BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF GODS MONEY - 08/31/07 09:37 PM
 I remember once being in my car and listening to  a preacher explaining how sometimes people have a hard time tithing and giving in general beacause they mistakenly believe that its their money. I remember this being a hard concept for me to grasp. Of course its my money I work hard for it.But he went on to explain how everything comes from God and we all have seen circumstances when he has taken it all back at a moments notice.How many people have been on top of the world one day and penniless and hopeless the next.
JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID,A … (7 comments)

WELL I DID IT" I HOPE THE WORLD IS READY" - 08/31/07 02:21 PM
Well friends,
Alex,Diane V, Diane R. Armando, Gary and everyone else who has been giving me encouragement. Today I enrolled in a Bachelors of Biblical Studies online program with Biblical Life College And Semenary. I know someone else from my churh enrolled in a chaplains program with them and he is happy. I spent some time on the phone with the director a decided their program was a correct fit for me.
 I should have my first package by tuesday or wednesday and can,t wait to get started. It may cut into blogging time. But with Gods grace the knowledge I gain will … (8 comments)

ROLE MODELS "WE ONLY NEED ONE" - 08/30/07 07:23 PM
 
 Well another disgraced athlete.Someone tell me why a top athlete adored by thousand of fans and making over 20 million dollars a yearneeds to waste his time on something as barbaric as dog fighting?
 Another disgraced politician. A family values politician involved in gay sex acts in a public bathroom. Love to know the thought process used to rationalize this.
 An actor attempts suicide. I really hope this was not just a publicicty stunt and that he gets help.
 Role models dropping like flies on a daily basis. Could be we are looking for our role models in the wrong place.
 I'll stick with Jesus … (5 comments)

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS "PRAY MORE CONDEMN LESS" - 08/29/07 08:45 PM
JUDGE NOT, THAT YOU BE NOT JUDGED."FOR WITH WHAT JUDGEMENT YOU JUDGE, YOU WILL BE JUDGED; AND WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED BACK TO YOU. AND WHY DO YOU LOOK AT THE SPECK IN YOUR BROTHERS EYE, BUT DO NOT CONSIDER THE PLANK IN YOU OWN EYE.? OR HOW CAN YOU SAY TO YOUR BROTHER,'LET ME REOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR EYE';AND LOOK , A PLANK IS IN YOUR OWN EYE.? HYPOCRITE! FIRST REMOVE THE PLANK FROM YOUR OWN EYE, AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR BROTHER'S EYE.
MATHEW 7:1-5
I firmly believe … (5 comments)

STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE - 08/28/07 09:43 PM
 First of all tonight I am barely even going to try to tie this blog into realestate. It was such a trying day I evedn swore today for the first time in a long while. If you read my is it ethical blog from earlier in the day you'll get an Idea why. But I came home and read all the heartwarming cooments my friends left me and then I listened to Diane V's youtube blog and things fell into perspective once more.
 Doing the right thing and proclaiming your love for the Lord sometimes requires stepping out of your comfort zone.
2 … (4 comments)

IS LEGAL ALWAYS ETHICAL - 08/28/07 10:57 AM
Forgive me if you will but I would just like to rant for a moment. I don,t intend to get specific but i am really getting tired of hearing.  How "thats just how things are done" or" well that was infered" whatever happened to truth. Also  I don't agree that just about anything can be rationalized by" I was just doing whats best for my client". Sometimes i still question wether or not I am going to make it in this business. But when the day comes that i feel i have to compromise my ethics, or my morals, just to … (7 comments)

TAMING OUR TONGUES - 08/27/07 08:09 PM
Today we saw the resignation of Alberto Gonzales and one after another the pundents and  news personalites and so called experts bad mouthed him. Now I,m not about to stand up for the way he conducted himself for the past few months, but I ask you. What purpose does badmouthing the man, after he has already resigned, acomplish.
 During the last couple of weeks I have found myself bad mouthing two other agents I am involved with. Even worse only one has heard it to their face.
 How often do we make jokes at others expense.
JAMES3:7,8,9
 7 For every kind of beast and bird, … (8 comments)

Fabulous Townhome - 08/27/07 05:11 PM
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Charming Colonial - 08/26/07 06:59 PM
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BASE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN ON TIMOTHY - 08/26/07 01:53 PM
1 TIMOTHY6: 6,7
6Now Godliness with contentment is great gain.
7For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
 So then isn't the pursuit of rightousness and Godliness more valuable than the pursuit of worldly posessions.
Does helping an unwed mother find section eight housing bring you more or less riches than finding a lakefront home for a millionaire.
 Are we better off leaving our children a nice bank account or the memory of Godly parents.
1 TIMOTHY :9,10
BUT THOSE WHO DESIRE TOBE RICH FALL INTO TEMPTATIONAND A SNARE, AND INTO MANYFOOLISH AND HARMFUL LUSTS WHICH DROWN MEN IN DESTRUCTION … (8 comments)

DO WE REALLY KNOW HOW TO LISTEN - 08/25/07 08:08 PM
 Listening and hearing are two totally different things. My wife has been suffering from progressive hearing loss for a good many years now. One ear has no hearing left and the other is at about 20%. Even with the best hearing aid available today she needs to really concentrate on listening in order to hear. Eileen listens with her ear, her eyes and her general knowledge about what the conversation is about.
  Imagine the improvement in your career, your marriage, your relationships withyour children if we all worked harder at listening.
  And most important of all how hard do we … (3 comments)

RELAX GOD'S GOT IT UNDER CONTROL - 08/24/07 09:27 PM
 
Worry and anxiety I am guessing are probably two of the main causes of sickness and death. They both cause stress and we know stress kills. But what do they accomplish. NOTHING.
PHILIPPIANS 4
6 Be anxious for nothing,but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving ,let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 I wish I could have back every minute of my life that I wasted worrying about things that I had no control over. Or every sleepless night of anxiety where the … (13 comments)

AT LEAST WE GOT A BREAK FROM MORTGAGE STORIES - 08/23/07 11:04 PM
 
For the last day or two I've been very happy that the mortgage company"crisis" seems to have moved off the front page at least for the time being. Until you see what the new "big" stories are. The things that pass for news amaze me.
1.) The russian president takes his shirt off when fishing.( I think they were all just jealous because he's in excellent shape).
 2.) The french president takes his shirt off while boating. (not as good shape).
 3.) Nicole Ritchie spend 82 minutes in jail.( Just enough time for photographs with the guards).
 4,) Britney Spears lack of childrearing.(Maybe Michael Jackson … (4 comments)

PEACE THROUGH FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP - 08/23/07 10:45 PM
 
John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you,My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled,neither let it be afraid."
 Not much has really changed since yesterday. Sure I set some things in motion that will hopefully address yesterdays concerns. But once again an almost eery feeling of peace has come over me. Only this time I don,t have to wonder why. I know why. Prayer,Praying for my faith to be strengthened. And fellowship,just being in a room with other christians discussing matters that really put my problems in perspective.
MATHEW 18:20
 " … (1 comments)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU - 08/22/07 11:43 PM
I LOVE THIS GROUP
PRALM 42 :5
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance.
  It's not been a great day for me. Even almost constant praying has still left me turning back to old ways. But coming home and reading the comments to my blogs from my new friends is a blessing. Alexander I will meet you someday. Diane V. If I ever meet you" which is more likely since we're closer" I think we"ll need a few hours. … (6 comments)

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE THROUGH FAITH AND PRAYER - 08/21/07 07:36 PM
GALATIANS 3:26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus
GALATIANS 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is nether slave nor free,there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
  Instead of watching one expert after another on the news telling us what we should do . Filling us with unnecessary fear. Christians in the real estate and mortgage industry should be putting their FAITH in the Lord and praying that He see's us through this latest obstacle so that we can continue to provide for our families.
JOHN 16:33
"These things I have spoken … (3 comments)

BEING A CHRISTIAN IS A FULL TIME JOB - 08/20/07 11:19 PM
 AT HOME
1)Your teenager has you so mad you'd like to put them through a wall.
  Look at them and say"Although you've really upset me ,since Jesus forgave me I'm going to forgive you"
  That should defuse the situation as they try to figure out if you've completely lost your mind.
2.)Your spouse just did that little thing that annoys you for the 10,000 th time and you just know it is on purpose.
  Tell them how blessed you are that the Lord sent them into your life. You'll forget all about what didn't really matter anyway.
3.) Your already late for work and that … (6 comments)

STOP BLAMING THE MORTGAGE COMPANIES - 08/20/07 10:43 PM
 Have we become a nation completely void of any personal responsibility at all. Sure the mortgage companies gave some mortgages to people who probably didn't deserve them. And now they are going to pay for those transgressions. And no I don't feel sorry for them. Although I do feel sorry for some of the people who are now unemployed but you should have seen it coming. When your company specializes in giving mortgages to people who shouldn,t have them you must know the bubble will burst eventually.
  But how about the people who applied for the mortgages.  It never crossed their mind … (15 comments)

WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT - 08/19/07 05:29 PM
  Are these not the words we all hope to hear at our final homecoming. Today I attended the wake of a man whom I fully believe has already heard those words from the lord he put all his faith and trust in.  Bill I think was one of the original founders of our Gideon camp. He was truly a blessing to anyone he met.
   I only met Bill a year ago when I started attending a bible study. He was already very sick. He was on oxygen and very weak. But he loved studying the Bible. It was obvious he … (2 comments)

THE MOST DIFFICULT COMMANDMENT? - 08/18/07 08:03 PM
 
JOHN 15:12
  " This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
      How many of us struggle with that one. Especially in our business relationships. Although christianity and a love for the Lord Jesus is I believe the greatest thing that can happen to a human being, it is not always a cakewalk.
    To love one another at the same level as Jesus has loved us is not even possible, for we all fall short. But we must try.
    Imagine what it would do for your career. Throw away your prejudices. Forgive instanly those who you … (6 comments)

JOHN 1:5 - 08/17/07 07:35 PM
   
     AND THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT COMPREHEND IT.
  Doing the right thing is not always eay. In fact sometimes it can be downright tiring. How many times during a typical day might you here such sentiments as. "They don,t need to know that" " Don,t make waves", " What do you care anyway", " As long as it gets to closing everyone will be happy" " Don,t make enemies you may need to work with that person again".
  Will you be the light in the darkness. Will you try to walk as Jesus … (7 comments)

PROVERBS 3:5,6 - 08/16/07 10:26 PM
       
             5   Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
                  6   In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
 
       Today was the kind of day when  I might ask myself is this what I really want to be apart of. The lack of integrity and or common decency just seems to be absent some times.
   1.) An agent thats to busy to return phonecalls after I,ve made it clear that we will submit a contract but first would like a question answered.
    2.) An agent that is … (5 comments)

WHAT A DAY THE LORD HAS TRULY BLESSED ME - 08/15/07 09:20 PM
  Good evening fellow BLOGGERS,
   I could easily make tonights blog totally about what may turn out to be my best day in realestate yet. One set of clients having received a contract on their home made an accepting and fell in love with a home. Will be presenting that contract tomorrow. Its a solid offer. Another client decided on another home if their current contract falls thruogh. Which it probably will. And my pastor is ready to start looking again friday.  I also am fully expecting an offer on another listing in the next day or two after the buyer … (8 comments)

NOTHING MORE I CAN DO TONIGHT BUT BLOG AND PRAY - 08/14/07 08:52 PM
    This is some business. Wait all day for phone calls that aren't returned. Then have the circus come to town when you've just about written the day off. I am trying to pull off a three sided deal which suddenly would be going very well if I could get an agent to answer her calls. I have dealt with her before and it is beyond my scope of reasoning how an agent could be so law that her mailbox is full and noone can reach her.  Se is a full time agent.  I don,t expect everyone to answer right away … (5 comments)

JOHN8:32 - 08/13/07 10:38 PM
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free".
    Thats a powerful line of scripture. I,d heard it( or variations there of) many times in my life. But not untill I was saved did it really have meaning.Quite often amongst my Gideon brothers we will refer to the book Sharing Jesus Without Fear. Its more than a book its a way of life. Away of life that only truly becomes possible when you are free.
  Free of the fear of worldly things. Free of the need to lie. Free of the worries of how the world sees you. … (6 comments)

IRONY OR THE LORD AT WORK? - 08/12/07 06:20 PM
 
  Today after service I was going to show some homes to a client as a backup plan. They have a contract on a home but there are home inspection issues that may not be solved. I was meeting them after sinday school and was in a great after service sunaday mood. Although I was eshausted I just felt good about the day.
  On my way to meet them I said a little thank you prayer to the Lord in advance because I just felt something good was going to happen today. Then I said a prayer that this would be … (4 comments)

Hooked on Active Rain - 08/11/07 11:20 PM
 It has not even been two weeks since my first blog but I am totally hooked. Its midnight on saturday night and I,ve been up 18 hours but I have to Blog somtething. May day started with a 7 am Gideons prayer breakfast. At 11:00 I was dropping off rental listings to a friend of a friend. Then an hour of phone calls. B 1:00 o'clock showing  some businesses  to some business men I would love as clients. BY 4:00 oclock to my second job because the market is rough right now and my family gets hungry every day. Home by … (5 comments)

TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST - 08/10/07 01:31 PM
 
  Its been a hot and humid few days in my part of the country.( Northern New Jersey). And it seems complaining has become a national pastime. Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, whichever political party is in power is incompetant, you get my point.
  Anyway I love summer and usually don,t complain about the heat but for the last few days I seemed like the only one. Then I got to thinking. How about the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, I,m sure they could tell some stories about heat.
   Now I know its not Memorial day or … (3 comments)

HEBREWS10:36 - 08/09/07 07:26 PM
 
For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise;
    Patience has never been one of my strong points. But it seems the Lord has decided to teach me. All too often I get myself all worked up only to have everything work out just fine. I was feeling down today as I watched one deal evaporate while another is on life support.
  But when I came home I found out that something on a more personal level concerning my daughter has worked out  nicely. I had been very critical … (2 comments)

Isaiah 55: 11 - 08/08/07 07:44 PM
So is My word that goes out from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
   Sometimes we need to stand in the sun.
     Today I spent the day at our state fair. The sussex farm and horse show. I spent four holurs in my church's tent and four hours in the Gideons booth. Now my church Lafayette Federated is very big on outreach and missions. A very good amount of our budget goes towards missions and bringing the good news of Christ to wherver it … (7 comments)

2CORINTHIANS 8:21 - 08/07/07 11:10 AM
 
   PROVIDING HONORABLE THINGS,NOT ONLY IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, BUT ALSO IN THE SIGHT OF MEN.
    I believe that honesty is the greatest marketing tool of all. There may be occasions where being honest might kill the deal at hand. But down the road it bring tenfold the benefits. I have one client that wanted to buy a business. When I showed it to him he was excited. The problem was that I knew alot about this particular type of business having spent 30 years in the field.
   I could have had his name on a contract that afternoon. Instead … (7 comments)

PSALM 37:3 - 08/05/07 12:54 PM
 
 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
  Each morning I like to read from PSALMS. This mornig I was on PSALM 37. Then after service today during sunday school someone in the class had quoted tis passage to make a point. It was ironic I had just meditated over this very line, but it seeems the Lord does this quite often. When i came home I had no intention of going into the office today as I have someone coming over to help with a project. But as is often the case it … (5 comments)

Driving me Nuts - 08/04/07 01:51 PM
 Today,s is a short post, but there is something thats been bugging me. I have been reading alot of posts. Many of them have been vwery informative, and I think the competancy level of professionals on the site is well above average. That being said."WE SELL HOMES, NOT HOUSES". I just think its respectful when we talk to clients and home sellers about the "HOME". Any used car salesman can sell a house, But a realestate profesional helpd you find your first home. Maybe its just me but I try to watch my vocabulary when dealing with clients and prospective clients. … (14 comments)

MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOW WHAT YOU DO - 08/03/07 02:20 PM
   There is someone I know from the gym that I go to. On an average I see this person two or thre times a week. You've got to love him. He is in his sixties, his wife died about two years ago and he is going blind. But he is never without a smile and a kind word. We all like to joke with him because the main muscle he works out at the gym is his jaw. Its more of a social gathering for him. He works out but Ive yet to see him sweat.
  Anyway his home is … (9 comments)

PROJECTING A POSITIVE IMAGE - 08/02/07 10:56 AM
       I remember when myself and a friend were in the restaurant business together. We started underfunded and during a slump in the economy. Needless to say we had some bad days but my partner always kept up a good front."Never let them see you sweat" was his motto.
  I didn't really get it then, but now having started a career in realestate during a down market for housing I am finding it more important than ever. The difference is that this time my inspiration comes from the Lord.
  I know alot of agents walking around with the looks of gloom … (5 comments)

Home Inspection The start of the second round of negotiations - 08/01/07 11:13 AM
 
 Today I am leaving shortly for a home inspection in which I represent the buyers. This always makes me a little nervous. I want whats best for my clients but you never know how they are going to react to the things that are bountd to come up. My best deal of the year was killed at a home inspection. Even though the seller agredd to fix everything the buyer just wnated out. Its a tough position to be in when you feel your client is being the unreasonable one. But just the same I always reccomend the same inspector because … (4 comments)

 

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