Tuesday night I was relaxing in a friend's hot tub, sipping wine and chatting about God, politics, and the financial state of the country. It was quite a fun evening. During the course of the conversation, I had apparently spouted enough information to make my friend ask if I would blog on the current market conditions: the credit crisis, the market collapse, what the heck is a CDO, etc. It is an intriguing challenge. While I have been in banking for almost five years now, this is the first time I have even attempted to understand the compexities of investing. When you are not licensed, you can't talk about details, so I never really paid attention. I knew what to listen for when talking to a client, and how to effectively refer them to a licensed financial professional.
Well, now I am the licensed financial professional, and being new to this brokerage world, I've spent a lot of time over the past few months reading and studying, preparing for licensing exams and figuring out what to say to clients when they ask about their accounts. And so I have learned that it is a big scary financial world out there.
My first boss at the bank once said to me, "You sound really confident, even when you don't know what you are talking about." He meant it as a compliment of my ability to handle new challenges, but I somewhat feel that anything I write here about investing and finances might be an example of this "strength." Certainly there is still a lot I don't understand. But while I am not an expert, I do have a lot of research, a few personal conclusions, and some interesting articles to share.
I will start with a recommendation to read this for an interesting article that has helped me understand a lot about derivatives, structured investment vehicles, and the subprime mess. Satyajit Das has worked in this part of the industry for many years, and if you have the stomach for it, his book is considered a classic on derivative trading (I actually didn't finish it. My eyes started to glaze over after a while). But the article gives a good overview.
As I put together my thoughts on all of this stuff, I will follow up with more posts in a series I am calling "Culture of Debt". In my opinion, this latest market crisis is a symptom of the bigger problem of greed that is evident in American society. While I am capitalist to the core, I believe how we go about our finances should be something we submit to God, and living in continual debt and making money off of the weakness of others is not glorifying to God. Our ambition and use of business skills must be submitted to the lordship of Christ and His love for all people.
More to come...
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Celebrating Change
Today was a fantastic day.
Work was good, I went to the theatre with friends, and discovered that more than one person reads my blog. Absolutely fantastic.
I was talking with my mom last night (who, incidentally, says that my new favorite word is 'fantastic') about life, worship team, and sharing Sunday. If you weren't at the 5pm service, allow me to share the Scriptures from Isaiah that God put on my heart:
Isaiah 42: 5-9
This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
"I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you."
Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
I shared in service that God had put these passages on my heart at the beginning of 2007, with a conviction that I was in for a year of big changes. But I also shared that the changes I expected, or wished for, were not the changes I experienced. Reflecting on the second verse in chapter 43, I realized that God knew the areas of desert and wilderness in my life better than I did. He knew where I needed to be pushed and prodded into making the changes that would bring life to my soul.
Change has never been easy for me. When I was younger, I had a lot of fear that manifested in a need to control situations. Prime example: family road trips. The only way I could handle leaving the stability of home was to have my parents provide me with a map and a detailed itinerary. I learned at a very young age how to calculate time based on distance and speed (of course, I hated story problems later in life). I would watch the road signs, compare to the itinerary, and try to predict exactly when we would arrive at our destination. No flexibility in my travel plans.
Nowadays I realize that change can be good, and that sometimes you can have a good time even when you don't know what you're doing. Take this worship leading I've been attempting the past couple of months. While I have been a singer in church since I was 13, I have never led a team of musicians before. It's a difficult thing to do. As one of my fellow leaders put it, the musicians speak a different language of keys and capos that I only slightly understand. My six months of piano lessons when I was ten years old don't really equip me to handle the job of running a worship team. So I've kind of been flying by the seat of my pants here.
But you know what? It's been awesome. Scary? Yes. Nerve-wracking? Yes. Requiring an extensive amount of prayer by myself and and my wonderful friends who have been subjected to my panic attacks? Yes. But intensely wonderful when it all comes together. Our worship team is so talented and understanding that despite my failings we have had some great worship that has reminded me why I love worship team and has also confirmed my sense of calling as a worship leader. The joy of being up on stage and looking down at a sanctuary full of people worshipping God is beyond description. While I may not be chosen to lead the 5pm team permanently, I'm ever so grateful for this opportunity to grow and be blessed by the people I serve with.
This chance to lead worship was just one of the big unexpected changes of 2007. I've blogged a bit about the job change (which is still fantastic; not only did I earn my first big bonus this month, but also a trip to Vegas). There are tons of little changes and insights and areas of growth in my life that I am grateful for. God has definitely been blessing me. So I start 2008 with the expectation of more change, but with no fear.
Well, maybe just a little.
Work was good, I went to the theatre with friends, and discovered that more than one person reads my blog. Absolutely fantastic.
I was talking with my mom last night (who, incidentally, says that my new favorite word is 'fantastic') about life, worship team, and sharing Sunday. If you weren't at the 5pm service, allow me to share the Scriptures from Isaiah that God put on my heart:
Isaiah 42: 5-9
This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
"I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you."
Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
I shared in service that God had put these passages on my heart at the beginning of 2007, with a conviction that I was in for a year of big changes. But I also shared that the changes I expected, or wished for, were not the changes I experienced. Reflecting on the second verse in chapter 43, I realized that God knew the areas of desert and wilderness in my life better than I did. He knew where I needed to be pushed and prodded into making the changes that would bring life to my soul.
Change has never been easy for me. When I was younger, I had a lot of fear that manifested in a need to control situations. Prime example: family road trips. The only way I could handle leaving the stability of home was to have my parents provide me with a map and a detailed itinerary. I learned at a very young age how to calculate time based on distance and speed (of course, I hated story problems later in life). I would watch the road signs, compare to the itinerary, and try to predict exactly when we would arrive at our destination. No flexibility in my travel plans.
Nowadays I realize that change can be good, and that sometimes you can have a good time even when you don't know what you're doing. Take this worship leading I've been attempting the past couple of months. While I have been a singer in church since I was 13, I have never led a team of musicians before. It's a difficult thing to do. As one of my fellow leaders put it, the musicians speak a different language of keys and capos that I only slightly understand. My six months of piano lessons when I was ten years old don't really equip me to handle the job of running a worship team. So I've kind of been flying by the seat of my pants here.
But you know what? It's been awesome. Scary? Yes. Nerve-wracking? Yes. Requiring an extensive amount of prayer by myself and and my wonderful friends who have been subjected to my panic attacks? Yes. But intensely wonderful when it all comes together. Our worship team is so talented and understanding that despite my failings we have had some great worship that has reminded me why I love worship team and has also confirmed my sense of calling as a worship leader. The joy of being up on stage and looking down at a sanctuary full of people worshipping God is beyond description. While I may not be chosen to lead the 5pm team permanently, I'm ever so grateful for this opportunity to grow and be blessed by the people I serve with.
This chance to lead worship was just one of the big unexpected changes of 2007. I've blogged a bit about the job change (which is still fantastic; not only did I earn my first big bonus this month, but also a trip to Vegas). There are tons of little changes and insights and areas of growth in my life that I am grateful for. God has definitely been blessing me. So I start 2008 with the expectation of more change, but with no fear.
Well, maybe just a little.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Living in the Frog Pond
I was online today at work, checking on the markets (which tanked on the first trading day of the year, lovely) and ran across this article:
Well, first I thought I had better let everyone know that it wasn't me who wrote that. It may, however, have been my alter ego, my undiscovered twin, or one of the many friends with whom I have had almost the exact same conversation. I know many a girl that has had the same lament as Miss Stuck.
I could expand on the poor girl's dilemma, but I will stop myself before I get up on my soapbox and start ranting. I will say just this to all the guys out there: girls want to be pursued, with honesty and integrity, and dare I say it, with passion.
Margo recommends a change in social circles, but I don't see that in my future, so I guess you'll find me at the hardware store Friday night.
Just kidding.
Trouble in the Frog Pond
DEAR MARGO: I know I'm not alone in being attractive, single, young, successful, fun and dateless. I know you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the prince, but it's a little depressing when not even the frogs are asking you out.
And how come when you're not even flirting with a guy and you're just having an everyday conversation, he suddenly turns all smug and acts like you're completely into him and are thinking of marriage? I cannot tell you how many times that has happened to me. It's discouraging.
What happened to guys being into girls, and possibly pursuing them? So, not only am I not getting asked out, I can barely talk to guys without it being a humiliating experience.
OK, I'm done. I just thought you and the world would like to know what it's like to be an attractive 24-year-old who's not putting out (so shoot me, I have standards) in 2007.
--- STUCK IN A WEIRD WORLD
DEAR STUCK: I think you need to meet some new frogs, I mean, guys. However you do it, change the scenery and change your circle. I'm not sure why it is that you're seemingly finding all the egomaniacs in the world, but your experience is not reflective of all that's going on out there.
Try some new affinity groups or volunteer for something that interests you. (Or . . . go to a hardware store on a Friday night.) And I salute your having standards. Putting out is not the way to connect with a great guy.
--- MARGO, ASSUREDLY
Dear Margo is written by Margo Howard, Ann Landers' daughter.
Well, first I thought I had better let everyone know that it wasn't me who wrote that. It may, however, have been my alter ego, my undiscovered twin, or one of the many friends with whom I have had almost the exact same conversation. I know many a girl that has had the same lament as Miss Stuck.
I could expand on the poor girl's dilemma, but I will stop myself before I get up on my soapbox and start ranting. I will say just this to all the guys out there: girls want to be pursued, with honesty and integrity, and dare I say it, with passion.
Margo recommends a change in social circles, but I don't see that in my future, so I guess you'll find me at the hardware store Friday night.
Just kidding.
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