Vol.1 No. 18 |  Aug 2, 2006  

    

This week

“The Bible teaches that Christians are totally different from anyone else.” -  
Peter Jeffery, Evangelicals Then and Now (Buy Now)


 

Finance

6 Ways to Save Money When You Eat Out

I admit it, I love to eat out! Unfortunately, eating out is an easy way to spend a lot of money and gain a ton of weight, which adversely affects your health. The FDA says Americans spend half their money on food in restaurants, but get only one-third of their calories from eating out. That shows you how much we’re spending when we eat out.

Obviously, the best way to save money on food is to eat at home. But if you must eat out, you can save a lot of money – and even eat less – if you follow a few helpful tips.

(1) One of the biggest profit centers for any restaurant is drinks. If it’s a big profit center for them, then it’s a big savings opportunity for you. Instead of ordering tea (one of the most profitable drinks), soft drinks, or alcohol, simply order water. It’s not as much fun, but it’s better for you (though unsweetened tea is great for you) and it will save a lot of money.

(2) Have you ever noticed how big the portions are these days? In an effort to make it look like you’re getting more for your money, restaurants have bulked up their offerings. It doesn’t add much to their expenses, but it sure brings in the profits. So to save money, simply ask for a to-go box right when the food arrives. Then cut your meal down the middle and stick half of it in the box and take it home. Not only will you eat less, but you’ll get two meals for the price of one.

(3) Another way to reduce your cost and portion size is to split a meal with your spouse. Many restaurants have caught onto this and now add a plate charge to your bill, but it’s a lot less than a meal.

(4) Appetizers and deserts are huge profit makers for restaurants. The only time you should order an appetizer is if it’s going to be your main course. And desert? It’s never good for the waistline, and it’s always bad for the budget. Though it can be a fun treat when you’re on a special date with your spouse, you should otherwise, avoid it.

(5) If you have kids under 10 or 12 (depending on the restaurant), try to go out to eat on a “kids eat free” night. Or use coupons.

(6) Try to make it a business meal so you can write it off. You can write off only 50% of meals and entertainment, but it adds up over the year.

Many times you can combine two or more of these tips and save even more. For instance, eat out on a “kids eat free” night, take half your meal home, and order water. Now that’s a meal your wallet and your waistline will enjoy!

– Steve Kroening
     
 

 

Health

Fight Diabetes and Lose Weight Without Avoiding Any Foods

People are always looking for the perfect diet – which, by and large, they don’t manage to stay on for very long. Failing to stay on diets is about as popular as failing to stay on exercise programs.

But there are many diseases that can be managed by proper diet. For those who, like me, suffer from elevated glucose levels, there is a dietary program that is really easy to pursue.

In a book entitled The New Glucose Revolution, the authors describe a new way of looking at diet. The program is not so much concerned with how much carbohydrate you consume as it is with the type.

I was fortunate in that the MD who diagnosed by diabetic condition put me on to this book and its dietary recommendations. And it really is a simple diet. You can eat almost anything you like, provided you consume a balanced quantity of foods. And the way to determine balance is with the glycemic index. This is the measurement of how quickly foods turn into glucose in the body.

So the authors recommend a balanced diet that keeps the carbohydrate intake within certain levels. At the back of the book, they have a whole range of foods listed along with a glycemic index, stated as a measurement from 1 through 100. The higher the number, the quicker the food turns to glucose once you eat it.

Food-producing companies can pay to have a food tested for its glycemic index. In Australia, many foods on the supermarket shelf now reflect an official GI score. These are usually stated as low, medium or high. The reason Australia is ahead of the USA on the GI classification is because the major work in this area was done by professors at Sydney University.

The idea is to keep out of the high range as much as possible, with the majority of your food coming from the low GI list. Here is how these categories are classified.

  • A high GI value is 70 or more
  • A medium GI value is 56-69 inclusive.
  • A low GI value is 55 or less.

There you have it. Now turn to the back of the book and find out which foods belong in which group, then eat as much low GI carbohydrate as you like. And maybe once a week eat some of the foods that are high GI.

Reading this book you’ll find out things such as this:

  • Sweet potato is better for you than Red Pontiac potato
  • Australian-made Coca Cola is better for you than the U.S. product
  • many starchy foods have as strong an effect on blood glucose as sugar and sugary foods
  • saturated fat is of greater concern for people with diabetes.
  • You get not only information, but recipes for a range of foods, showing how to use them to keep a balanced glycemic intake.
  • This, and much, much more is available in this very important book on understanding food and the way it affects our bodies.

– Ian Hodge

(If you want an up-to-date list on American foods and their glycemic index, buy The New Glucose Revolution Shoppers' Guide to GI Values 2006: The Authoritative Source of Glycemic Index Values for More than 500 Foods.)

     
 
   

Family & Relationships

What to Do When Others Grumble About You

None of us likes to hear others grumble about our problems, weaknesses, or inappropriate behavior. But it seems to happen everywhere. It happens at work, especially about the boss or other co-workers. Wives and husbands grumble about each other. And parents and children are notorious grumblers. If you’re the target of grumblings from others, what should you do?

Scripture gives us the answer to that question in many places, but one of my favorites is in the story of Zaccheus. He was a hated tax gatherer and he was rich. He had often heard of a man named Jesus, whom some said was the promised Messiah. That day, Jesus was passing through Jericho and Zaccheus wanted to see and hear Him. He climbed up a sycamore tree and, to his amazement, the Lord found him. It was with great joy that Zacheus received Him. Then he heard the grumbling and accusations the people would rightly make against him.

So, without any prompting, Zaccheus made the declaration to give half of his possessions to the poor and give back four times as much to anyone he had defrauded. Zaccheus was a new man, not coveting money, but seeking after God.

The law required that he pay back what he had defrauded, but giving half of his possessions to the poor was not required. It was proof of a transformation! What can we learn from this man? May I suggest three things?

(1) Seek the Lord first and ask Him to search your heart for wrongdoing. Don’t let any obstacle stand in your way of seeking the Lord. Zaccheus watched Jesus from a distance, thinking the grumbling of the crowd and his short stature disqualified him from the Lord’s presence. But when he turned to Christ, the Lord quickly pointed out why others were grumbling about him. And He’ll do the same for you. (Jeremiah 29:13 – “And you will seek me and find me; when you search for me with all your heart.) 

(2) Once you know the answer, don’t let the comments of others dissuade you from your path of obedience. Seek out those you have wronged and be sensitive to not only make restitution, but restoration.

(3) Be patient! Sometimes grumbling doesn’t go away immediately. That’s normal. Continue to extend grace to whomever you may have wronged. Even if they don’t respond gracefully to you right away. These things can take time.

(4) When the grumbling stops, remember to give thanks and the glory to God.

– Gladys Villnow
     
 

 

Parenting & Education

What Are Your Children Worth?

If you were asked how much your children are worth, you might think about how much of a ransom you’d be willing to pay if they were kidnapped. Most of us would eagerly put up everything we own to get them back.

We would gladly sell our home, cars, stocks, jewelry, and anything else of value we have to pay that ransom. But that’s not really how we determine the value of our children. Hopefully, none of us will ever have to experience such a horrible tragedy. So there has to be another way to determine their value.

For most of us, we think of “worth” in terms of money. But there’s something we all have that’s far more valuable than money. It’s time.

We can lose and gain money. We can grow it, spend it, give it away, and save it. But we all have only a certain amount of time. We can’t grow it; we can’t make any more of it. All we can do is spend it. And where we spend it determines what we value – what people and things are worth to us.

The Bible tells us that we are to consider others more important than ourselves (Phil. 2:3-4). And the one area we show others, especially our children, that we value them more than ourselves, is to give them our time.

If we’re willing to admit it, most of us have a pretty high sense of self worth. But what really makes us feel good is when someone else shows us that they value us enough to give us some of their time – with nothing expected in return. When someone else says we have worth, it means a whole lot more.

Probably the best way you can give your children your time is to listen to them. It shows them that what they have to say and what they think is important to you. It tells them that you think it’s worth something. It’s also the best way to learn what’s in their heart. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34, ESV)

– Steve Kroening
     
 

 

Success

Two Tips on How to Create a Win-Win Owner-Financed Real Estate Deal

When the stock market began to crash in 2000, investors started to move their cash out of the market and into real estate. The money flowed that direction largely because of the advice of success gurus, such as Rich Dad, Poor Dad’s Robert Kiyosaki, and because of some great opportunities to profit.

Those investors did extremely well. But now that interest rates have moved up, the housing market isn’t growing nearly as fast. Many are trying to sell.

Unfortunately, the higher interest rates and sky-high real estate prices make it difficult for many people to buy real estate. So owner financing is becoming very popular (and profitable) once again. This can be a great opportunity for the seller and it offers some tangible benefits to the buyer, such as much lower closing costs.

If you find yourself with the opportunity to finance a house you want to sell,
here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

The biggest risk with financing a mortgage is that the buyer doesn’t pay. This typically results in foreclosure, which is a real hassle. So it’s not wise to go into an owner financing deal unless you get a substantial down payment. By substantial I mean at least 20%. Never lend anyone more than 80% of the purchase price. If you do, it’s just too easy for the buyer to walk away from the mortgage. If you get 20% up front and the whole deal goes south, you’ll have some money for your trouble and you can resell the house.

Once you get the down payment, never let the buyer get slack on the payments. Keep the pressure on to make the payment on time and let them know you will use every inch of the law to protect yourself. That may seem harsh, but it’s absolutely vital to stick close to your contract.

If you manage the contract and your buyers right, owner financing can be a win-win for both you and the buyer. But failure to do so can result in some nasty problems. I’ll have a few more suggestions for you next week that will smooth out the process even further.

– Steve Kroening
     
 

 
 

Wisdom From History

The Anonymous Woman Who Changed the Jungle – and the Lives of Many Prisoners of War

The Japanese captured Ernest Gordon when he was 24. They sent him to a prison camp near the River Kwai, where he, along with every other prisoner there, was expected to die. He was given just enough food to keep him alive and he was forced to work in slave labor on the notorious “Railroad of Death.”

While working on the railroad, the prisoners often came in contact with many of the people living in nearby villages. Most of them turned their noses up at the prisoners. Even the Buddhist priests ignored their plight.

“But once,” says Gordon in his book To End All Wars, “we came to a village where we received a treatment so different that it astonished us. There was mercy in the eyes of those who rushed to the roadside to watch us go by. Before we had reached the end of their settlement, they were back laden with cakes, bananas, eggs, medicines, and money, which they thrust into our hands. Later we learned that this village had been converted to Christianity by missionaries….

“A key figure in carrying Christianity to these jungle outposts had been an elderly missionary woman who managed to continue her work during the Japanese occupation. When she was finally forced to take to the jungle, she was handed from one group of Christians to another. The Japanese knew of her existence and were never far behind. But, although they put a high price on her head, she eluded them….

“These brief contacts with the outside world were helpful reminders that a saner, more human way of life still existed. No word had been said. But the message had been given.”

– Steve Kroening

PS. The story of Ernest Gordon and the other prisoners of war is one of the most compelling you’ll ever read. You can read it yourself in the book To End All Wars. I also recommend you see the movie “To End All Wars.” It’s graphic, and has some coarse language, but the message is absolutely stunning.
     
     
 

 

Word for the Wise

What It Means to Blow Hot Air

"and you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead" 1 Corinthians 5:2

Arrogant - We have no trouble identifying arrogance. That overblown pride, that sense of superiority, that inflated ego. We recognize it immediately – in others. But just as Proverbs says that the fool seems right in his own eyes, we have an amazing ability to be blind to our own arrogance. We don't see the pride, the self-inflation and the superior attitude hidden in our own words and actions. We wear the "there's nothing wrong with me" mask. We're like the greeting card that says, "I used to make mistakes, but I got over that. Now I'm perfect."

The Greek word physioo comes from the imagery of the blacksmith. The bellows used to keep the fire hot blows air into the coals each time it is inflated. That's arrogance. Full of hot air, blowing it out at every opportunity. But that's not all the imagery Paul packs into this word. This particular form of the verb means that it is action in the past with continuing consequences for the present and it is especially personal. It's not just ego on display. It is continuing self-involved ego. I just know that I'm better than you and my words and deeds constantly make a point of it.

What's the solution to this blindness? Paul has an answer. Where inflation begins to get hold, the correct response is mourning. You don't need a session with the psychologist. You don't need to read another self-improvement book. You don't even need a sharp rebuke. You need to go to a funeral – your funeral. You need to die and be buried. There is no "this world" correction for arrogance. The only solution is to leave this world behind, along with its preoccupation with image. Paul uses a term that belongs in the graveyard (pentheo). You can find it in Matthew 5:4 and 2 Corinthians 12:21. It is the verb for grieving and intense emotional agony over someone who has died. Paul says, "Don't keep blowing hot air on the coals. Throw water on that fire and let it die."

Why is mourning the solution for arrogance? Because mourning takes us toward God. At death, we see the truth about ourselves. We are all the same. We will all come to the same end. The only difference between you and me is God's grace, nothing more. What can I take pride in when I am reduced to the same plot of ground as all other human beings? What matters in my vain quest for ego inflation when the dirt covers me? Without God's grace, I am just as lost, just as lonely, just as guilty.

Arrogance is a mask, blinding me from the truth of my existence. Death will peel that mask away. I can wait for the grave or I can mourn my death now and let God reveal that we are all the same under the skin.

– Skip Moen

(Ed. Note: Skip Moen, PhD, is the president of At God’s Table and the author of Words to Lead By.)
     
 

 
 

   

 Resources

The New Glucose Revolution, by Jennie Brand-Miller, Thomas M.S. Wolever, Kaye Foster-Powell, and Stephen Colagiuri (BUY NOW)

The New Glucose Revolution Shoppers' Guide to GI Values 2006: The Authoritative Source of Glycemic Index Values for More than 500 Foods, by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Kaye Foster-Powell (BUY NOW)

Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki (BUY NOW)

To End All Wars, by Ernest Gordon (BUY NOW)

To End All Wars DVD (BUY NOW)

Evangelicals Then and Now, Peter Jeffery, Evangelical Press (Buy Now)

 

   

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