Santa does not come to our home

I love Christmas time. It is a time for giving, brotherhood, and self reflection. Unfortunately, it is also a time for heightened commercialism. Santa Claus is on every corner, big store ads, and the constant bombardment of the "perfect" gift idea on television. It is enough to make you dizzy. During this time of hustle and bustle, it is easy to forget the reason for the season.

Santa Claus does not come to our home and he never has. I have taught my children that the birth of Lord and Savior should never be overshadowed by the white bearded, red clad man that we associate with Christmas.There is no gift as precious and perfect as the gift of everlasting life that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave to all who seek him.

Our home is not void of Christmas traditions. We put up the Christmas tree with lights. We exchange gifts as well. This what I have taught my children and hopefully it will help you if you struggle with Santa and Christ this time of year.

Here is what I tell my children:

• The gifts we give represent the spirit of giving that Jesus expects of us all not only during this time of year but throughout the entire year. 
  
• Our Christmas tree, the evergreen, represents the ever lasting life that Jesus gives to all who accept him as their Lord and Savior.
• The Lights on the tree represents Jesus as the light of the world.

Sorry Virginia, there is no Santa Claus. As you go through this holiday season, remember Jesus is the reason for the season. 

What debt collectors won't tell you.

What debt collectors won't tell you.

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Characteristics of Successful People

I have been blessed to be associated with people that I feel to be very successful. Many of my friends are great parents, successful business owners, and authors (published). They have great kids and good marriages. I say this not to brag, but to inspire. As I thought of my friends, the following questions came to mind.

What makes them so special that they are living their dreams? How is it that their businesses flourish, when others do not? What common characteristics do they have? As I thought of these questions and about my friends, I was amazed to find out that they shared many of the same characteristics. Here is a list of some of the commonalities my friends share.

• They have vision that goes beyond their current circumstance.
  
• They are big picture thinkers. 
•   They believe in a higher power.
•   They tend to smile a lot.
• They understand and believe in the power of relationships. 
• They understand the importance of giving back.
•   They are ready to help others achieve their dreams.
•   They understand the calling of purpose in their lives.
•   They readily share their failures so that others might be inspired.

And, they know when to quit. Yeah, I said it! They know when to quit! Quitting is not always a bad thing. My friends understand that to win the war sometimes you have to forfeit the battle. My friends are great people in my eyes and I am honored to know them.

This post was inspired by my wonderful Mother, Marecella Jackson,  Nick Carter Owner/CEO of Addresstwo  Kyle Lacy ,CEO, Brandswag, Lorraine Ball, Owner  Rounpeg Inc

Broken Health Care System - How Many More Have to Die?

Until now I have been fairly quiet on Health Care Reform, but no more. I am constantly bombarded by other people's opinions.  For instance, one opinion that I seem to hear alot is:  I don't think I should have to pay for someone else. WAKE UP!!! You are already paying for health care for the uninsured!

Here is my story. On February 10. 2003 I got a call from my sister who sounded horrible. She was at work (note: I said she was at work) . I suggested she see a doctor. She responded that she could not go to the doctor because of she did not have insurance.

On February 14, 2003 I got a call that my sister had been rushed to emergency. That evening she was put on life support were she remained for 6 weeks and eventually died. Long story short, my sister contracted pneumonia that turned septic in her body. Her final hospital bill was $635,000. After she became incapacitated, Medicaid decided to insure her. Medicaid picked up less than half of the bill. In other words, we the taxpayers picked up about half her bill through Medicaid. The rest of the bill was written off by the hospital.

And, how do you think hospitals and doctors recoup the money they write off? I can tell you -- FROM YOU AND ME!! They do this by raising costs. So we all end up paying for the uninsured. Did my sister have the right to life? Of course she did! By the way, my sister was only 51 years old. She left a disabled daughter who has Cerebral Palsy. Who do you think would have paid for her care, if I didn't take her?   Again, ALL OF US because she would have gone into a state facility.

 We need to stop the needless dying of our fellow Americans and stop over paying for the uninsured.  I don't think President Obama's plan is a panacea for our country's broken health care system, but it's a start. How many more people have to die unnecessarily  before we get health care reform?

Don't Befriend Your Children - Parent Them!

I wish I had a nickel every time I saw parents shaking their heads in awe as their kids refuse to listen to them. There are many reasons why children don't obey their parents , but I am only going to talk about the "friendship" that some parents establish with their children.
There are far too many parents that think they should be their children's "friend".  That's nonsense!  And here's why. When you become your kids friend, you lose all authority over them. Think about it. If your daughter's friend told her that she had to be home at 9:00pm, do you think she would feel obligated to comply? Or, if your son's friend told him he needed to clean his room before he went outside to play, that he would do it? Why should your child do what you say if you are just their "friend"?

Children need parents to parent them.  Children do best when they understand their role. How can you justify being angry with your 16 year old for coming in late when you did not set that expectation as a parent?

My Advice:

• Set expectations for your children. Children flourish when they know what is expected of them.
• Keep the lines of communication open. They will come to you when they need to.
  
• Mean what you say and say what you mean. They will respect you for it.
• Teach children early that their actions have consequences  good and bad.
• Don't be afraid to discipline your children. They won't hate you.
• And most of all, let them know that they are loved and accepted.They will trust you.
  

Parenting is not easy, but it is a must. The earlier you start the better.