Valentine's Day 2005: First Things Remembered
Feb. 10, 2005
This past year has brought many first things into little Braida Zoe Bradshaw's life, as well as to my wife Micki and I.
Her first breath, first cry, first smile, first hug, first kiss, first word, first swim, first tooth, first clap, first step -- and today, first birthday!
Micki and I often marvel at how perfectly Braida is growing, learning and loving her new life with us. She has such a sweet spirit that she seems to bring the best out of all who are around her. Amazing!
I Thank God (& Micki) for little Braida Zoe. She is a living miracle and a gentle reminder that eternal life (zoe) is nearer than most can imagine and our destiny when we finally leave this earth.
The miracle of watching a new life unfold before our eyes is perhaps but a clue of just how much our heavenly Father delights in watching us grow up too.
So we celebrate today Braida's first birthday with a song, a smile and a sentimental tear for the great milestones of this new life in year #1. A first year full of joyful laughs, as well as trials.
Lord, please help Micki and I when we are weak to be strong, loving parents so that Braida can become all that she is created to be. We have accepted the awesome responsibility of trying to model true love and eternal values ... in an increasingly values-free age.
Yes, God's love can be seen in the eyes of a child, help us all to see that love more clearly every day!
SAINT VALENTINES 2004 - David Bradshaw, Editor
Feb. 10, 2004
St. Valentines Day is the day our culture has set aside to reflect, respect, express and renew the love(s) of our life.
NEWS FLASH!: It looks like today, my wife Micki and I will receive a brand new gift - our new daughter, Braida.
My mom and three grown daughters are almost as excited as we are about having a new little sister to love. Braida will also be surrounded by seven of our grandchildren (soon to become Aunts and Uncles).
I know that Braida's birth will be the beginning of another exciting chapter for our lives together as His love is seen most clearly in the eyes of a child. I will post news and details of this joyous event at this link. Please keep us in your prayers.
But just exactly who is St. Valentine?
Last year I quoted from "Discerning the Times" by Matt Kinny, which seems especially appropriate again this year, given the total confusion that exists about what true love is all about…:
"We know that a man named Valentine who lived in the 3rd century was a Christian martyr. Legend has it that while in prison he would send messages to friends signed, "Remember your Valentine," and "I love you." Hence we celebrate St. Valentine's Day as the day of love."
"Love in the 21st century is a colossal concept that means different things to different people. The modern world has adopted a notion of love that is contrary to the love taught and modeled by Jesus Christ and true Christian charity."
"Modern love is based on experience. This usually happens when someone experiences the right "chemistry" with a person that has caught his or her attention. This leads to love being defined by feelings. "I love you," means one feels a certain warmth or affection for another person. This type of love cannot be controlled. Therefore, love or lack of love is not a moral issue.
"Modern love is self-affirming, and the feeling must be mutual. If a relationship is not rewarding, then one has the right to dissolve the relationship, à la no-fault divorce, and find love elsewhere."
"Biblical love is based on a decision. A covenant for life! This is called 'until death do we part.' You decide to invest in another by giving yourself to meet their needs. A biblical "I love you" is affection coupled with a commitment to serve, even when feelings temporarily disappear from time to time. In other words, Christian love is dependent on God, personal choice, and commitment.
Yes, Christian love is what Valentine's Day should remind us of. One of the ways Christian love is expressed is by obeying God's truth about stewardship of our assets, rather than allowing an ungodly culture to define wealth. May I recommend gold and silver jewlery and coins as a lasting gift to your Valentine this year! -db
Read more about stewardship at True-Wealth.com.
Read St. Valentine Love Connection at GoStrategic.org
DOWN-TIME - David Bradshaw, Editor, RMP
Aug. 25, 2003
East Coast Blackout, Mideast Erupts, Arizona Gas Shortage, Spam Worms
Disrupt Internet, Obesity Blamed on Marketing... these are a few of the
headlines in just the last week while I've been on vacation. I can
hardly wait to see what next two weeks will bring.
After three years of doing my level best to present the clearest picture
of the urgent economic realites facing America in the 21st Century, I
decided that it was time for a family holiday.
So my wife, unborn child, three chihuahuas and I all piled into a rented
SUV and hit the road bound for cool southern Oregon from historically
hot Phoenix.
So far, we've visited LA, Monterey, Guerneville and Ferndale, with a
week planned in Ashland, Oregon to check out property to excape the
grueling desert heat from May-October.
As a financial news editor, I can tell you that it's hard to stop
analysing -- even for a week -- but I know that down-time is as
important as up-time over the long haul.
This principle of up-time and down-time seems to be the way the cosmos
was created. If you postpone down cycles too long, then a crash results
-- physical, mental, financial and/or spiritual.
After three years of down time in the stock market, most of the experts
say, "it's now up time," for equities and the U.S. economy, yet the
evidence is unconvincing. Most stocks, bonds and urban real estate looks
top heavy to the best minds over money that we read. So what's left? CDs
that are a guaranteed loss at present interest/inflation rates?
Why not consider gold and U.S. rare coins? With so many of the stock
cheerleaders lining up to agree with the "gold-bugs" what are you
waiting for? How about if 39 respected economists all told you that you
should own a small percentage of gold as financial insurance and for
profit potential? Well they did!
The 21st Anniversary Issue of Real Money Perspectives is; The New Gold
Rush, Pt. II: The Color of Hope is now in print.
If you are one of the millions of confused investors, then please call
Swiss America today to request your free copy at 1-800-289-2646.
Still not sure, read the Introduction and Table of Contents and the
quotes from over three dozen economists who all agree that gold is well
on its way to becoming the best investment of the 21st century...(like
we said it would be in '99, 00, 01, 02 & 03.)
Swiss America members can read it online in pdf format
A NEW GOLDEN STATE - David Bradshaw, Editor, RMP
Sept. 15, 2003
Thankfully, I was not among the 40% of Americans who skipped taking a
vacation this year. It allowed my wife and I to become consumers for
about a month, rather than strict capitalists.
And wow, what a vacation! Imagine a 4,000 mile road trip, over 22 days
with a pregnant wife and three chihuahuas visiting family and friends in
CA, OR, ID, WY, UT and NV. Sound fun?
We started out from PHX to LA to visit my daughter and family. What can
you say except, LA is still beautiful, despite all of the traffic, smog,
attitudes, etc.
We loved the windy drive up the California coast, but cringed at the
prices of real estate...even inland, the beautiful wine country is out
of reach for most non-Cali homeowners.
We especially loved Ferndale, CA, with its rolling hills, wildlife
galore and private beach...but pricey. The Victorian-style theme of
Ferndale is notosgic, romantic and ecclectic...be sure to visit next
time you're near Eureka...and visit The Collingwood B&B...where animals
and people are both welcome to share their hospitality.
The trip outcome? A renewal of family (we visited my brother in Twin
Falls, ID for the first time ever...I've been promising to visit for 10
years) and friendships. We are scouting a new place to beat the summer
heat in Phoenix.
And the winner is... Southern Oregon! The climate is great and the
scenery is beautiful virtually everythere between Grants Pass, Medford
and Ashland, OR.
I missed visiting my friend and talk show host, Roger Fredinberg in
Medford (he was on vacation as well along the Oregon coast) but no
problem, we'll be back very soon.
"Don't Californicate Oregon," was the local attitude I found in
Ashland, OREGON where real estate prices have risen dramatically in
recent years, based on the migration north of CA real estate sellers,
looking for more value.
We took a speedboat ride up the Rogue River with a group of tourists and
had great fun while traveling to and fro looking at potential properties.
Jackson Hole, WY was another beautiful sight to see. Best of all, old
friends took us boating on Jackson Lake to a remote beach for a
barbecue. No one else was even out on the lake that day. Amazing, huh?
We then headed south to SLC, UT to visit another daughter, BreeAnne, to
celebrate her birthday. SLC is another beautiful city at the foot of the
Rockies.
Our final stop was Las Vegas, NV ('lost wages' for many) to see Circus
de Solete. It was spectacular! Micki had never gambled before so I gave
her $10 and she turned it into $50 and then called it quits. Vegas is a
city that tangibly reflects the result of decades of haphazard growth
fueled by the rise the lottery mentality now rampant in America. We were
glad to see the show, but equally glad to leave for our good old home in
Phoenix, AZ.
* * *
It seems that the best fun and values are discovered off of the beaten
track - perhaps true in life and in most of the investment world as well.
For example, gold has proven to be the best investments of the new
millennium, as we suspected it would. Now, as the massive personal,
corporate and government debt bubble keeps grows, the upward pressure on
all types of tangible assets also seems to grow. Why?
For the same reason that debt is the root cause of our unemployment
problem. Debt strangles growth...of a person, a family, a company, a
nation, a world. Tangible assets offer hope because they're debt-free.
Gold and U.S. rare coins are on a trajectory toward the moon right now,
and yet most Americans are not even watching them.
That creates an opportunity par excellante for our readers to jump into
gold and coins, while the rest of the world sits on the fence watching
CNBC for clues.
But, before you jump into anything - get educated. Read our book,
Rediscovering Gold in the 21st Century: The Complete Guide to the Next
Gold Rush. Read our latest pubs, The New Gold Rush, I & II. See why
we're right.
All investment has risk, but then all vacations have risk too! If you
put your faith and hope in the wrong investments you could end up as one
of the hopeless. Don't risk it. Diversify at least a small portion, say
10-15% of your liquid assets into gold or gold coins (hey, Richard
Russell says 30%, see below).
Since Swiss America has been helping with the conversion from paper to
tangibles for over 21 years, I think you it's safe to say that you will
be in good hands...hands that will hand you a product that has been
faithful and hopeful for over 6,000 years.
Regardless of where you live, you can enter a new golden state - it is a
state of mind that understands why gold is the color of hope.. -DMB
P.S. The bull market in gold has now moved into Phase II
