The Obama surge and how it’s making some people nervous.

  Recently I’ve been inundated with emails from friends who wanted me to take the Obama challenge. Opening the email it said (not to the best of my knowledge) do you know what he stands for? People are getting very nervous. Why? In the greatest country on this planet (my opinion) people have the right to vote for who they think is right for them. Prior to this election there has never been a person of color for African Americans to vote for. The choice was always the same. It is time for change.

 Every person running for office anywhere has something in their closet that they would prefer not to come to light. It may not rise to the level of criminal but it’s out there. The reason is we are not perfect. We have ALL made mistakes in our lives. There are no PERFECT people. It’s the reality of a person of color running this country that makes people nervous. How dare they think they are smart enough to be the president of these United States. I haven’t had those same people send an email to take the Mc Cain challenge. I replied to the sender and asked them to send one and their reply was ”I haven’t seen on but if you do let me know”. They totally missed my point.

 Living here in GR as you drive through neighborhoods you see signs in people’s yards saying who they are voting for. Why are there white people who seemingly will vote for Senator Obama and not Senator McCain? They certainly are not black so what can we attribute that to. Can we say that “change” is what they are looking for and they think Senator McCain will be 4 more years of Bush politics?

 The late Robert Kennedy said in 1968 “ there will be a Negro in office within the next 40 years”. And here we are in 2008. Premonition you may ask? I have no idea. I have a firm belief in my God and he will take care of that.

 People are intelligent enough to vote their conscience. They read, they see and certainly they feel. So many disgruntled Americans out there. They don’t want more of the same. They need and they want change. That’s all. Something different than what they have at the moment. People are losing everything they worked their whole lives for. We are all aware of the economy and what it has done to the housing market alone. You would have had to be living under the proverbial rock not to see, hear and feel what’s going on around you. So change is imminent. Do I know who will win? Not by a long shot.

 All I know is whomever gets there they will have a job on their hands. So if there are people who disagree with me that is fine. That’s what makes this country great. November 4, 2008 is fast approaching. Don’t let someone intimidate you.

Robert L. Brown

FleXit Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

Woman shoots herself after being foreclosed on by Fannie Mae.

  This story has become one of the symbols of the growing crisis of the foreclosure mess here in the US. A 90 year old woman preferred to die then lose the home she has owned since 1970. We ask what has this country come to? Is this action going to be seen across this land because people are losing one of the most important possessions in their life? I hope not. Only time will tell. And yes she did survive. Read the article. Very interesting.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/03/eviction.suicide.attempt/index.html

Robert L.Brown

FleXit Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

Gene Upshaw. NFL Players Assoc head dead at 63.

 Gene Upshaw dead at 63 in his home in California. A bear of a man he guided the players union to where it is today. Anyone who is into football should recognize the name. A part of the feared defense of the Oakland Raiders where he played for 15 years. I’m noticing there are lots of people we know that are heading home.  I wish his family well during this time.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8474752?MSNHPHMA

Robert L. Brown

FleXit Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

Michael Phelps. Number 6 and counting.

  Is he unbeatable? Well if you’ve looked at any of the competition out there it doesn’t seem likely. I’m not a swimmer and not interested in the sport but to watch someone break record after record is fantastic. It makes you so proud of his accomplishments and he represents this great country. I see myself watching when he enters the pool. I call him “half man-half fish”. Not meant with any disrespect because he definitely moves like one. I’m looking forward to USA basketball also. So far as of this writing they are 3-0. Time to turn it up a notch and bring home the GOLD.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080815/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_swm_swimming

Robert L. Brown

FleXit Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

Another legendary R&B singer has died. Mr Isaac Hayes

  It didn’t matter who you were or what you looked like. If you were a product of the 60’s and 70’s you knew the voice of this great legend. From albums to movie soundtracks you knew his voice with the first couple of notes. It seems there are so many people we grew up with are leaving us.

I remember the Shaft movies and listening to the music. A couple days ago Bernie Mac now Isaac Hayes. Who will it be next. Maybe I will have to search the net for his music. He definitely impressed me.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080810/ap_on_en_mu/obit_isaac_hayes

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/20080811/en_music_eo/23109;_ylt=Aq_sx3jUM7NzNWGcTKNNUzsnHL8C

Robert L.Brown

FleXit Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

Political Fundraisers and why I don’t contribute.

   The internet is rife with ads of mudslinging between the candidates and as it gets nearer to election time things will get worse. I look at my hard earned money and I ask myself why would I give my money to either party. Some of these ads are belittling to either party and I think it’s an enormous waste of money.   

  People take their hard earned money to watch either side belittle or try to tear down the other candidate. You read in the articles where they raised several million dollars to wage “war” between themselves just to attain a position which will give them headaches for the next 1200+ days. You have one candidate (Barack Obama) asking for help to ease the debt Hilary Clinton amassed during her run for the nomination.  25 million in debt and some of that is her own money. What about the sense of fair play. Do you have to put each other down to elevate yourself. When will it ever be on the merit of the person you are. When will it ever be because you have a good moral character? That’s why “I don’t approve either message”.

 Run a campaign showing what you can do for the American people. Is that not the purpose of you getting the highest office in the land. When will politicians realize that it is not about them but about the people they serve. US!! It’s not about their special interest groups or the private agenda. America is not your private candy store to do as you please. Their responsibility is to lead a country in the direction to benefit the whole. The process (IMHO) takes way too long. It should be decided within 60 days. Take the bulk of the money and give it to charitable causes, education etc. This country has to go back to where people are proud to be here. People are getting tired of all the negativity. There are enough problems we face daily. Who do you think will start running a clean campaign? Who will try to unify a country and make us proud again?

Robert L.Brown

Flexit Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

Who We Are in Christ. Part 10

Luke 18: 9-14

 The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

 9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about^[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

 14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 Are you familiar with this verse? Two men at the temple praying. A very normal occurrence in that era. Now one prays about himself(the me-me syndrome) and the other (humbling himself) asking for God’s mercy. Most of have done one or the other or both. Tying this to real estate is when there are agents who elevate themselves amongst their peers thinking they are so much better (this happens in all markets) because they sell millions of dollars worth of real estate and have 2-3 assistants etc. You get the picture. I could name a few people here but I wont. Not a Christian thing to do. With the fall of the current market this (IMHO) has changed the attitudes of several “prima donna” agents. This market has humbled them. It has changed their “attitude’ in how they treat their fellow agents. It all falls under the heading of respect. That’s where we are lacking at times. Sometimes you have to fall flat on your face to realize the mistakes that you’ve done to offend others.

 Noone is immune to this. I’ve had to eat crow a time or two.  It has the ability of changing your character. Who wouldn’t want that type of change. Another character builder is God and His Word. He has the ability to change anyone at anytime. All you have to do is ask. He is always listening. The Bible says “He inclines His ear and listens”. Where He does it is from the inside out. We, sadly look at the outside in. It’s a flaw we all have. Being humble is a good thing. That’s the direction we want to head in.

Be Blessed.