stuff and the local school system has already shut down. The reaction is extreme, but I enjoy getting caught up in all the excitement. The build up to the snow event takes me back to my childhood where all I had to worry about was whether or not my skates were sharpened and choosing which sled would get down the hill the fastest.

I will be leaving for Williamsburg on Saturday for the President’s Day Cup soccer tournament. The first game is at 8:00 AM and the temperature might hit 30 degrees. It will be even worse on Sunday. I question the wisdom of scheduling this outdoor tournament in Mid February here in Virginia. It just seems to be a money grab. The quality of the games will suffer and the health of all involved will be at risk. Maybe I am just growing old or growing wiser.

Caring for others is really something that I can push under the rug if I don’t make it an active priority. Like most of us, I lean toward focusing on my own challenges on a daily basis. Every day I put a reminder in Outlook to help me move away from being self centered to Christ centered.

I make a living getting objective member and customer feedback for my clients. However, when my wife offered constructive feedback on one of my presentations I became defensive. To grow, I need to put aside my ego and emotions and really try to listen to the feedback. I told her I was sorry and will try to improve on my demeanor when given the opportunity to learn and grow.

I read a quote at a restaurant the other day and it really made me chuckle. Orson Wells was asking his doctor what he could do to lose weight. The doctor said, “Quit having intimate dinners for four and start inviting three other people.”