This blog is to express my praise to God for the year passing, awe for the incredible gift of a brand new year, and challenge to myself and you the reader.

The end of 2008 brings some significant developments in the economy and government!

There is a temptation to become average in our thinking and lazy in our permission of constant media input for information's sake.  Akin to staring in a trance at the television at 1AM without actually seeing it ...

Fear tells me that the declining economy and the daily "crisis" reports from housing, finance and automakers should cause me to sit back and question my goals and objectives for the year.  Friends and associates have all expressed this fear in some way or another and I'm constantly having to defend a positive outlook.

Faith tells me that I can, I am and I will overcome these challenges and whatever follows.  I will bend the future to my plan and path rather than allow circumstance to dictate my level of success.  Circumstance will always be there and seldom will it be an active participant in helping me along.

Consider THE GIFT OF TIME described by "2009".  Take stock and appreciate at all that you accomplished in '08!

How do I maintain and even increase my progress toward my goals ... when YOU my partners in REI are sitting back waiting for Black Monday?  (Forgive me if you are not one of these hand-wringers.)

ENCOURAGEMENT.  A word I used in a previous blog that elicits an almost physical response when I read it.  The human soul is hungry for encouragement ... and I resolve to seek it and share it intentionally EVERY DAY of 2009.

Won't you join me?

Honestly ... you have to!  How else are you going to put together the team to do a deal if the individuals are paralyzed by fear?

JOIN ME!  Find an ENCOURAGING word today and share it with someone.  Practice the role of encourager and be that quiet confidence that your team needs to see.  ENCOURAGE ME!

Let's go make it the BEST 2009 EVER!