Economics in God's Economy

The Hot Dog Vendor – Advertising marketing Fable


Here is a marketing / business fable that has been passed down over time and is now floating around the Internet in many different versions. My attempt to hunt down the original source has been futile, however the message is as true today as it was yesterday.



The Hot Dog Vendor

In Chicago , there was a hot dog vendor who sold the very best hot dogs by the side of the road. His business was booming, people loved his hot dogs, and his business steadily increases month after month. The man loved his business and believed in the need to provide great food at a great price.



This man was so busy advertising and selling his hot dogs and making lots of money, that he didn't even have time to read the newspaper or listen to the radio. Consequently, he never heard a word about a predicted recession or the need to cut back to save for the potential economic slowdown. As long as he continued to offer his delicious hot dogs, his customers bought them. He kept selling, and they kept buying.



Then one day his college educated son told him that an economic recession was surely coming. His son told him that people wouldn't have enough money to buy his hot dogs. The successful hot dog vendor believed this, so on his son’s advice, he cut back on his advertising. Additionally, he started ordering less supplies and product, because after all, people would be cutting back soon.

He even went so far as to take down many of the billboards that lead to his roadside stand. And sure enough, people stopped coming to him. People stopped buying his hot dogs, and he eventually went broke.



Then he thought to himself. "How smart my son is in predicting this."



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The part that I love about this story is that it is SO true. Every day, I see something on the news about the impending recession, the housing slump, the weakened economy. Federal reserve chairman declairs we are in a slump and stock prices fall. He says the economy is growing, they go up. This happens because people believe what they hear and they act upon it accordingly. I always thought it would be interesting if the government secretly planned a conspiracy to tell the nation that the economy is growing by leaps and bounds. People would cheer, spend money, and just that would give the economy a boost. But they inevitably do the opposite causing the very thing they fear to happen.

I understand times are tough...Not to deny that any of that is true but generally I ignore the dooms day economy scenario because as a believer who practices kingdom giving, I KNOW I live in God's economy--not the world's. So the next time you hear a news story, remind yourself, that Life and Death is in the power of the tongue, and as a man thinketh in his heart, so IS he...If you speak recession, and believe it will come, it inevitably will. Just remember the Hot Dog stand owner.



But if you speak the word, and say, "My God supplies all my needs according to His riches in Glory" and "Jesus came so we may have life and have it more abundantly", and that "God is able to do superabundantly above all we can ask think or imagine", and you practice the kingdom principles of giving, then you won't experience a recession. You may live among it but you won't be of it.

I am increasingly shocked at conversations I frequently hear of Christians fearing the recession. I understand walking in wisdom. We don't deny the housing crisis is there but we don't have to dwell on it or fear it. I am ever more eagar to share my testimony of this past year of having starting my own business in the midst of a spiritual battle and after experiencing financial lost, only to see God reveal himself more faithful than ever. I generally think that those that fear the recession are those that may not be faithful in kingdom giving and know that God may not rebuke the Devourer for their sake.

This year, God has opened doors financially for me beyond my wildest dreams, I am my own boss, make my own schedule and have WAY more freedom than I ever have had, and without the stress I had a year ago. My life is so stress free, that I often find myself BORED. But in a good way! I am on my way to being debt free. I set and completed my goal of having maintained no revolving credit card debt for nearly a year now. I will pay off my truck next and am praying for buying a house. The sky is the limit when you trust God, walk in obedience and speak the word.

In the short term, I experienced some financial loss, but in the long term, I have gained much because I got to see God work in the midst of challenging circumstances and again show himself faithful. 2008 is the year of New Beginnings. And for me, it has already surpassed my expectations.

I encourage you. As you listen to the news about the subprime mortgage crisis. Take heed, walk in wisdon, but declare the faithfulness of God and the Word of God rather than the Word of CNN. Practice Kingdom giving and be reminded that the willing eat the good of the land.

He is faithful WOOT WOOT!

Love you all.

Michelle

Politics

I find it so interesting the 2008 Presidential election I mean. The Iowa Caucuses surprised a lot of folks with Mike Huckabee winning--Go Huck, and Barack Obama winning the democratic caucus. There was little talk about race when Barack was winning. Now that Hilary has won two states, all of a sudden Mr. Obama is playing the race card. I really truly do not get this. I consider myself a relatively unracist person but why is it that when things go someone's way, all is good, no racism is mentioned, and when things don't, if that person is a person of color, people play the race card. I personally think that both candidates have some strikes against them. Not because I think that someone black or female can't be president, but there are those that just won't vote for someone female or black. I cannot see myself voting for Hilary. But for ethical reasons and I don't like her politics. Same with Barack. A few years ago, I would have voted for Alan Keyes, but his candidacy didn't go far. There are those Americans who would never vote for someone female or black... But regardless I really don't get it how people play the race or gender card only when they lose an election. It astounds me really because I wonder, do they ever stop and think that maybe it is their politics? and not their race or their gender? It could be their morals and values or lack thereof? Could it be their policies, or their platform or their proposed solutions that people don't like or is it only a matter of race? When people don't like the outcome, they play the card rather than consider, just consider that maybe, just maybe it was something else. This political nonsense will continue on. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and VOTE FOR HUCKABEE! WOOT WOOT

Mike Huckabee

For those of you who are watching the candidates, I would encourage you to do research on Mike Huckabee...He is awesome and the more I listen to him and read up on him the more I am convinced he is going to be the next president...

My favorite things in 2007!

Since 2007 is about to close and a new Year is on the horizon, I want to reflect back on some highlights and lowlights of 2007.

Highlights:

• I watched God work amidst some really challenging circumstances and attacks and do some amazingly great things. He isn't finished with that situation yet but demonstrated Himself to be faithful..
• For the first time in my life I saw the musical CATS and it was incredible...I also went to a Tyler Perry play, my all time favorite director. They were awesome...I highly reccommend them!
• I started my own business in the midst of really challenging circumstances, and God has never failed me. In a world where everyone is saying RECESSION, my business continues to grow. I live in GODS economy not MANS, so He continues to prosper me...He has brought me some incredible clients and great people to work with who have already taught me a lot...
• I learned the meaning of true friendship and how to discern those who are really FOR you and those who are NOT. There were some great disappointments, but inspite of those, God put some amazing people in my life to be an encouragement and support to me. One very special person who shall remain nameless has come to mean more to me than he will ever truly know...
• I got to spend almost a month in sunny Arizona, where God is opening up some awesome doors...I can't wait to see what He does next.
• I was blessed to work with some incredible people who did all things as unto the Lord...and boy did we learn some things! I heard someone say recently..."Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted....isn't that the truth!?!"
• I officially paid off all my revolving credit card debt! The truck and student loans are next and it feels awesome. Being free of the credit card debt is exhilerating. I no longer am driven by unnecessary credit card purchases...and it has been almost a year and I intend to keep it that way. If I ain't gots the cash to pay fer it, I don't gets it...Amen
• I opened up a savings account and started saving. I hope and pray that there is some left after I pay uncle Sam his portion...

Lowlights

• Most of you know the lowlights of 2007 for me. Greedy people. People who will lie, cheat, steal and do anything to get ahead including operating with no integrity. Need I say more? Nope, I will leave it at that. God is gonna deal wit u cause when you say u representin Him, He takes it seriously, and He don't like ugly, and He is not mocked...
• I spent more time this year watching TV than I have in many many years. Let's just say that catching up on episodes online has made that pretty easy to do...Working at home, it is easy to have it on for background noise. That will be one of my new years resolutions...
• I got my wisdom teeth pulled...not a fun experience but not as bad as I thought it would be. I really prided myself on never having any type of surgery...at least it wasn't intrusive...as if having a complete stranger pry out two teeth with pliars isn't intrusive...not sure what is...
• I really don't have much else to say that was a low light in my life in 2007. God has been good and I guess he only allows the things in our lives that we can reasonably handle...
• I realized how much I really dislike NWI weather...but I am doing something about that real soon..

Favorites:

Movies-Bella

Song-My desire-Jeremy Camp

Place to visit: Arizona--woot woot!

TV Shows: Prison Break, CSI, Heroes, Lost

Drink-Diet Vanilla cokes, although I have found and concocted a great new ice tea that u must try!

Christmas present-Bottle of Ysatis perfume

General-the faithfulness and wonders of God.

Peace Out Holla--leave your favs and reflections of 2007!

Welcome to the Family Journal!

I just wanted to welcome you all to the family journal. I am horrible about keeping in touch with people so I wanted to invite you all to update me on your lives soI can stay in touch...Leave me the good stuff, the bad stuff, and all the fun stuff!