Brian's Experiences, Ideas, and Strategies for Mortgages

The Best Way To Tell Everyone You Want More Business

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:47:03 -0500

I've been pondering this past week about the best way to let everyone know I want more business. There have been several ways I've tried that were pretty expensive.

They got some results -but you have to keep doing them every month to stay in the minds of the people, so I started a new campaign that would always be in front of people where they would see me everyday.

I suddenly remembered that we have pretty cool personalized tags here in South Carolina.

Of course, with the rising gas prices a lot of people are walking to work, so I worked a deal with the city to install these around town so I could be contacted pretty quick.

And to take advantage of our tourist spots I bought a Star in Hollywood, SC (yes, there is a Hollywood, SC)

Of course you can't forget Myrtle Beach one our biggest tourist attractions

Then I took it one step further and started thinking about captive audiences on the local level -right here in the community. Since South Carolina is a football state, I coughed up the dough to have the cheerleaders cheer for me -since our college teams aren't doing so hot!

This worked pretty good in the high schools too so I tried some old school marketing.

Then I realized that I had to build Consumer Confidence in the Economy so I partnered with a local soup company to help me out. Unfortunately, this just freaked a lot of people out...

So I tried to motivate groups of people at their jobs where they spend most of their lives...

Then I decided to take out a personal ad but I ended up having to tell a lot of ladies and a couple of guys that I'm very happily married.

With the elections at our door -I figured I'd capitalize on all the buttons people are wearing and the one I wear everywhere

We have a lot of social events including Chamber of Commerce Breakfasts so I bought the backs of all the place cards but no one ever looked at the back of the cards...

Then I remembered I had not contacted my past clients in a while so I sent them all this that's right a Mixed Tape tells the ones you love how you feel about them - again, I had to tell a lot of folks that I'm happily married...

Speaking of happily married, my wife has always told me that she is attracted to the back of my head so I decided it wouldn't hurt to do this... boy, was I wrong!

Still not wanting to give up on a good idea I decided to make it interactive for folks... but I didn't think about how much pain this would cause me.

So I'm left with the BEST way that I should have started with anyway, letting my friends here on Active Rain know how to send me business Hi, my name is Brian Foxworth. I would love to help you close more deals by Approving your Clients with the Conventional, FHA, VA, State Housing and Rural Housing programs I still have available in SC, NC, GA, TN, and FL. Since I'm a Lender and not a mortgage broker, I have more control over the fees and time frame we need to work in with my Underwriter and Closing Coordinator here in-house. Give me a call or email me a client's info that I can get Approved for you. I'm Brian Foxworth and I Approve this message.

I've Been Told I am to Blame for This Economic Mess

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:53:40 -0500

A few weeks ago I contacted a landlord that I had helped with financing one of her properties to the renters that had been in the property for 7 years. She had been very happy for the help and had even sent me other renters to help buy the homes she did not want anymore.

The reason for my current call 6 months later was to have her update the Verification of the Private Mortgage(VOM) she had given to me during the purchase transaction so that I could now refinance the clients and help them save over $200 a month due to the lower rates available. Since she and I had a great relationship 6 months earlier, I expected it to be no hassle and hopefully get some more referrals from her; however, I was sadly mistaken.

Instead, she replied with a nasty tone in her voice, "YOU ARE THE REASON WE ARE IN THIS MESS! You are just trying to take advantage of these clients and add to their mortgage -I will not let you do this to them!"

I was in shock when I answered, "Actually, I will be saving them over $200 a month and they will be recouping the Closing Costs in less than 18 months -I fail to see how I am taking advantage of them when they are saving money each month AND have a lower interest rate."

She answered by hanging up on me.

I still closed the loan after I explained the situation to the UnderWriter -they just used the original VOM - and the clients are now enjoying $200 extra each month and a lower interest rate.

But I was left scratching my head -what had changed in 6 months for this nice landlady to feel that I was now Public Enemy #1? Then I remembered that she watched the news and that the news had been saying the mean old mortgage companies are to blame.

I took a look back at my past loans and really tried to see if I had taken advantage of anyone: I had never maxed out the fees on anyone or put them into a house they could not afford. I never lied about the income they made on a Stated income loan. Everyone I closed a loan for was better off than when they came to me -especially if they took my advice on how to make their credit better.

Then I started wondering: If I'm not to blame for this mess - then who is? A couple of days ago this Wall Street Journal article written by Economist Russell Roberts was emailed to me.

It explained that this actually all started back in 1992,

"...Beginning in 1992, Congress pushed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to increase their purchases of mortgages going to low and moderate income borrowers. For 1996, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gave Fannie and Freddie an explicit target -- 42% of their mortgage financing had to go to borrowers with income below the median in their area. The target increased to 50% in 2000 and 52% in 2005.

For 1996, HUD required that 12% of all mortgage purchases by Fannie and Freddie be "special affordable" loans, typically to borrowers with income less than 60% of their area's median income. That number was increased to 20% in 2000 and 22% in 2005. The 2008 goal was to be 28%. Between 2000 and 2005, Fannie and Freddie met those goals every year, funding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of loans, many of them subprime and adjustable-rate loans, and made to borrowers who bought houses with less than 10% down...."

And it has snowballed from there -makes sense doesn't it?

So I called the nice landlady and told her the good news and emailed the article to her explaining that I could not be the cause of this mess -I have an alibi: I was in college when it all started in 1992 and I did not start doing mortgage loans until 2000.

I haven't heard back from her yet...

Do YOU think President Bush's Plan is Helpful, a Hinderence, or Hopeless?

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:59:17 -0500

Please do not misunderstand - I am not asking if you like or dislike President Bush - I am only asking did his speech last night (9/24/2008 @ 9pm) and the plan he explained make you feel more confident in buying or refinancing your home?

The main point I got out of His plan was that the government is going to buy all the bad debt from Banks so that they can relax their Underwriting Guidelines (something we desperately need) making it easier to close a mortgage loan.

What did you get out of it?

I ask this because I want to understand how Americans across the nation are reacting to this information. I have so many clients that are very unsure about the economy - even though their Realtor and I are assuring them that this is the perfect time to buy while housing prices are low- they still want to wait and see who is going to be in Office come November before they purchase or refinance. I get so frustrated by this frame of mind and I forget what it's like not to be a Mortgage Lender who looks at the market all the time.

So enlighten me please. Tell me if you personally feel this new bailout will help, hinder, or is the economy still hopeless?

Mortgage Impossible?

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:40:32 -0500

We all remember the old "Mission Impossible" theme song I like to call "da -da- dada - da-da-dadda" In case you don't have perfect pitch while reading it sounds like this :

Okay - now humor me for a minute - keep the Mission Impossible theme playing while you read the rest of this post AND while you watch the video -come on, it's gonna work and it's what I had playing in my mind when I wrote this post so you might as we ll get inside my head no matter how scary it is ....

This past Friday, September 19th the "Today Show" aired a segment by Michael Okwu that I have provided in the video below from the "Today Show" website. Pay special attention to what is said at 46 seconds into the video "Gone are $0 down loans often replaced with 20% down..."

Here we go - click they play button again on the Mission Impossible theme above and then immediately after click the play button on the video below with both volumes up high enough to hear them at the same time- it has a Pink Floyd / Wizard of Oz effect -.. (Pretty cool, right? okay when you have played 50 seconds in you can stop both videos)

Obviously many Americans watch the "Today Show" in the mornings and they believe that they are hearing from experts WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.

Sorry - I did not mean to shout, but come on - Michale Okwu has NO CLUE what he is talking about because we still have several $0 down loans programs available:

1. VA still offers 100% loans based on the Sales Price or Appraised Value - whichever is lower -if the Apprasied Value is lower than the Sales Price you need to renegotiate anyway...

2. USDA Rural Housing still offers 100% financing based on the APRRAISED VALUE- therefore, if your Realtor has obtained a sweet deal for you and you have a low Sales Price compared to the Appraised value you can include your Closing Costs and Prepaid items in the loan as long as the sum of the Sales Price + the Closing cost and prepaids do not go over the Appraised Value.

3. State Housing programs require at least 3% down; however, they offer Down Payment Assistance based on your income and the property's county you are purchasing in AND some or all of the Down payment may not have to be paid back (forgivable)

And finally FHA still offers only 3% down (soon to be 3.5% down payment) loans which is a far cry from 20% down. So there you have it - the media is not always correct in their mission to get you panicked every hour on the hour.

Back to my Title Question: Mortgage Impossible? Not even close!

Your Mission - should you choose to accept it - is to thwart the media's mission to hit your panick buttons by TURNING OFF THE NEWS, LIVING YOUR LIFE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS NOT AS BAD AS THEY SAY, AND BUY A HOUSE DURING THE BEST TIME TO BUY A HOUSE - NOW! (i did mean to shout that time).

This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds..

4..

3...

2...

Dang -fuse was wet ...

How are You Allowing this Economy Affect You?(That's right, I said "Allowing")

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:28:25 -0500

The Economy is in the news all day long. Which Bank is going under today? How is the Government going to step in and Solve our Problems? Wait a minute - How is the Government going to Solve OUR Problems? Is the government really responsible for us -or are We responsible for ourselves?

For the past 4 years, I have had a "Solve the World's Problems" Summit during lunch at least once a week with a buddy of mine where we ussually divide this discussion into 3 topics:

How can my Personal Budget keep me from Feeling the Pain of this Economy?

How can I Lessen the Pain of this Economy for others?

How does my Faith affect my Perception of these times?

If anyone was to listen to our converstion, they may think we were a combination of Grumpy Old Men, Dave Ramsey, and Slingblade Carl (just because we enjoy saying "Mmmm hmmmmm" like him to make our points).

Anyway, back to our story - let's take this by the numbers:

How can my Personal Budget keep me from Feeling the Pain of this Economy? Now some of you are already scratching your head and asking, "What is a Personal Budget?" Well the down and dirty of it is this: - you write down how much money is coming in after taxes every month and you subtract every monthly expense that comes out from large to small - ussually starting with your mortgage or rent - down to gas for the car and money for food & entertainment. Dave Ramsey and other Financial Advisors actually advize us to write the 1st check every month based on 10% of your Income to charity (Church, United Way, etc.), the 2nd check should be 10% of your Income to your Personal Savings Account (to save for the unexpected expenses), with the rest divided up between your monthly debts & expenses from big to small - purposefully beginning to pay off your debt from small to large debts (Dave Ramsey calls this your Debt Snowball). Okay -here is where we start our weekly discussion during our Summits: If most people (including me) started following Financial Advisors advice our country would be full of citizens who are giving to charities, have Savings for emergencies (so they won't have to use their credit cards), and have begun to pay off their debt. I think it begins with something my Grandparents called Delayed Gratification - if you are not familiar with this term, click on the link. In our society we are bombarded with commercials that play songs like "I WANT IT ALL & I WANT IT NOW" which promote our Instant Gratification culture - we want what we want when we want it and we want it NOW. That kind of mindset increases our Credit Card Debt, defeats any kind of Personal Savings Plan , and sometimes forces us to tap into our home's equity (read Broker Bryant's post about Your Home is your Castle, NOT an ATM Machine!)
How can I Lessen the Pain of this Economy for Others? Remember up there in #1 where I told you that Financial Advisors say it is best to write your first check every month to Charity? That's because the old Proverbs of Widom are true - Don't let the flow of money stop with you, let it flow thru you - If you were a body of water, do you want to be a stagnant pond where the water just stands still or do you want to be a River where there is a fresh supply of water everyday? These Charities -Churches, United Way, Red Cross, and countless others - help the less fortunate everyday. You could even take it a step further and tell your family that this Holiday Season during Thanksgiving and Christmas you'll be joining others in Adopting less fortunate families so they can have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. The possibilities are endless when we -Not the Government -help each other.
How does my Faith affect my Perception of these Economic Times? I am a believer that God is in Control no matter what is happening around me. Your Faith may help you as well. If I am completely focused on the Nightly News and I believe everything that comes from it - then I am going to perceive that everything is Doom & Gloom; however, if I am anxiously awaiting how God is going to grow my character thru these times and I am following His Wisdom - I can make it thru anything. How does your Faith help you thru these times?

So back to my Title question: How are You Allowing this Economy Affect You? Are you cutting back on wants and just taking care of needs for your family so that you can still easily afford your monthly debts? Are you still helping others? Are you still saving for emergencies? (I know -some of you are already in an emergency - but what if you had saved for it before all this mess happened? You can contact some of those charities others give to to help.) Are you relying on yourself and your Faith to bring you thru this -or are you sitting and waiting for the government to solve your problems?

Are we going to allow this Doom and Gloom mentality anymore or are we going to revive this economy by taking care of ourselves and helping others?

Or do you think it is too far gone to do anything?

To Sell UFirst or Not To Sell?

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:05:02 -0500

I was contacted by a Fellow Christian who has been helping Homeowners payoff all of their debt in 10 - 12 years instead of a normal 30 year term thru a company called United First Financial.

I have always told my clients to pay ahead on their mortgages and take advantage of the Bi-Weekly payment schedule that comes directly out of their bank account and allows them to pay an extra payment each year to Principal resulting in reducing their 30 year term to about 18 years on average.

I have been asked by some of my Realtors about UFirst in the past few months so I decided to sit in on a webinar about it, but I wasn't convinced it was the right vehicle to sell to my clients - especially for $3500.

However, today it was presented to me in a fresh new way by the Fellow Christian who is a Branch Manager with UFirst that almost made sense. With their Money Merge Program, you pay all of your income into your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and pay your bills out of your HELOC as well -whatever is left over - say $1000 for example is suggested by the Money Merge Account system to pay down the Principal on your debts (including your HELOC) each month.

For those of you who read my posts -especially my last one - you know that I usually agree with Dave Ramsey - a Christian Financial Counselor who preaches that you can get out of debt yourself thru his Financial Peace University program (which is only $149) that basically has you use a cash envelope budget system that your Grandparents always used to discipline yourself to acheive a Debt-Free life.

Dave Ramsey has made it no secret that he believes the UFirst Program does everything you can do yourself but charges you $3500 to do it - and the UFirst Branch Manager brought that out into the open during his presentation today. The Branch Manager says that Dave Ramsey just hasn't taken the time to understand how the program really works.

Here's where you come in - Have any of you used this program or sold this program to your clients?

Come on now - Don't be shy. I would like my Active Rain Family and readers to help me out by letting me know their experiences - good or bad - so I can honestly tell my Realtors if this is the way to Pay Off your Mortgage early or should you get disciplined and do it yourself like Grandma and Grandpa did?

"Should I Pay off My Mortgage?"

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:27:23 -0500

Yesterday I received a call from a young lady (We'll call her Gertrude) who asked my opinion on if she should refinance her 15 Year, 5.25% Fixed rate mortgage to receive a lower payment on a 30 Year, 6.25% Fixed Rate Mortgage to give her some breathing room each month.

She and her husband had done everything she could think of to cut back her monthly expenses, but her family still needed about $400 a month for her to start working less hours a week to be able to be home more for her children. They had paid off their cars, credit cards, and the only "luxury" they had was Satellite TV - there was nowhere else to cut - unless they wanted to skip some meals.

I ran the numbers and Gertrude would save around $380 a month by refinancing into a 30 year mortgage and save about $260 a month if they refinanced into a 20 year mortgage. I continued the questions I ask everyone when completing an Application and we got to the Assets information -in fact, she brought it up before I got to it - that there was a substantial amount of money in CD's that were earning about 4.25% or less along with her savings that earn 2% or less in addition to her 401k that she had stopped contributing to since it was tanking. There was more than enough money in her CD's alone to pay off her mortgage and still give her more than a year's cushion should she or her husband be out of work and she even had a separate Savings account for emergencies.

At this point, let me stop and tell you about an influence in my life, Dave Ramsey. I had taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University Course a couple of years ago. At the age of 26, through his brokerage firm, Ramsey Investments, Inc., he had built a rental real estate portfolio worth more than $4 million. Ramsey's debt-fueled success soon came to an end as the Tax Reform Act of 1986 began to negatively impact the real estate business. One of Ramsey's largest investors was sold to a larger bank, who began to take a harder look at Ramsey's borrowing habits. The bank demanded he pay $1.2 million worth of short-term notes within 90 days, forcing him to file bankruptcy. Ramsey vowed to never again borrow money - however, he did not sit around in self pity for too long - he asked God to show him how to create wealth His Way without debt and promised to teach everyone he could how to do it.Thru prayer, searching the Bible, and attending other Christian Finacial Planners workshops - God showed him how to pick himself up and systematically save his emergency fund, payoff his debts and THEN buy investments with cash. He has been sharing his knowledge of God's Wisdom about money on the radio(on over 300 radio stations), in his books, and DVD study courses ever since.

Now Back to Our Story- After Gertrude had informed me of the amount of money she had in CD's and other Savings Accounts, she immediately asked, "Should I pay off my Mortgage with my CD's? My tax preparer said I shouldn't since I would no longer have a tax deduction for Mortgage Interest." I asked her if her Tax Preparer had backed his opnion with any real numbers - as in showing her Comparisons with her Current 2007 1040 vs. an Amended 1040 without the Mortgage Interest Deduction and she said, "No, he just said it wasn't a good idea."

Immediately, my shoulder angel(played by Dave Ramsey) has beaten up my shoulder devil and is yelling in my brain "TELL HER TO PAY IT OFF! TELL HER TO PAY IT OFF! TELL HER! TELLLLL HERRRRRR!!!!!!"

To quiet my new-found shoulder angel I asked Gertrude to go over some real numbers with me over the phone. I reminded her that I am NOT a Tax preparer so we were going to keep it simple. I asked her if she were to pay off this mortgage how many year's salary would that leave her in Savings? She replied , "Over a year -not counting my Emergency Fund and 401k." Good. Based on the Escrow amount she gave me per year, I calculated that her Principle & Interest amount per month was $988 x 12months = Saving $11, 856 per year if she paid off her mortgage. By using an Amortization schedule for her current loan in it's 3rd year of repayment I calculated she was paying on average about $530 in Interest per month x 12 months = $6,360. Depending on variables that I did not have access to - she would actually get a deduction for a % of the $6,360 -but I used the full amount in my example to her. So I told Gertrude that even if she was getting the full amount deducted from her overall Taxes to be paid after all other deductions She would still save form the totals above $11,856 - 6,360 =$5,496 per year or $458 per month.

I explained to her that more than likely, from what she had told me, we were looking at that deduction being a lot less like maybe $2500, which would actually save her more than $9300 per year or over $775 per month (Some of you tax folks help me out).

So I advise her to have a MBP (Mortgage Burning Party) and do a happy dance since:

She will save at least $458 per month - (what she needed to begin with)
She is currently paying out 1% in interest (5.25% on the mortgage) more than she was receiving (4.25% in CD's) - this will correct that imbalance
She will have over a year's salary remaining in liquid savings
She can now work less hours to spend more time with her kids.

She thanked me for my advice and said she was gonna get some real numbers from her Tax Preparer too (even if he is a grumpy old man) to see exactly how much she would save. I told her that if my bosses were not Christians, and they overheard me telling a Prospective Client to not refinance - but payoff her mortgage instead -I would probably be fired - But I have to be able to sleep at night and know I did the right thing for Gertrude.

Sleep easy Gertrude - I know I will.

Get It While You Can!

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:53:59 -0500

At 5:48 this evening I recieved an email that one of my Investors was going to jump the gun. As of tomorrow, August 12 , 2008 they will no longer be purchasing any FHA loans with Down Payment Assistance.

As you have all heard the New Housing Bill, "Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008″ , called for the Elimination of Down Payment Assistance Programs -such as Nehemiah and AmeriDream that help thousands of buyers a year be able to purchase their first home - as of October 1st 2008. However, this one Investor (we have several we sell loans to) has decided to make it their policy to not accept Down Payment Assistance as of August 12, 2008 - even though a new bill has been presented to save the Down Payment Assistance Programs.

The FHA Seller-Financed Downpayment Reform and Risk-Based Pricing Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 6694) was introduced by several members of Congress on Thursday, July 31, 2008. Representatives Maxine Waters, Gary Miller, Al Green and Christopher Shays sponsored this bill that if passed and signed into law will allow downpayment assistance to continue indefinitely.

My hope is that my clients who have been taking their time to find the best home for their family do not miss the opportunity to own their own home due to other Investors and Banks following one Investor to eliminate Down Payment Assistance earlier than written into law before HR 6694 has been passed and signed into law. I'm not ussually a "Doom & Gloom" Loan Officer and I don't mean to sound like one now; however, all Buyers who need to use Down Payment Assistance to make the Down Payment on their home needs to Apply now before it's too late.

Here in South Carolina, there are Builders reducing their Asking Price 10-15% and knowledgable Buyers Agents are negotiating for even more Equity for their Clients. Now is the time to purchase your new home.

Don't wait - it might be too late...

"Even Me Daddy?"

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:37:44 -0500

One evening, as my daughter Megan Grace and I were watching Cinderella III for the gagillianth time, the movie came to a part where the King told the Red -Haired Wicked Step Sister that "Everybody deserves true love."

Megan Grace looked back at me with her innocent 4-year-old brown eyes and asked, "Even me Daddy?"

I scooped her up in my arms with a tear in my eye and I told her, "God has chosen a very special boy for you that was born to be you husband. When you grow up and when it is God's perfect timing, He will introduce you to each other."

She asked me, "Is that how it happened with you and Mommy?"

As I held her in my lap I replied, "Yes. I had been dating girls that were not the one God had made for me and I was tired of choosing the ones I thought I was going to marry because they were either pretty, or prettier, or prettiest of all the girls I knew. I got so mad at myself for wasting time on the wrong girls I told God that I was not going to go out with any other girl until he showed me The Girl He had made for me - I did not care if it took 2 months, 2 years, or 20 years - I was tired of doing it my way.

Thankfully, 2 weeks later God introduced me to your Mommy who was standing beside me at church one Sunday night worshipping God with her eyes closed while singing one of my favorite songs - God tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'She is the one I made for you to spend the rest of your life with'. Joy that I had not felt since I asked Jesus to live in my heart leapt inside of me like an uncaged tiger and I knew at that moment that God was right - I was going to spend the rest of my life with the girl He had made for me, who was not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside where it really matters. Three years later we were married and I became her husband."

Megan Grace asked me, "Where is the boy I will marry?"

I smiled and said, "Only God knows that, but we can pray for that boy to have parents who teach him about God and Jesus, who show him how to be very nice to girls, teach him as he is growing up to be a great husband for you, and show him how to guard his heart so he doesn't give it away until God introduces you to each other."

Megan's little face lit up with a huge smile and she said, "Let's pray for him now Daddy."

So we did. And we have been almost every night since.

I am dedicating this post to my beautiful brown-eyed wife who loves me even when she doesn't like me too much and gave birth to our brown-eyed Megan Grace to share these moments together.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY Sweetness!

I Love You

What does this post have to do with Real Estate? - Nothing

What does this post have to do with Christianity and Spiritual Rain? Everything.

The Meaning of Life

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:56:59 -0500

Do you remember the movie "City Slickers"? In the movie Billy Crystals character was asking Curley the trail boss what he thought the Meaning of Life was.

Curly replied by raising his index finger and saying, "One thing."

Billy Crystal asked, "Your finger?!"

Curley said, "No -the Meaning of Life is just one thing."

Billy Crystal asked, "What is that one thing?"

Curley replied, "It's different for everyone -that's what you have to figure out."

When I have a question I ask God for the answer - He is the Ultimate Trail Boss on this journey of life. Thinking about this I looked in my NIV Bible under the "Index of Subjects" and sure enough Meaning of Life was listed with some verses under it. Some of the verses did not make any sense to me - but one passage stuck out to me because it just hit home.

That passage was Psalm 27:4-6 when King David was saying boldly that the Meaning of Life -the ONE thing you are seeking is... (here in the Message Version)

"4 I'm asking God for one thing,
      only one thing:
   To live with him in his house
      my whole life long.
   I'll contemplate his beauty;
      I'll study at his feet.

5 That's the only quiet, secure place
      in a noisy world,
   The perfect getaway,
      far from the buzz of traffic.

6 God holds me head and shoulders
      above all who try to pull me down.
   I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
      that will raise the roof!
   Already I'm singing God-songs;
      I'm making music to God. "

... is to be with God in His house to see His beauty where His Glory dwells. When this world of Real Estate gets so noisy - especially from the media - realize that seeking God is the True Meaning of Life.

I couldn't help but remenber a song I love that has that passage in it - "Better is One Day" here is an extended version of it with pics of God's creation -enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je-wFV4M9MU

What happened when I finally gave in to God

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:11:25 -0500

Have you ever had one of those days when you had a set agenda and God just laughed because you told Him your plans instead of waiting for His plan?

Last Thursday I had lunch with my Pastor on the other side of town from where my office is located. We had a very good lunch and talked about getting closer to God. I told my pastor about situations when I tell my daughter to do something in a nice way she does not listen - she waits until I am raising my voice before she does what I tell her to do. After she does what she was suppose to do and stops crying because I hurt her feelings - I sit her on my lap and give her a hug. I tell her I love her and explain that if she does not want me to raise my voice, then she needs to listen the first time when I ask nicely - so she never has to hear my voice raised. I explained to my pastor that after one of these episodes recently, I felt God telling me, "Why don't you listen to Me when I tell you to do something in my small still voice? Why do you wait until I am raising my voice, or worse yet- wait until there is pain associated with the disobedience?" - MAN THAT STINGS!

So I've been trying to listen for God's still small voice - pretty much a whisper. That Thursday after meeting my pastor, I decided to take advantage of being on that side of town and go talk to some Realtors at some Model Homes. I went thru a couple of new subdivisions and no agent was on duty. I came to a third subdivision and drove in to find that they only had 1 home for sale and the whole subdivision was only a loop with no other roads branching from it - but the "Agent on Duty" sign was out in front of the Model Home. My first thought was -"I'm not gonna waste my time talking to them -they don't have anything they are selling anyway -it would be a waste of my valuable time."

As I was driving out of the subdivision I heard God whisper, "Go back and talk to that Realtor."

I replied, "God I don't have time just to talk to one Realtor about one home and they already have their own mortgage company anyway"

I drove a little further down the road and God said a little louder, "Turn around and go talk to that Realtor."

So I reluctantly obeyed, (keep in mind that I had just told my pastor in my most righteous tone that I was doing my best to listen to God's "still, small voice") I turned around and pulled up to the Model home and walked in. One Realtor was on the phone and one was walking out with a client (who was probably going to buy the only home they had for sale and aleready had her financing done!) I walked thru the patio home and it was really nice inside. When the Realtor got off the phone I introduced myself and she said, "Brian you are already financing a home right now for one of my clients" - she handed me her card and I immedialtely recognized the name. Within minutes the converastion turned to how thankful we were that God was in control in this crazy market we are in and how most of our clients were believers.

It turns out that God had a plan already worked out for a Devine Appointment that I was not suppose to miss, because before I knew it 2 hours had passed by and we had already shared which church our families attend and she gave me a CD with some of my favorite artists on it as I was leaving. Before I left she admitted she was glad I stopped by. It was very encouraging to her that I saw this business like she did knowing that God was in Control.

Will I see business from it? Maybe

Did God get the glory from 1 Realtor being encouraged? You bet!

My Top 10 Things that Have NOT Changed in the World of Mortgages

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:34:02 -0500

Well. let's see...

...I'm still thinking, ok?! ...

Give me a minute!....

... OK here we go.

My Top 10 9 Things that Have NOT Changed in the World of Mortgages

10. Borrowers with a Middle Credit Score OVER 680 can obtain a 97% Loan Compared to the Sales Price (LTV) on a Fannie or Freddie (Bankable Conforming) Mortgage Loan.

9. Borrowers with a Middle Score OVER 580 can obtain an FHA 97%LTV with the ability to have the 3% Down Payment paid thru The Down Payment Assistance Programs (DPA)

8~~. Borrowers with a Middle Score OVER 680 can obtain a 90% LTV for a Stated Income/ Stated Asset Loan (As long as the income and assets are reasonable compared to your profession and credit history)~~ *************UPDATE*********UPDATE******THIS IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE 4/8/08****************
UPDATE 4/11/2008: It seems that Stated Income programs aren't dead after all..."I'm pleased to announce that effective Tuesday April 15, 2008; Wachovia will bring our Alt -A suite of products back to the wholesale secondary arena! At this time, we will offer SISA and SIVA products to an 80% LTV with 90% CLTV available on some products with outside seconds. The mid score for SISA is 700 and for SIVA is 680 and some cash out scenarios are 720. To be able to announce GREAT NEWS again is a wonderful thing!! Loyd Trimmer, Wachovia Mortgage"

7. Borrowers with Middle Credit Scores BELOW 580 can still obtain an FHA 97% LTV with the ability to have the 3% Down Payment paid thru the DPA; however, your interest rate will be a little higher

6. The Good News is that FHA Interest Rates are still BETTER than Conforming Interets Rates (Today's Best 30 year Fixed rate paying NO Discount Points - Conforming: 5.99% FHA: 5.75%)

5. FHA still allows the Borrower to use Alternative Credit (Credit that does not appear on your Credit Report like Insurance, Power Bills, Cell Phone Bills, Cable, other utilties, etc.) to compensate for not having more than 3 open accounts paid well for the past 12 months on your Credit Report

4. FHA still allows the Seller to pay for all of the Borrower's Closing Costs and Pre-Paid items up to 6% of the Sales Price

3. If any of the Borrower's income is from Self Employment or 1099 we still have to obtain their Full Federal Tax Returns for the last 2 years

2. Realtors are a Mortgage Loan Officers' Best Friend

1. Loan Officers' hair still turns gray faster than Realtors does (Just a personal observation - may not prove true in all states or provinces)

Well, there you have it , the Mortgage Industry is not all DOOM AND GLOOM like the Media dipicts.

Life is Good! Don't let Anyone tell you otherwise.

New FHA Program Offers Help For Deliquent Non-FHA ARM Borrowers

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:30:07 -0500

Are you or someone you know having a hard time with your new Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) payments? You are not alone - millions of Americans are in the same predicament. If your property is in South Carolina or Tenessee, I may be able to help you.

The new FHASecure Program offers a way out for homeowners struggling with higher mortgage payments as the result of an interest rate increase on their existing NON-FHA ARM. Borrowers who were current on their mortgage for the 6 months PRIOR TO the interest rate reset date on their ARM, but who have become deliquent may be eligible for this new FHA refinance loan. We must be able to determine that the increased interest rate and subsequent higher payment caused the deliquency.

You must meet all of these Eligibility Requirements:

Have a NON-FHA insured ARM that has reset
6 months on-time mortgage payments before the new interest rate reset
Existing mortgage MUST BE DELIQUENT!
Property value must be supported by a new appraisal
All homeowners must occupy the home
At least one homeowner on the FHASecure loan must be on the original ARM loan being refinanced.
Sufficent Income to make the mortgage payment on the new FHASecure refinance loan

Who is NOT Eligible:

All fixed-rate mortgages
Mortgages with buy-down features incorporated into the interest rate or payment options
Option ARMS
FHA ARMS

FHA Secure Highlights:

If there is sufficient equity in the home, the new loan amount can include the existing first lien mortgage balance, deliquent mortgage payments, closing costs, prepaid expenses, discount points, prepayment penalties, late charges, and arrearages (taxes and insurance coming due)
If you are currently in Foreclosure, the loan decision will be considered on a case-by case basis.
Copy of note and all addendums are required to determine your current mortgage type and reset date
New FHASecure loan may be an FHA 30-year fixed, 3/1 ARM, or a 5/1 ARM. Loan-to Value (LTV) ratios are the same as the standard FHA guidelines; however, any subordinated financing (2nd mortgages) may not exceed the standard LTV limit.
Property eligibility: 1 to 4-family properties, condos, PUD's, and modular homes are eligible. However, spot-condos, manufactured homes, cooperatiive properties, and working farms, ranches, and orchards are not eligible.
Standard FHA county loan limits apply.
Rate and Term refinances only - NO CASH OUT REFINANCES ALLOWED

So there you have it - give me a call or email me today to see if I can help you. I have no application fees or upfront costs.

We hope to be adding states other than SC and TN soon. I will update this blog as other states become available.

The Secret to a Happy Marriage

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 10:28:50 -0500

I received this by email and I have no idea who the author is - my wife thought it was too good not to share - I'm still wishing she would have seen this when we first got married -you'll see why when you read this post.

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared
everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets
from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the
top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or
ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day
the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not
recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the
shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time
that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two
crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said,
" my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never
argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep
quiet and crochet a doll."

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two
precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two
times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with
happiness.

"Honey," he said, " that explains the dolls, but what about all of this
money? Where did it come from?"

"Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the dolls."

Now for the Prayer...

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man; Love to forgive him;
And
Patience for his moods;

Because Lord, if I pray for Strength,

I'll beat him to death because I don't know how to crochet.

To Dream the Impossible Dream ...

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:13:00 -0500

Sleep disorders are becoming more and more common in America. Research suggests that some 100 million Americans currently suffer from some form of insomnia. Add to these numbers the fact that sleep disorders have been linked to serious health issues, including diabetes, and maybe it's time to take a closer look at our own sleeping patterns and see how we might improve.

Beyond eliminating the usual suspects - caffeine, alcohol, smoking, napping during the day, etc. - there are a number of things we can do to promote good sleeping habits. The following are easy, drug-free ways to finally get a good night's sleep.

Your Bedroom is for Quiet Time

For many people, the bedroom is more than just a place to sleep; it's a home office or a sort of entertainment center. They read, watch TV, pay bills, surf the net, and a million other things. However, by designating the bedroom specifically for sleeping, experts say that you can teach your body to recognize the bedroom as a zone reserved for restfulness and get more satisfying sleep.

Develop Bedtime Rituals and Routines

If you have trouble sleeping, try to keep a regular schedule. This means going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Create a sleeping "ritual" that you repeat each night: read a book, listen to music, drink tea, etc.

Don't Eat Heavy Meals

Experts recommend not eating anything heavy at least 2 to 3 hours prior to settling into bed. If you have to eat something, eat foods whose natural chemistry promotes sleep, like turkey, peanuts, or cereal and milk.

Remove Stress

A great way to rid yourself of stress is to write it away. Jot down everything that's stressing you out on a piece of paper. Tell all of your problems that you don't have time to deal with them now, but that you promise to get back to them in the morning. This might seem silly, but research has shown this to be very effective for many people. Another great way to decrease stress is to turn your clock away from you. Some people can become more and more stressed with each hour as they focus on the clock and fail to fall asleep. If you're feeling anxious or stressed out, a big, bright clock glaring at you, reminding you of how little sleep you're getting, is the last thing you need.

Get Back to Sleep

One of the toughest sleeping patterns to break is sleeping for a few hours, waking up, and not being able to fall back asleep. Experts suggest visualization as a tool to return to sleep, although that could trigger thoughts of work or other areas of your life that are hard to shut down. If you don't fall back asleep relatively quickly, get out of bed. Go into another room and relax. Don't watch TV or read anything that might be stimulating. Just relax, focus on an object, and think about peaceful things. If all else fails, have some warm milk.

If you can think of any more tips for getting a good night's sleep, please share them with me here because my 3 year old girl has not been sleeping for the past 3 nights and none of these things have worked!!!.

To Sell or Not To Sell - That is the Question

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:05:51 -0500

Each year, millions of Americans move into the home of their dreams. As time goes by, families expand, kids grow older, and suddenly that home isn't quite so perfect anymore. Or perhaps you still love your home, but you really want a gourmet kitchen and a larger master bedroom. Should you start looking for a new house? Or would it be better to stay where you are and remodel instead?

Both options involve a significant investment of time and money, so it's important to take your time and make an informed decision. You'll also want to be sure to consider both the financial and the emotional sides of the equation. Let's begin by examining the financial factors involved.

Selling: A good local real estate agent should be able to assist you with estimates on these numbers.

•· How much will it cost to purchase a home that will meet your needs?

•· How much could you sell your existing home for? Don't forget to subtract the agent's commission from this total.

•· What will it cost to move? According to real estate consultant and best-selling author of Remodel or Move, Dan Fritschen, a typical move costs 10% of the value of your home.

•· How much will your property taxes increase as a result of the move?

Remodeling:

•· What projects do you want to have done and how much will they cost? An architect or general contractor will be able to assist you with these figures.

•· How much will the improvements add to the value of your home, also known as the "payback"? A local real estate agent can assist with this as well.

If the decision about whether to renovate or sell were purely a financial one, then it would be quite easy to look at the numbers and come to the right conclusion. However, there are also emotional factors that come into play, and they have a value as well. Let's consider some examples.

Reasons you may want to Sell:

•· If you relocate to a new neighborhood, your children could attend superior schools.

•· You would like to reduce your commute or have better access to local amenities, such as restaurants and shopping.

•· You're not particularly fond of your current neighborhood.

•· Your yard is too small, and you cannot expand it.

Reasons you may want to stay and remodel:

•· You're happy with your location. It's convenient, you love your neighbors, and the schools are either excellent or are not a factor.

•· You love the layout of your home.

•· All you need is a little more space, and your home will be perfect.

Of course only you know what is truly important for your happiness, so try to use these questions as a starting point. Create a list of the pros and cons of each scenario and leave it someplace accessible, so that you and your spouse can add to it as you think of additional factors. You may also want to consider attending open houses and visiting new housing developments to see what is available and how your home compares.

Once you've completed your list and your financial assessment, it's time to draw some conclusions. Are the numbers and the emotional factors pointing you in a clear direction? If you're still feeling unsure and would like some additional assistance, you may want to read Dan Fritschen's book, Remodel or Move, or visit his website at http://www.remodelormove.com/. Both contain a calculator that will assist you with the difficult task of quantifying the ramifications of your decision. In addition, you can learn tips to assist you with the next step, after you've determined what it will be.

If you choose to remodel, then you'll need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish before finalizing any details with the contractor or architect. One of the most expensive things you can do is change the project midstream.

If you decide to sell, then there are low-cost improvements you can make to your existing home that will help it to sell more quickly. The kitchen and the bathrooms provide the biggest return on investment in this area.

Whether you decide to remodel or buy a new home, it's important to ensure that you have proper financing in place prior to moving forward. If you decide to purchase a home, a mortgage originator will help you to determine how much you can afford, as well as which loan package works best with your overall financial plan. In the case of remodeling, you should meet with a mortgage professional before any construction takes place. Otherwise you may severely limit the type of financing options available to you.

Additional Resources:

Remodel or Move?: Make the Right Decision, by Dan Fritschen

Brian Foxworth is affiliated with First Covenant Mortgage , a Licensed Broker,. If you would like to receive a FREE Consultation please contact Brian Foxworth at 877-975-0007 x25 or by email: Brian@FirstCovenantMortgage.com

The Truth About the Mortgage Market

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:26:29 -0500

Subprime mortgages have now been credited for bankrupting well over 110 lenders and seriously damaging operations at many major mortgage firms. They've reportedly wiped out 5 hedge funds, tens of thousands of jobs, and have led to millions of foreclosures with millions more on the way. And, as if that weren't enough, subprime mortgages are also blamed for massive volatility in the stock, bond, credit, futures, and real estate markets here in the US and around the globe. Some say losses in the mortgage securities market alone could reach hundreds of billions of dollars this year.

This means that, for any Americans looking to buy, sell, or refinance a home, they are confronting a very different market from the one that existed just 6-12 months ago.

How did this happen?
The recent real estate boom was fueled by a period of record home appreciation and historically low interest rates. Banks, in order to compete, loosened guidelines and began offering more funding to more borrowers through riskier, non-conforming or "exotic" mortgages.

These ideal lending conditions persisted for several years, supported by high demand, historical real estate data, home prices, and massive trading volume/profits on mortgage-backed securities and other financial instruments on Wall Street.

Then, in 2006, a slowdown in real estate led to a deterioration of home values, an increase in inventories, and ultimately to today's tightening of credit guidelines, leaving many investors unable to sell or refinance out of their existing positions. Many Americans who had tapped into their equity were suddenly tapped-out and overextended as home values fell. Foreclosures followed in record numbers and a re-valuation of mortgage bonds and other financial instruments created the credit/liquidity domino effect we're now experiencing.

Unfortunately, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. According to the latest estimates, over 2 million subprime and Alt-A adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) holders will face payment increases of up to 30%-100% when their loans reset in the next 2 to 18 months. These loans make up less than 40% of the total mortgage market, but the negative effects, as we have seen, of increased foreclosure activity can have a ripple effect throughout the industry and around the globe.

What does this mean to you and your mortgage?

Sellers: If you're planning on selling your home, be prepared for an even smaller pool of qualified buyers. While some experts predict a settling of this credit crisis over the coming year, tightened credit guidelines and diminishing mortgage products could knock out as many as 15%-30% of potential qualified buyers. Now is not the time to sit and wait for the best possible price. Have a serious talk with your real estate agent. Having experienced buying/selling transactions in your area, he or she can help you price your home accordingly. He or she can also help ensure that your buyers are pre-approved and stay pre-approved throughout the entire transaction.

Buyers: Get pre-approved by your mortgage professional. While there are a lot of great deals out there, getting credit is becoming tougher and tougher, and it's taking longer and longer to complete a transaction. Remember, what you qualify for today could change tomorrow in a volatile market. For those looking to refinance, keep this in mind. There is no time to delay! Communicate with your lender. Don't do anything that could negatively affect your credit, and make sure you get all your documentation in on time.

ARMs Borrowers: If your ARM is scheduled to reset in the next 2-18 months, you need to schedule an appointment with a mortgage professional right away. Whether your ARM is subprime, Alt-A, or even if you have a pre-payment penalty, don't let a default or foreclosure situation sneak up on you. Did you know that your monthly payments can increase anywhere from 30% to 100% once your loan resets? At the very least, give yourself the peace of mind of knowing what your adjusted payment will be.

Borrowers with less-than-perfect credit: Each week it seems lenders are shedding more and more mortgage products. Many lenders have stopped offering No-Doc loans and are reducing all forms of Stated-Income loans. While it might be challenging, borrowers with credit issues need to see a loan expert. Often they have credit repair resources and other strategies to help you reach your financial goals.

Finally, there's an important concept to embrace: all markets, while cyclical in nature, are self-correcting, be it credit, real estate, stocks, or bonds. For the last 6 or 7 years, real estate was booming and riding high. The correction we're experiencing now - while it seems harsh and could get much worse - is, in a sense, "natural" and directly related to the extremely loose guidelines and perhaps overzealous lending and leveraging during the boom cycle.

Brian Foxworth is affiliated with First Covenant Mortgage, a Licensed Broker, For a free consultation contact Brian Foxworth at 877-975-0007 x25 or email: Brian@FirstCovenantMortgage.com.

"Daddy Loves You!"

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:45:33 -0500

A past coworker of mine told me the amazing story how his son came into this world. Every morning before leaving for work, arriving home from work, and before going to bed - he would rub his wife's belly and say, "Daddy loves you" since the first day they realized they were pregnant. This went one and on up to the day his wife was to give birth.

Finally the day came and they were waiting for her to dialate and all of a sudden all the alarms go off on the baby's heart monitor. Their doctor and nurses came running in and said that the baby would have to come out now since it seamed as if the umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck. They were rushed to the operating room and they threw scrubs on my coworker so he could be with his wife. They opened her up and pulled out the baby and smacked his bottom - but he did not cry. They worked on him on the table for a few seconds -- but still no crying or breathing. He and his wife were getting visably upset at this point so the doctor ordered that my coworker be removed from the operating room. As the nurses were pushing him out the door he started screaming "Daddy Loves You! Daddy Loves You! DADDY LOVES YOU!!" at the top of his lungs -- and the baby started moving his head toward his Daddy's voice! The doctor told him to say it again and again and again until the baby started crying and breathing on his own!!! The nurses let him go and he ran over to his baby all the while crying and yelling, "Daddy Loves You!" over and over. His son is now 19 years old and has never had any health problems associated with his unusual trip into this world.

This story got me thinking about God, our Heavenly Daddy: Every morning we wake up He tells us,"Daddy Loves You" by rising the sun and nudging birds to sing - most of the time right outside our windows.

As we go about our day, He sends His angels to protect and watch over us and sometimes even gives us all green lights on the way to work, all the while saying, "Daddy Loves You."

As we settle in for the night, He paints the most beautiful sunsets, only to be replaced by breath-taking views of the moon and stars as he whispers, "Good night - Daddy Loves You."

Suddenly there comes a point in our lives - that you may or may not have expeirienced yet - when you feel as tho this world is choking the very life out of you. All the things that used to nourish and sustain your life up to this point are showing their true colors and wrapping around you so tight that you feel like you could not go on living like this - all the alarms go off in your life and you realize that the way you have been living is not working anymore. It is at this point that God points to His Son Jesus hanging on a cross and says over and over and over and over again, "DADDY LOVES YOU! DADDY LOVES YOU!! DADDY LOVES YOU! DADDY LOVES YOU!! DADDY LOVES YOU!! DADDY LOVES YOU!!!" until you turn your head in the direction of His voice and see the evidence of how much He loves you - and your realize what He is saying has changed to "Daddy Loves You THIS MUCH - so much that I gave you My One and Only Son, Jesus to die on a cross for your sins so that when THIS moment came in your life and you realized that you could no longer do this on your own - My Love and My Son would be there waiting to take your punishment - to take your place so that you could be 'born again' Spiritually into My Family!!"

When you accept that Love by asking God to forgive you for your sins and asking Jesus to live in your heart all of Heaven throws a party and celebrates you birth into the Family!!

Never forget - Daddy Loves You.

One Nation under God

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:03:40 -0500

MSNBC had a poll on this question. They had the highest Number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls, and the Percentage was the same as this:

86% to keep the words, IN God We Trust on our Currency and God in the Pledge of Allegiance
14% against

That is a pretty 'commanding' public response.

It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God.
Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such
A mess about having "In God We Trust" on our money and having
God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Why is the world catering to this 14%?

I recieved this in an email and had no choice but to post it here.

Never the Same Twice BBQ Chicken

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:02:17 -0500

I've been told by my beautiful wife (and a few other paid-off, I mean, well paid advisors) that I make a MEAN BBQ Chicken. Their only concern that it is never the same twice. Each time I prepare it they get a different experience. They have asked me over and over again for a recipe and I have held out until now.

You are about to receive the "Never The Same Twice BBQ Chicken for DUMMIES"(since some of my friends are slow). I wasn't talking about you guys -- not at all -- just the ones who already know who they are...

Anyhoo, here we go step by step - I like to number my steps so it is easy to refer back to in case you missed a step...

Walk into the kitchen and turn on the light (most models you just push the knob in the "up" position until the light turns on -- on some of these upity new fangled models you gotta glide your fanger up a little screen to turn it on or push a button - -It's your house- you should know by now how to do this!!) For my relatives in West Virginia - just light the lantern.
Step over the tricycle motor, curtain climber, and ankle biter's toys and don't trip over the family pet who wouldn't move if a tank drove up in the yard as you head to the fridge.
Open the fridge door by the appropriate handle and look inside for the ingredients - because if it ain't in there you can't use it!! You are gonna need all or some of the following (again, if you ain't got it - you can't use it!): ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, some type of yard bird (what we call a chicken here in the South), salt and pepper, and red dye #5 (not so easily available in some states I am told).
Carefully mix, shake, stir, blend, or fold in 1 part ketchup with 1 part mustard with 1part vinegar, 1/2 part brown sugar, and 1/4 part molasses, and sprinkle in some salt, pepper and red dye #5 for good taste. Because the secret's in the sauce!
5. Don't worry if you don't have all of the above ingredients in your fridge! I have a substitution for each one that is sure to help you stop crying-- No ketchup? Use 'mater past, sauce or frappee --- No mustard? use yellow dye #3 (it's all about the coloring) -- No vinegar? Carefully substitute 1/8th part grandpa's best moonshine (all you looking for hear is the BITE!) -- No brown sugar? -- you can use white sugar or just more salt (everyone has different tastes) No molasses? Just use coke - NO NOT THE DRUG - the drink dummie!! No salt or pepper? That is just sad, I don't know what to tell ya. Who does the shopping at your house anyway? -- okay back on track here- No red dye #5? you don't really need it anyway. It's just that it is in EVERYTHING you buy so I figured it should be in there somewhere!
Now that you have stopped crying, let's talk about this bird: If it's still clucking -- kill it!! I prefer the hatchet-to-the-kneck method but some of my cousins enjoy wringing the neck just to laugh their coveralls off at the body runnin around with it's head wrung off. (What else are you gonna do when you don't have a tv or computer and you've already kissed all your cousins (well the purdy ones anyway!)?) If it's already dead and you don't have to de-feather or de-innard it just skip to step #8 (See - I told you that the #'s would come in handy!)
Once that bird stops runnin' around and your cousins put their coveralls back on you gotta de-feather and de-innard the bird. My uncle always put the whole thing (Without the head) into a pot with water and let it boil for a number of minutes until the feathers were easy to yank out. Then just yank out all the feathers!. (if you are wondering how to do this properly you can call my uncle Odell at 803-555-5555 and be prepared to talk loud becasue he doesn't hear too good ) Then you take out the innards - you know, all the stuff you don't want to eat that is usually tickin and movin inside the bird when it was alive. (For directions on how to do this just call my aunt Norma at 803-555-5554, but be prepared - she is gonna talk your ear off about everyone in the family then she's gonna start in on the church members) Or you can do what I do and just buy a dead chicken from the store.
Now that we are all caught up on the same page of the hymnal - Let's talk about preparing the bird to go into the oven or grill(For my West Virgina relatives - yes you can just do it over the fire in your back yard rotissiree style.) I'm assumin' that this bird is not frozen at this point in the game - (if it is just call my Momma at 803-555-5553 to get the best directions on defrostng) OK! now you're gonna wanna brush the sauce from step # 4 ( this countin' thing is really paying off!) onto the chicken thick and evenly so that it sticks to the chicken (OH, now I remember, that's what the molasses was for!) If your sauce is not thick enuff to stick to the chicken - I've always just took a blow torch to it until it thickened up or you can add some corn flower like my Daddy does. (I know that corn does not have a flower on it - but my Daddy gets it from somewhere!) If you wanna know where my Daddy gets the Corn Flower from you can call him at the same # you called my Momma at.
Once you have used at least half the sauce on your bird - place it in the oven and bake on 350 degrees or slap it on the grill for as long as it takes to cook it done at this point some of you are wondering why I did not specify the # of minutes to bake or grill this bird -- well I will take this opportunity to remind you that you could have picked a big bird or a small bird in step #6 and the cooking times would vary for both! Now that I have that off my chest - just keep stickin a fork into it until the juices run clear - each time adding more of the remaining sauce from step #4.
Take it off whatever cooking device you chose and prepare to have your taste buds buckled in for the wild ride ahead! At this point most cookbook recipies like to talk about how many servings this will make - so here goes. The number of servings is inversley proportionate to the size and number of your dinner guests (some of my family are big boys and girls - I'm not talking fat - I'm talking about the big no-neck-monsters that can eat 3 or more chickens by themselves at one sittin' just because they can(You know-- the cousins I'm afraid to kiss!)

At this point your bird should look sumthin' like this beautiful bird on the right. If it doesn't -- don't eat it on my account.

So there you have it! 10 easy steps to my Never the Same Twice BBQ Chicken - Enjoy! And don't send the bill to me if you get samonilla -- you should have referred back to step #9 - It's your own fault!!

How Many Times Have Crowds Cheered for You?

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:14:15 -0500

In Middle School and High School I played trumpet. That's right, I was a Band Geek! I was an "Okay" player on my own -usually landing 2nd or 3rd Chair each week. Knowing I would never acomplish greatness on my own, I joined the High School Marching Band - "The Lugoff - Elgin Marching Pride" to be a part of a team of people who performed at our Football games every Friday night in anticipation of winning the SC State Competition at the end of football season. It was awesome to have the home stands cheer for you as you took the field at Half-Time! It gave me a high no drug could duplicate.

Then when we made it to the State Competition - to hear our family and friends cheer for us as we took the field in our Final Competition of the year - were some of the most euphoric Public experiences of my life - to the point of having chills up & down my spine, legs, and arms ALL AT THE SAME TIME!! To have the electricity of the moment infuse my spirit with energy to spur us on to our best performance of the year - is something I will never forget.

There are only a few more times crowds cheered for me. When I attended Clemson University and joined Tiger Band - everytime we played at Half-Time about 10,000 of the 80,000 fans there would cheer for us. How cool was that?!!

The day God gave me my beautiful wife Christina topped all my other public experiences. Even tho there were only about 100 people in attendance and most of that ceremony was a blurr - I felt the electricity of God's Favor and Blessing that I have never felt before.

However, one night when I was 5 years old in my bedroom surpassed all the experiences I would and will ever have in the future here on earth. On my knees with tears in my eyes and a broken heart of fear for where I would go when I died - my Dad led me to ask Jesus into my heart. AT THAT MOMENT - Jesus says in Luke 15:7 "... There was more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner (Brian Foxworth) who repented." Verse 10 of that same chapter says "I tell you, there is rejoicing (cheering) in the presence of the angles of God over Brian Foxworth repenting (asking for forgiveness of sins and accepting Me into his heart). The Message Bible says verse 10 like this, "Count on it - that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." Even tho I could not see all of heaven cheering me on - I could feel the Electricity of that moment down to my soul knowing that a Big change had just taken place in my life!

There will only be one time when I will hear and see that kind of Cheering for me - when God decides that it is time for me to come home. Hopefully I will have stored up my treasure in heaven by sharing God's Love with everyone God gives me a Divine Appointment with about how Jesus saved me and changed me - and I'll get to hear my God say "Well done my good and faithful servant" to the background of all of heaven including my family and friends who had gone home before me Cheering for me in the background.

Which Crowd do you have cheering for you?

God's One Liners

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:31:51 -0500

1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an endless hope.

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period.

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

12. When God ordains, He sustains.

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

16. Suffering from Truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.

18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

21. He who angers you controls you.

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

26. Read the Bible -- It will scare the hell out of you!

If anyone knows who the author of these one liners are - please let me know so I may give credit -- I receievd this as an email that I had to share!

Additions from Comments: "Your arms are much too short to box with God" "A day hemmed in prayer seldom unravels."

RECALL NOTICE

Brian Foxworth, South Carolina Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:19:49 -0500

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed "Subsequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some other symptoms include:

1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect

The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs.

There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.

Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5 Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers' Instruction Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties,

exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded.

For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace.

The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.

Thank you for your attention!

GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by
"Kneemail".

Because He Lives!

This was an email I just had to share!!! God Bless!