Stock Market (Dow Jones Average) Tops 25,000!

A poinsettia in the sun provides a bright note inside today - contrasting starkly with the wintry white outside.

The Dow Jones Average did not reach 25,000 by the 25th (of December) like I was thinking it would, but finally today that historic level was reached--and exceeded!

In addition, two million jobs have been created in the past year. There is a growing sense that the economy (and the country) is moving in the right direction--in spite of all the negativity and hand-wringing on the part of much of the media. More people have jobs, more people have houses, many companies handed out large bonuses to their employees at the end of 2017, 401k plans have exploded, and people have renewed hope for their futures.

Of course, suffering still continues in many places ... from next door to North Korea.

Jesus famously said "the poor you will always have with you" (Matthew 26:11).

Here in the United States people lost houses in Texas as a result of the flooding from Hurricane Harvey and in California from the recent raging forest fires. Homelessness is epic in California cities like LA. The U.S. Virgin Islands have been devastated by a double whammy of hurricanes Irma and Maria.

And we try to help in our small way. Mostly through our church. Also, we have friends and family members willing to do, for instance, Bible translation in the Congo, evangelization in Ghana and teaching in Kazakhstan. And we support them to do the things that we cannot.

When poor people have nothing else, they can receive the gospel, accept Christ as their Savior and inherit eternal life.

We who are "rich" also have that promise.

 But I hope we never become homeless here in Michigan! The current sub-zero temperatures would be difficult to manage!

I am thankful that our financial future is more secure today than it was a year ago, even as our investments multiply. I don't know how long we will live, but I much prefer to not be a financial burden on anyone else, including the government ... for as long as we both shall live.

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My Dad passed away and entered into his eternal reward when he was 65 years old, of pancreatic cancer--long before he could become a burden. We would have celebrated his 108th birthday today! Happy Birthday, Dad!