L. Wayne Denton 's Blog

Reminders of the promises.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sun, 03 May 2009 20:22:22 -0700

Too many times in our busy world we hear promises and wonder if they will ever be kept. Real estate is an area where promises are critical to our business. If we don't promise to do anything we won't be held accountable for what happens yet if we become so complacent that we are not willing to promise to simply do a good job, we will never have a business profile for the people we represent to recommend us to others and our business fails.

Recently, I was able to be reminded of one of the promises our Father in Heaven gave us. He promised to provide for us and as many of us are falling short in finances through no fault of our making, this came at a time when the reminder meant so much more than when we feel we have everything in control of our own hands.

I was at home working when I heard a loud bit of bird chatter on our side porch. Knowing we had a wren nesting there, I quietly walked to the screen door to see what was wrong. I was absolutely blown away by the visual of God's promise being acted out. Both parents were sitting on the porch railing calling to the nest. In hopes of being able to see God's handywork in action, I did not attempt to get a camera as I did not want to miss anything that was going to happen.

Shortly, with a lot of coaxing from the parents, a very young wren hopped out from the nest and attempted it's first flight into this world. The flight could be better described as a somewhat controled fall to the tress some thirty feet away. One of the parents flew by it's side and made sure it was established in one of the trees then returned to the porch.

One by one, I watched as four small wrens exited the safety of the nest to the uncertanity of this world. After these four little ones were into the trees, the parents were back on the porch still calling to the nest. I wondered if there could be another one still there. I the presence of my oversized body, I could not imaging enough room for another one to be left as the nest was so small. Yet shortly, what I can only describe as the runt, hopped out of the nest to edge of the flower box the nest had been built in.

It called to it's parents with, what sounded different from the other four, it's begging as to do I have to leave? The parents hopped back and forth from the nest to the rail showing it that it could do this. Finally, the leap was made, barely) to the rail. it stopped and looked back at the nest seemingly to ask, "Can I go back home?" The parents began to fly back and forth from the porch to the trees until it's umwillingness was overcome by lonelyness and it launched itself into the air. It made it to the ground about ten feet down and twelve feet out. It began to return to the porch area when the parents blocked it's path and called it to come with them.

Watching this until they finally got it to the trees by way of four short flights and a lot of encouragement, I finally was able to see it sitting on a branch some thirty inches off the ground. As I watched this, I knew I had been given an answer to the prayers I had been presenting to God as to His providing for us in every part of our life.

I do not know where the family went nor do I know if the runt will make it or not. I do know that I have nothing to worry about and that our Father is encouraging me to trust in Him fo all my needs. I also know that He is able to provide everything that my family will need as we move into the future in a very uncertain world.

I hope that as you read this you will also be able to know that He promises this to all who will come to Him. Watch for His answers as we walk the paths of this world. He is there to be seen.

Singing without being audible.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:44:20 -0700

I had a friend send me a video where some monks who had taken a vow of silence present Handel's "Messiah" in a very entertaining way. I hope you enjoy.

Hallelujah Chorus - from monks with a vow of silence! This is way too much fun....not to share with music lovers and friends...... You might have to watch it a couple of times to see all the guys under the robes !!!! Just click and enjoy:

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/2622

Watch the feet of the monks on the left and don't forget there is short guy on the right.

I had a handle on my market until the handle broke.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:12:19 -0700

After way too long in keeping up with your market, I find myself in an area I did not expect. The handle I was holding on to in our business snapped in two a while back. I kept telling clients to stay active and be positive. Things beyond most of our control has forced me to change the way I do business. The bank took over control of the two subdivisions I was involved in and the builder was foreclosed on, effectively stopping business as I knew it.

Therefore, I have moved into commercial real estate as I had a couple general contractors and property owners who had been attempting to bring me on board with them to assist with management and overseeing remodeling project's. I know that our Father has His hand in the market/buusiness that I had been in and can see His closing of one door to provide the opening of a better one. I keep thinking how awesome our Father is and still find awe in the fact that He takes the time to see each one of us as we walk through life.

Isaiah 40:31 (The Message)

^27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
   or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
   He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
   He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
   And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
   gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
   young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
   They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
   they walk and don't lag behind.

Through this entire changing of the way I see things, our Father has been putting things in order and I am learning to expect more and better things from Him while learning to trust in Him more. This does not mean everything is peaches and cream. Finances have fallen way behind and we stand to have the opportunity to give our current home back to the bank, but can you just imagine what living totally in His care will look like? It is hard for me to imagine given I am human and He is God.

If we all would walk hand-in-hand with each other and our Father, what joy, peace, and fulfilment we willl see. Know that I am still alive and well beyond human understanding and will attempt to keep up with you all again.

How do I say "THANK YOU" to such wonderful people?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:43:57 -0700

Beyond any shadow of doubt the month of September was better than the best roller coaster ride I have ever been on. No, I did not set the world on fire, no, I did not die (although I have talked to our God about it), no, I have not been in the hospital but I have been extremely busy looking for that needle in the proverbial haystack. The one I have been looking for has to do with the correct one to be able to use to pick the lock at the bank to get some money for both my clients and myself.

Working my real estate career (one of the joys in my life), plus working two other jobs to pay bills has not left me much time to share with my family in the Rain. Boy, do I ever miss that. You guys are a very special mix of interests that not being able to walk among you has been very tough. The biggest part of being able to come back for a walk in the Rain is that you all understand and there are some that understand even more.

To those more understanding people who have gone to the trouble of making contact with me, I wish to say thank you. You have no idea how special it was to be in the midst of the "stuff" going on and to hear from those of you who decided to take your heart and put feet on it to send it walking through the Rain to visit me! Having the heart that reaches out to touch another's is one of God's special gifts. For all of my family here in the Rain here is a video to say thank you.

The last week of September and these first weeks of October has made me realize why the knees on my pants having holes in them does not matter. Our God has performed miracles in the life of this REALTOR. I would like to share three of those miracles and the first two lead up to the last one which has made it possible for me to go the rest of my life with out thought of worry. Here they are in ascending order.

1: I have written 8 contracts and closed on 2 of them in the last three weeks with 3 more closing this month and the others closing by the 24th of November. All but one of them is a sure thing as financing is not going to be used. Lowest of the miracles!

2: I have a REALTOR friend who has been searching for that miracle in her life and when she came to ask me the other day why I can smile even when things are not going well, I shared our God's message with her and she heard it this time. She accepted Christ as her savior and told me later that she often wanted to hear some more of "those God stories" that I had been sharing with her. The change in her outlook in two weeks has been the second miracle.

Now for the most incredible miracle.

3: This past week I had the honor and priviledge to see my 12 year old son accept Christ into his heart and he asked me if I would baptise him. I asked him why he would ask me and not the preacher and he answered by telling me I was the spiritual head of our house and God would smile down on us as we did it. I, of course, said I would (how could I not?) only to find out he wanted to do it in front of his school mates. His school is a private Christian school and a number of students were going to be baptised. So, all said and done with tears streaming down my face, I knealt in front of God and the school to complete this part of his walk towards God. Here is one of the proudest moments of my life in picture.

Thank you for allowing me to walk in the Rain again and to share with you and for checking in with me and reminding me I have family still walking in the Rain.

Dream Weaver or Dream Catcher?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:14:41 -0700

This is a picture of a physical dream catcher.

Are you one or the other? Any one working in the Real Estate environment will find the fill the role in each category at some point just about every day. I find mopst of my days filling the role of Dream Catcher and, accordingly, in naming my business, peoples dreams played a part. I proudly own Dream Properties, Inc. Let me add to Gary Woltal's infoprmation as I explain.

Gary's post is linked below and you can click on the blue link to read it.

Gary Woltal's Blog - The Secret to Being a Dream Weaver

The following video is about dream weaving as well.

In Gary's post the picture he uses is one of a Dream Catcher so he must have been thinking of both sides of the public we serve. All of us have the ability to "weave" dreams, and as Gary points out, with action, dreams can become reality. We all serve in the role of Dream Catcher more of the time, in my opinion. Dream Catching means we have to listen to the people we serve to know what their dreams are and then, with Gary's action, we assist our clients in seeing their dream come to reality. Below is a short history about the physical dream catchers.

Dream Catchers

Dreamcatchers are an authentic American Indian tradition, from the Ojibway (Chippewa) tribe. Ojibway people would tie sinew strands in a web around a small round or tear-shaped frame--in a somewhat similar pattern to how they tied webbing for their snowshoes--and hang this "dream-catcher" as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. The legend is that the bad dreams will get caught in the web. Traditionally Native American dreamcatchers are small (only a few inches across) and made of bent wood and sinew string with a feather hanging from the netting, but wrapping the frame in leather is also pretty common, and today you'll often see them made with sturdier string meant to last longer.

Do you really listen to your client and pick up on all the little nuances of what their dream really looks like? If you find your self talking a lot, try asking leading questions that will paint the colors into the dream. You'll be surprised as to how much difference you will make for your client.

As we consider options in our markets, Don't ever give up!

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:53:33 -0700

Be cause we all find ourselves confronted with the same market, we all are having the same questions. These questions boil down to one basic question: What am I going to do?

I have the answer to that question that is working very well for me as I look around, wondering. The answer presented itself in a song from a long time ago. If it will assist you while you are wondering, then smile and hold yoiu head up high, the better to see where your strength is coming from.

In the early 1900‘s, Davis Bible college in Lestershire (now Johnson City), New York, asked Walter Martin to help them compile a book of hymns for use at the college. He moved there with his wife, Civilla, and their children, to begin the assignment.

One Sunday, Walter was to preach in a town some distance from the school. Since Civilla was sick and unable to attend, he wanted to cancel his trip. While it was being discussed, their 9-year old son said, "Father, don't you think that if God wants you to preach today, He will take care of Mother while you are away?"

Martin kept his appointment, and when he returned that evening, he found his wife greatly improved. While her husband was gone, Civilla thought about the struggles of life, and wrote the words to the poem, "God Will Take Care Of You" . . . based on her son's comment of faith earlier that day. Within an hour after returning home, Mr. Martin had written the music for the poem. That very evening a couple of teachers at the school came by, and they all sang the song together. Later in the week it was sung at one of the college assemblies, and later included in the new "Songs of Redemption" hymnbook compiled by Walter Martin and John A. Davis in 1905.

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you.

All you may need He will provide, God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you.

No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you.

CHORUS

God will take care of you, Through every day, o'er all the way;
He will take care of you, God will take care of you.

Genesis 22:1 says that God tested Abraham. David said, "I know also, my God, that You test the heart" (1 Chronicles 29:17). Psalm 11:5 says, "The Lord tests the righteous."

If you're facing trials & troubles now, think of them as a test. God is testing your faith to see if you'll trust Him and obey Him in the tough times. In James 1:3, we read: "The testing of your faith produces patience. And we know that as we trust and obey Him, He will take care of us.

Have you learned yet that our trials & troubles are often tests?

Another Colorado Rail Road

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:34:20 -0700

Russell Ray made a comment about another train that is fun to ride, more so today than ever before as it is one of the few Narrow Gauge Rail Roads still running. It is the Durango & Silverton and runs in Southern Colorado through the mountains. It is really a great trip if you have never been. Of course the mountains are nice as well to look at. From Durango it travels to Silverton and back.

When you are in the area, yoiu might also take the time to visit the only place in the United States where the corners of 4 different states touch. It is obviously called the Four Corners Area. Here is a picture of the marker showing the exact location. You can actually be in four states at the same time.

Getting to the Four Corners area you will have to pass an area called Meas Verde where there are deep canyons. Among the canyons are houses built by ancient indian tribes hanging on the sides of the cliffs and canyons. I have spent weeks exploring and will never get tired of the ability to walk among the history there. Picture having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and having to climb up or down the side of a cliff to accomplish you mission. Remember it would be pitch black.

A little further west and you will be in Utah looking for Arches National Park where just recently one of the most photographed arches has fallen. There are over 2,000 natural stone arches in the park. I am not sure this picture is of the one that fell or not, but it gives you the idea of what you will see.

So, if you have nothing else to do, this will give you at least a couple weeks worth of enjopyment.

Reminders of our Freedoms

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:06:48 -0700

My daughter recently sent an email with a link to a video by an unusual artist that at first looks to be one of these crazy, wild, splotches of paint. Little did I know that I needed to really watch the whole thing to realize that this was sent as a reminder that we need to hold our freedoms dear and remember our heritage. The first song is one that makes me stand to attention anytime I hear it and I can't seem to get enough of it. This is a video of a man named Michael Israel. As a proud American, he captured my heart as I listened and watched.

Because of the posts he has written and the love he shares, this one goes out to Simon Conway as a person who chooses to make America his home and the fact that he exhibits sincere ove for his chosen country. Thank you Simon for reminding us many times of just how special our country is.

Before I pulled away from the Rain, I found a train.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:57:12 -0700

Just before I stepped away from the Rain for a while, a new group got started that I immediately fell in love with that is gearded to train lovers. Growing up in Colorado, my grandfather worked on the local railroad for 45 years. The railroad he worked with was the Denver, Rio Grande Western (DRGW). So when the group got started, I went on line in search of information and photo's from the time he was active with this Colorado railroad. I have not had as much success as I would have liked (probably because I have not been able to devote the necessary time to it), but I did come across an interesting find.

I lived in Pueblo, Colorado for a while and most of my family still lives there and near there is a place called the Royal Gorge. It has a suspension bridge over the gorge that is somewhere over 1,000 feet above the floor of the gorge. People have been know to bungy jump off the bridge and some even have had their marriage performed just before they jumped. Anyway, there is a train still active through the gorge and it is part of the system my grandfather worked with. It is quite a trip if you ever get the chance. Here are some pictures of the Gorge and train. Enjoy.

www.royalgorgeroute.com

www.canoncity.org

The canyon is even steeper and deepr than this depiction allows the imagination, although looking closely at the suspension bridge gives you some idea of distance. This bridge allowed two way vehicle traffic at the time but no longer can you drive over it. I guess the chance that the wood decking you drove on may not support vehicles any more might be a problem.

I am returning to the Rain thanks to some "Wonderful "People".

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:55:00 -0700

I have been gone from the Rain for some time now as a result of circumstances beyond my control. Had it not been for some "Wonderful "People", I may not be returning to the Rain. These "Wonderful "People" wento out of their way to make contact with me because they were concerned. This speaks to the quality of character these "Wonderful "People" exhibit and it is this character trait that has kept me with a desire to return. Those of you wondering who these "Wonderful "People" are, by nature of the fact that you are having to ask, are not one of them. Suffice it to say that the "Wonderful "People" character trait does not show up in many people and when it does, it makes a difference in the lives of those it touches. It does not take but a little time to call or email to check in with each other.

To those "Wonderful "People", everything I have or can accomplish is yours for the asking. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to you.

During the time I was away, one of the "Wonderful "People" challenged me to write a post centering around two words ---- difficult and different. This came about as we discussed simply some of the things going on at the time. So with that having been said, I will make the attempt to share with all of you the background.

Webster defines these two wrds in the following ways:

DIFFICULT ---- 1: hard to do, make, or carry out : arduous <a difficult climb>2 a: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome <a difficult child> b: hard to understand : puzzling <difficult reading>

DIFFERENT ---- 1: partly or totally unlike in nature, form, or quality : dissimilar <could hardly be more different> -often followed by from, than, or chiefly British to<small, neat hand, very different from the captain's tottery characters - R. L. Stevenson><vastly different in size than it was twenty-five years ago - N. M. Pusey><a very different situation to the...one under which we live - Sir Winston Churchill>

I like the Churchill quote and would say this is where most of us find ourselves today.

During a time when things have changed so drastically, it is our choice to look at how we live everyday with the changes we have no chance of controlling. Many of you have read my posts about how different my life has been compared to some other more normal lives, so as I encountered some new issues, I had to decide to look at them either as different or difficult. I have never liked the word difficult as it has a negative feeling to me and chose to see things as different.

Different, to me, has neither a negative or a positive feeling to it. Iyt is just what it is, different. To me, that means I may have never seen something like it before and I would need to look at it closely to know how to work with it. If we realize that everyone, everyday, has different things show up in their lives and we chose to work with those things instead of fighting for control, we would walk forward much easier and not bump our head into so many obstacles. For me, the ability to walk with the differences in this world easily comes from my faith in God. Having encountered the things that have encroached my life, have taught me that most of the time I will not control what is going on around me. The one thing I can and do control is how I get to view those things.

With all that is going on around us today, with so many different things getting in front of us, my challenge to myself as well as you is to walk down the path we find ourself on looking forward to seeing things from a viewpoint that build character in all of us like the character exhibited by those "Wonderful People" I shared about earlier. God is waiting for us to participate daily (constantly) with Him so we have the skillsets to travel the paths of this world.

Again, thank you to those "Wonderful People" out there. While I was writing this, two of them checked in with me again.

Jason Crouch for President! Write him into office.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:44:33 -0700

I don't know about the rest of you, but I found out by accident just recently that Jason Crouch may have not been completely up front with us. Seems that he might have a hidden life that will soon be on the news headlines all across the country.

Jason Crouch for President 2008

Would you be as surprised as I was after seeing a news clip like this about one of our own? I find the thought absolutely captivating and could not recommend one better for the position. At least it would give us a chance to have a candidate worth talking about.

Click on the news to view the latest.

You and I all know we don't really have enough choice in this election and could use something to boost the moral of this country and in doing that to kick start our markets into a higher gear. Everyone knows that Jason has the best considerations for his market in mind. If we write him in this November, all of our markets would stand a greater chance of moving upward and expanding outward.

Can you agree with me that Jason is a great candidate, whether it is for husband, father, friend, employer, or President?

Do you, and why would we, bow down?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:53:26 -0700

For years I have wondered why it is we as human beings would bow down to anything. After looking at diifferent things, one thig stays in the forefront of thought. Bowing down to anything is a form of respect and adoration to that thing.

Is it the television?

Is it the power of the $dollar$?

Is it food and drink?

Is it a god or idol?

Is it something that controls and consumes our entire being and life?

Is it being number 1?

Or maybe, hopefully, is it to the one and only God?

To give you an idea as to what this can look like, here is a video and song that describes some of it.

For years I thought it was something like these things that enticed us to physically, mentally, or spiritually get down on our knees and bow our head toward what we decided to worship at the time. I found out why we think this way.

For just about as long as humankind has been on earth, there has been some one who demanded our loyality, respect, service, etc. who has caused us to present ourself to their will and command. What has that always looked like, even in our modern civalized society today?

Picture a king, ruler, master, overseer, however you may call the one who controls you thoughts and actions, as standing in front of you as you present yourself on your knees with your head bowed down. Think about what part of yourself that, in that position, could be a threat to the one over you.

You can't walk away, you can't kick out, you can't swing an arm, you can't stare, your voice would be muffled, but most of all you have opened you neck up to that one and if that one would choose to, you are giving permission to that one to take your head and your life.

For any of the things above, there is only one we should even consider bowing down to. That is the one true and holy God. If we willingly present ourself before Him, putting ourself at His mercy, He is the only one who can tell us to stand up and come to Him. Our God promises that if we choose to give ourself to Him through His Son, we will be free for eternity.

I am glad our God is a loving God who cares for each of us individually and knows each of us by name.

He is an awesome God and always be.

Are we back in business again?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:18:25 -0700

I don't know about the rest of you, but I logged on to my main email account just a minute ago and there were about 30 emails via Active Rain saying that emails that had been sent out through the AR email system had not been deliverable.

I was getting paranoid about no one replying to my emails and was wondering if I had stepped on too many toes. Most of the things I post are very positive and I wondered what might be going on.

As it looks, there may have been a problem with the change in servers and such and I hope that it is resolved now and we can share either through posts, comments, or email within the system.

Has anyone else experienced the same issues?

If so, please let me know so I can get this thing figured out.

Liz Moras

David Lelak

Sharon Young

Richard Weisser

Lisa Lambert

Tamara Perlman

Jesse Clifton

Nicholas Goglucci

Bob Cumiskey

Todd Clark

To all of the above, I had sent emails to all of you and some more than a couple times. If you felt I was not around, there was reason but bottom line is it didn't work. I make my apology to you publically and will attempt to tell you individually as we walk in the rain.

This whole family is great and I want to continue to build it to the best it can be.

Please let me know (as some of you who have been here longer) if you see ways to improve my presence here.

Tribble Mill Park in Gwinnett County Georgia

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:53:14 -0700

If you have never been to one of Gwinnett Counties local parks, yoiu are missing out on a great time.

The entrance to the park shows up after you turn off New Hope Road. The park is 800 acres of lakes, woods, walking trails, horse trails, fishing docks, playgrounds, picnic pavillions, plenty of space for playing all kinds of games, and during the summer they have movie nights like going to a theater out doors. Bring you blanket and snacks and watch a movie. Fun, Fun, Fun

Fishing docks can be used to fish or just enjoy the lake.

The main walking trail follows the lake and has easy access from the main road into the park. It is paved and extends for just over 3 miles. The other trails are natural and are dirt mostly going through wooded areas.

Playgrounds, picnic pavillions, public toilets with plenty of open space for games and gatherings along the edgeo of the lake. Movie night area is just around the corner. It starts at about 8:30 pm with snacks and drinks for sale before the movie starts.

While you are in the area, stop across the street at Great River at Tribble Mill and pick out a new home so you can walk to the park and when you come back across the street stop in at the swimming pool for the rest of the evening.

Do you have an answer to "How Big is God?"

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:19:47 -0700

Some 40 + years ago I heard a song that has stayed in my heart, soul and mind that I hope to never forget. The song is originally written by Stuart Hamblin and speaks to so many questions we are willing to ask as children but as we "mature" we choose not to ask such "foolish" questions. It really makes me realize why it is that God teaches us that having the faith like a child is so much closer to where He desires His children to be. The song Stuart Hamblin wrote asks the question, and is named, "How Big is God?"

I am putting a link to a video with some of the same questions I still find running through my mind as I remember what this song started so many years ago.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=478271

Can you answer that question with a mind that, typically (so we are told), will only use 4 to 10 % of the capacity at any given time. We are told that Albert Einstein at his best would only have used 10%. How will describe a God who designed and built (again, human terms) a universe with at least 50,000,000,000 (that's 50 billion) galaxies (each with more stars than we can comprehend) in it.

Did He disign more than one universe and if so, are there 50 billion universes? I love the way the song describes our Father for us th be able to have a feeble idea of what He is for each of us as an individual.

I hope this song will become a part of your being the way it has mine and know that if I could have found the original recording, you would have a much better chance of retaining it. I will print out the words as well so your can read them while the group sings it.

With that said, enjoy what God says to you and share that with some one else every day.

Though men may strive to go beyond the reach of space
To crawl beyond the distant shining stars
This world's a room so small within my Master's house --
The open sky but a portion of his yard.

How big is God, how big and wide His vast domain?
To try to tell these lips can only start
He's big enough to rule this mighty universe
Yet small enough to live within my heart.

As autumn chill may cause the tiny seed to fall...
To lie asleep till waked by summer's rain
The heart grown cold will warm and throb with life anew
The Master's touch will bring the glow again.

How big is God, how big and wide His vast domain?
To try to tell these lips can only start
He's big enough to rule this mighty universe
Yet small enough to live within my heart.

Will our "MOST Positive Experience" show up in our business and the people we meet?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:50:01 -0700

What is it about being positive that allows you to see positive things about other people?

After thinking about thie idea of being positive and inspiring in the way we live our lives, I was reminded about a couple of co-workers that I "knew" would like to be around each other. You see, they worked for different companies and yet were in the same business, real estate agents. I had met each of them seperately and because of their positive way of considering other people, I really enjoyed being around them.

After working with them on a couple of deals and listening to others comment on how they enjoyed being around them, I did something I didn't think I would ever do, I introduced them to each other (only after asking them if it would be OK to do that). They both thought I was crazy, but being the people they are (or maybe, in the beginning, to just humor me) they both agreed to meet the other. I had pointed out the positive things about the other to each of them so, I believe, they went into the introduction believieng the person they would meet would be a "good" person. Little did I know what might happen as a result. (I am putting the video in because there is a guy who does not have a positive attitude and sees the result).

After the introductions were accomplished, I slowly moved out of the picture so they would have a chance to be the people they are. The initial meeting only lasted about an hour in which thye were not in a place where they were alone (at a party) yet if you would ask them today, they would not be able to tell you the name of any one else who was there even though the others there were co-workers as well.

I contacted them later the next week as I wanted to find out if I had been crazy or not "ONLY" to find out that they were together and had been in one form or another since they had met. Over a period of about 8 months, they probably missed seeing each other only two or three days. They are now quite happily married and are having (in their words) "more fun than they would have ever imagined".

You see both of these individuals had been through some really tough times both mentally and Spiritually and felt that they would never be able to enjoy life completely. One of the things that drew mw to them was the fact that they both had expressed a deep desire to find a peace in their life and a way to share their pursuit of the God they believed in together with some one.

You see, I know beyond any doubt that we all have a chance to experience a very positive life and that if we look for it and allow others to share in our quest, we will experience a wealth of happiness. I have not attempted this again, not because I think that it might not work again, but because I have not run into any two that are searching for the same things together.

So many times we try to force things to happen and end up falling way short of what we were looking for whether it be in our businesses or in the relationships we develope with other people. If we step back to see the bigger picture sometimes we find out there is another one looking at the same picture from a little different angle. You see we all see the same sunrise each day, yet because we see it from where we are we don't realize that everyone else has a different view of it. Then we have a chance to share our view and complete a better picture of it.

I will share a sunrise with anyone who wants to get up early enough to watch it with me. Remember to see if you can find all the colors of the rainbow in the next sunrise. They really are all there if you get up early enough and take the time to watch all of it. Thank you for allowing me to share some of my life with you.

How will you Honor "Flag Day" June 14, 2008?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:36:10 -0700

I am proud of our flag and know you are as well. Below is some of the information about our flag and the day we should celebrate it for what it stands for. After the information, I have copied a link to a video with a good song about our flag and what it means to us as nation. Stand with me tomorrow as we honor our flag. I will display one at my home and at the place I work. I challenge you to do the same and teach our children why this means so much to us.

Flag Day

When : Always June 14th

Flag Day, is a day for all Americans to celebrate and show respect for our flag, its designers and makers. Our flag is representative of our independence and our unity as a nation.....one nation, under God, indivisible. Our flag has a proud and glorious history. It was at the lead of every battle fought by Americans. Many people have died protecting it. It even stands proudly on the surface of the moon.

As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our culture, our nation, and our flag. So raise the flag today and every day with pride!

Properly Display Our Flag

There is a right way and a wrong way to display the flag. The American flag should be held in the highest of regards. It represents our nation and the many people who gave their lives for our country and our flag. Here are the basics on displaying the American flag:

The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.
In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always, raise and lower it ceremoniously.
The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.
After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It's called "half staff" on land ,and "half mast" on a ship.
When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field , or "union", is at the top and at the end of the pole (away from your house).
The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags fly below it.
The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.
Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.
Fold your flag when storing. Don't just stuff it in a drawer or box.
When your flag is old and has seen better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash.

Did you Know? There is a very special ceremony for retiring the flag by burning it. It is a ceremony everyone should see.Your local Boy Scout group knows the proper ceremony and performs it on a regular basis. If you have an old flag, give it to them. And, attend the ceremony.

http://www.oldbluewebdesigns.com/raggedoldflag.htm

Prayer is enhanced by the number involved.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:35:49 -0700

I am asking for all who will to pray about a job interview my wife has coming up in the next couple weeks. Please pray that God's will is considered first in the situation. This will be a much more formal interview as she has already made it through about 4 phone interviews to this point. Our family wants to walk where God will use us most effectively and therefore His will comes first.

I cannot go into more detail at this point and hope you understand. God knows the situation completely and will make the best choice for our family.

I am so glad that he gave me this new family to share things with as it has made such a difference in my life and look forward to many more things to share about.

Walking by faith her in the rain with a new family is great.

Do you still have a Hero?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 15:53:37 -0700

I sat there this morning vbeing challenged to see if I really had a hero worth actually being a hero.

The first one that popped into my brain was Superman, of course.

Of course, he could not really be a hero as he can be destroyed by Kryptonite and they keep changing what he really looks like. Yes, he does stand for Justice and doing things right, but he always leaves you hanging waiting for the next battle.

Let see. Then, being a guy, Wonder Woman popped into place.

Could she really be a hero to a guy? No, she just looked good until she got into that invisible plane and you never knew where she might pop up. She had a bunch of sisters, if I remember correctly, but never figured out about her dad. She had a nice bracelet that could deflect "real" bullets, but what if it didn't hit the bracelet? She also keeps getting the image changed as if they have to keep updating her to stay real.

Then, of course, you might say Batman and Robin.

Notice I said You might say Batman and Robin. I really never thought of them as hero materials when they had to shout "bang, pow, zap, hit, boing" and stuff like that. Seemed like the only things he fought (always after dark) were people like the "Joker", "Penguin" and the sort. They were just guys who wanted a way to fight without people knowing who they were.

There were others like the Justice League, Flash, Hulk, etc., etc. but none of them were ever really real.

Then I cheated and remembered where I was sitting at the time and realized the only hero that has not changed since he arrived on earth was.........

Yeah, you got it, Jesus Christ.

Here's why He is our only choice as a true hero. He has lived for over 2000 years without changing. He has been caught, put in prison, beaten, mocked, hung up on a cross with nails through His hands and feet, stabbed in the side, pronounced dead, stuck in a tomb (grave) and left to rot. His father decided He had had enough and after 3 days cleaned Him up, gave Him back the original body from Heaven, and told Him He could laugh at the Devil all He wanted to because Dad showed the Devil who had the greatest power.

How do I know He is my Hero? I can prove what lives within my heart and it makes me want to tell everyone about "my hero" so they can see the only true hero around. I make a choice every day to live my life as close to the life of my Hero as possible, human though I am. He forgives me when I stumble but will not let me fall. The only time I am allowed to get on my knees is when I really want to spend time with Him and His Dad.

So, can you claim the only Hero around? If you can, then we are family. If you haven't yet, you can ask Him to come live with you and He will and if you have questions, ask one of us who call ourselves Christian.

Great River at Tribble Mill, the pool is open and school's out.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:09:47 -0700

Summer has started. School is out and the fun begins (only if you live here or decide to purchase here).

The tennis courts are busy, the pool is open, the basketball court is available and the club house is waiting for the party.

Why are you not already here?

Summer has turned hot and the pool is waiting to cool you down. An umbrella fountain for the little ones, enough lounge chairs for the tanners and sleepers, enough water space to get really wet without bumping into everyone.

Not interested yet?

Six complete tennis courts for tournaments, for practice, for just having fun.

Oh, I see the word fun intrigues you a little.

Tennis to the left, tennis and basketball to the rear, tennis to the right, pool and club house front and center with enough parking for everyone.

Make an offer on the Model Home and you will have a nice corner lot across the street from all the fun!

Model home on a full basement, lots of hardwood, granite counter tops, ceramic tinle in all bathrooms including around the showers, large master upstairs with three other bedrooms. One full bedroom and full bath on the main floor, formal living and dining rooms and family room with fireplace and built-in bookshelves.

Model Home is fully landscaped with sod front and back and flowers ready to pick.

Have you made your mind up to be home yet?

Come visit us and bring an offer on this great home or any of the other in the community. We are across New Hope Road from the entrance to one of Gwinnett Counties largest public parks called Tribble Mill. Travel east from Lawrenceville about 4 miles turning left into Great River about 1/4 mile past the intersection of New Hope Road and Bramblett Shoals Road.

Things that remind us how we are to conduct business.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:22:30 -0700

As I sat down today thinking about what it is that makes this business a good place to be, I wondered what things remind us of how we conduct our business in a world that seems to be growing more bent on being dishonest, walking over other people to get what "I" want without regard to another's feelings.

We look around at places meant to focus towards business ethics. Places like our courthouses, monuments, older government buildings, where the display of Laws such as the "Ten Commandemnts" are prominent. Places like church buildings that display signs and quotes how to treat our fellow beings. It might be the big black and white billboards we have seen displayed over the last few years with questions asking us what, why, who, when, how and signed God.

Does the business we are in demand that we treat people equally, that we respect their desires, that we are honest, and that we work with integrity? I am certain that if we are true to these principles we have been raised with, we will make a difference in our markets. Some of these principles show up in other ways like they did for me today.

While doing some research for some documentation I needed for a client, I came a cross a web site that intrigued me as I love to read if I have any spare time. The web site is hosted by Google and can be found by clicking here: http://books.google.com/

Sometimes I like to look at books that are out of print yet have a hard time finding more than just the title or a very short review. Googles site has books linked as e-books where you can, if you dig enough, read or print the book in it's completeness as they have either never been copywrited or have been long enough on the market to have the copywrite time frame finished.

One such book showed up today while I was searching and thinking about the integrity of our business and wanted to share it with you. It is a book written in 1897 by Charles M. Sheldon and is titled "In His Steps" and asks a simple question as to how you will conduct your life and was written to challenge a town to follow the answer to that simple question, which in fact, changed the whole town. The question, throughout this book, is answered into our business and daily life with respect and integrity.

The question is simply "What would Jesus do?"

If we would ask this question at every point of decision, we would find that our business would be trusted and respected as well.

I have not learned how to attach the "pdf" file in a post yet so if you would like a way to look at it easily, for now, email me at lwdenton@comcast.net and I will send the file via email. It is really a great book that challenges us to make choices with respect and integrity.

Gwinnett County Georgia Baseball is over.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:13:28 -0700

Well that about says it all. Little league baseball is over for the most of the county. My son played for the first time this year on a team that had never been before. His school had never fielded a Middle School team until this year. They played in a league with 11 other school in the area. About half of the kids on his team had never played either.

The next thing we know we have a coach who had played for the Florida Marlins whose son wanted to play ball. His father, Timm Balter, had moved into the area about a year ago and works as a Gwinnett County Sheriff. He talks the school into allowing the team to compete, gets help from the booster club to purchase full uniforms, including batting helmets, for each player. They had tryouts and ended up with 12 players from the ages of 11-13.

For my son, he was awarded the coaches award for strength of Christian Character and a lot of fun.

Season started with a tie on their first game. Of course you might think it went down from there. NOT!!!!

The team ended the regular season 10-1-1.

At first the were not going to be allowed to play end of season tournament because they figured the team had been stacked. Finally agreed to let them play and play they did. Covenant Cougars from Loganville, Georgia ended the tournament undefeated taking the winning trophy back to the school.

Quite an impressive first season with everybody against them except the coach and the parents.

Gwinnett County schools are the best in the state and are expanding because of the growth in the area.

Don't you want your children to join a winning team? Come visit us and see. We'll find your dream home and your dream team. Don't get left out.

Believing.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:52:54 -0700

Last night when I received notice that I had been invited to join such a group as this, I was honored and felt God had His hand in the invitation as well as with the group. I have been concerned about goings on that I knew nothing about and knew as a believer that by faith as I walk through the Rain that prayer was the first and really best thing I could do.

After taking the concerns to our Father, I accepted a sense of absoulte peace and knew I had given things to our Father who had already set into motion a way for things to take a great step forward (and upward). I then sat down to send an email to Hugh Krone hoping to let him know that there were other people caring for what is going on through faith.

Being new to this family, I have not yet figured out how to make it easier to find brothers and sisters who follow the Lord in the same light that shines from God. Now, with this new group, a family will be easier for me to find and we can stand tall reaching for our Father's arms of love for those hugs we so often need or desire. Nicholas had made comments to some of my posts so I knew he was a believer already.

Colossians 4:5-6:

⁵ Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be gracious and attractive^[a] so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Footnotes:

Colossians 4:6 Greek and seasoned with salt.

This is what I had shared with Hugh and realize that God probably had shown this to me for all of us as an example for us as we walk in a sinful world. Shortly after I sent the email to Hugh, I kept feeling there was something else God wanted me to grasp totally. It came in the form of a question that kept running across the front of my mind. The question is below and you can understand why God is asking it.

Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?

If we answer yes to this simple question, there is promise in it for all who are positive in their answer. If you read two posts I put out, you will realize I know beyond any doubt that who I believe in is really real. They are shown below and are clickable for your ease if you want to read.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/516244/My-Market-Handle-and

http://activerain.com/blogsview/502853/My-Market-Handle-and

So, as we learn to love each other in the Rain, we can all grow in the strength God is providing by way of this family group. Share with me as we acknowledge the presence of our Father here with us today and every day throughout eternity.

Do You Listen to Talk Radio?

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:51:24 -0700

Listening to talk radio can put ideas out on the waters oif the mind like nothing else. When I am in the vehicle traveling, I listen to WSB AM 750. It happens to be either #1 or #2 in coverage and power in the eastern United States. It has been around long enough to only have 3 call letters instead of the normal 4 most stations use today. Also unusual that is has the coverage and not be FM.

Last night I was listening to the Herman Cain Show during the 7:00 to 10:00 PM time frame and enjoying listening to someone call us to task about what is going on in our country today.

Herman (who is a successful businessman and has run for the govenor position in Georgia) was discussing the fact that we have so many people today who do not take responsibility for anything and used a quote from his grandfather that really struck a chord. It made me realize that we, in the real estate industry, should take responsibility for what happens in our markets today. The quote goes like this (and I am not sure I was able to write it down in it's completeness):

"Them that's going, get on the wagon. Them that ain't, get out of the way."

His use of the quote leads us to so many rabbit trails that we can persue, that anyone of them would make a great discussion point. Some of the ones he persues are: electing leaders who challenge us to work and take responsibilty for what we choose to do, persuing the Fair Tax Plan as proposed by John Linder and written in a book by Neal Boortz (a lawyer turned talk radio host on WSB), looking to reestablish the constitution to it's original use and meaning, etc.

What got me to thinking was that as we participate in our markets individually, we should be the ones getting on the wagon to go to town to tell our clients that "Yes, we do have a handle on their market." in a very positive way and not be the ones standing in the way spouting doom and gloom keeping the wagon (our markets) from moving.

If we stand in front of our clients and tell them, positively, that their market is great right now and they should take advantage of the number of house to be purchased at great prices and interest rates that are as low as they will probably be, we will make the difference in what happens over the next 6 months to a year. That way we won't have to wait for the change in politics or the government doling out unearned money to those who don't deserve it.

One of the best wagons I have climbed aboard is the Fair Tax Plan. It wuld mean more money in the take home pay of everyone in the system, do away with some of the federal government, lowering the necessity for groups like the IRS, individuals and businesses not having to file tax returns, etc. I am on board and would challenge all of us to find your market wagon to go to town on and while you are going, shout from the height of the wagon the positive things about your market.

To say thank you to BARBARA RIES.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! (Denton Properties, Inc.) — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:47:36 -0700

Is there any other way to say thank you to someone who has made you smile than by telling as many others about them as you possibly can? That is what this post is about. You see since I have been allowed into this family there are some who have made differences for me. Some that come to mind are:

Jason Crouch

Liz Moras

Pete Rondello, Sr.

Steve Homer

These are just a few of you who have made the choice to participate with me in many ways, some of which you may never realize. I know it is not proper to list some and not all, but as I am here some of the names escape my memory at this point.

To those who I have failed to remember properly, I say thank you as well.

Even though all of you have made differences, one who has made me smile and sing (be glad you are not in audible range) has been one who I have not met formally, even Rain style.

BARBARA RIES the posts you have sent have touched a place I crave to have touched all the time. Please don't ever stop being who you are and being a part of this family. I am taking this time to share some of the things that make me smile with Barbara and all the rest of the family who wants to click on the links below. Enjoy your day and realize if we can remain positive and share that feeling we will make a difference in our markets.

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/dare-diff.php

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/true-freedom.php

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/give-wind.php

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/beauty-tips.php

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/u-so-blessed.php