Be Wise

When Jesus was sending his twelve out into the world on a mission trip, he told them to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” I think it is good for us to be aware of our surroundings and the culture we are in. We should be wise and yet innocent. A big part of our culture revolves around our economy. We should have a basic understanding of the economic world we are in in order to be good stewards of our financial resources. I do believe one of the most fundamental understandings for us to have is that we are only stewards. We really do not own anything. Our lives and all they include belong to our Creator. He has entrusted us with certain earthly possessions, and we will one day give an account to Him on how we invested our lives and the things He entrusted to us.

If we want to be good “investors,” we must have some understanding of our current economic conditions. This section today is simply an overview of where we are at the beginning of the New Year.

Our country has experienced some of the highest levels of inflation in the last forty years. The S&P (a marker of our economy) was down around 20% for the year. Our inflation rate as reported by the U.S. Labor Department published on December 13 was 7.1% for the preceding 12 months. One can argue that the actual inflation rate is higher.

Many investors and pundits are predicting a fairly significant recession for the coming year. A recession is a business cycle contraction when there’s a general decline in economic activity. One of the common predictors for this is the Treasury Bills rates. It is referred to as the treasury yield curve. When the T-Bill for two years is paying more interest than the 10-year T-bill, it’s often followed by a recession. This is not a guarantee that a recession is coming, but it has a high predictive value.

There are several things that contribute to our current economic cycle. One of the biggest drivers has been easy access to money for the last several years. Our central bank has been lending money for next to nothing until this last year. This “easy money” made it cheap for businesses to borrow and grow. Then COVID hit, and our economy was aggressively slowed down because of the quarantines. (I am not trying to argue for or against those quarantines in this blog.) Our government essentially plugged what would be a $2 trillion hole from the shutdown with about $8 trillion in stimulus money. This greatly increased our money supply, and many people and businesses had “extra” monies to spend.

This easy money, along with the shutdowns, led to this fairly rapid inflationary cycle we find ourselves in now. Supply chain issues, along with political unrest, have also contributed to our current state.

The USA currently has about $31 trillion in national debt. This is about $94,000 per person in the US. We rank number 12 on a list that compares national debt to gross domestic product. Venezuela currently heads this list with 350% debt to GDP. Japan is number two at 296%, and we are currently 12th at 128%. For reference’s sake, our national debt to GDP was around 31% in the 1970s. Russia has one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios at 17.8%. China is currently around 78%.

Our debt-to-GDP problem is going to continue to worsen. In 2021, our government’s revenue was about $4.05 trillion, but we spent about $6.82 trillion. We are currently paying about $475 billion in interest a year on our national debt.

One of the positives about this high interest rate environment is that you can actually earn some interest on savings. CDs are paying around 4% now. It has been many decades since you could earn interest like this. Again, the problem is inflation. You are basically losing about 3% buying power on your money.

So, what are you to do? I believe our economy is going to go sideways for the next 5–7 years. Inflation may go down slightly but will be higher than the 2% the Fed is shooting for. The same advice your grandmother gave you still applies today: “Spend less than you make!” Save a good percentage of your income. Cash is always king. If you are prudent, opportunities will present themselves. The housing market will correct, and prices will moderate. I would stay away from adjustable-rate mortgages for now. Rates are not likely to come down any time soon and most likely will continue as they are now or rise.

Remember, we own nothing. We are stewards. We are to invest our resources and our lives with eternity in mind. Be wise and be innocent.

Author: Dr. Curtis Brown

Who Is Your Theo?

I have a little bit of a trick question for you today. Who was Luke written to? How about Acts? You probably got this one right, but if not, no worries. Dr. Luke wrote these two books of the Bible to someone named Theophilus. I don’t think anyone today really knows who Theophilus was. But Dr. Luke wrote 26% of the New Testament to just one man—a man named Theophilus. I don’t imagine that the good doctor had any idea that his letters to this one man would have so much influence to so many people over so many years.

Two letters, one man, unmeasurable influence.

I like to quail hunt. If you have never been, you should go. I have been quail hunting for years, and yet, experiencing a covey raise still excites me to this day. When the dogs go on point, my heart starts to beat a little faster. One of the escape mechanisms for the quail is to flush all at once. If you get 12–15 birds all flushing at the same time, it’s hard to shoot any of them. You have to focus on just one bird and try to temporarily ignore the whole covey. If you shoot at the whole covey, you will miss almost every time. On the other hand, if you focus on one bird at a time, you are more likely to put one in the bag.

Luke was focused on Theophilus. His letters to one guy have encouraged millions of Christians across the centuries. I don’t imagine Dr. Luke planned on influencing so many people. I believe he was totally focused on the one “so that he might know for certain the things he was taught.”

This thought has challenged me to think about who my Theophilus is. Who are the one or two guys I can focus on to encourage them on their journey? It can be overwhelming when I look at the whole covey rise. It’s hard to know where to start. I want to challenge each of us to think about one or two guys we can befriend, mentor, disciple, or just simply get to know this year “so that they may know for certain the things that they were taught.” Who knows what influence we might have?

Who is your Theo?

Author: Dr. Curtis Brown

I Thought It Would Get Better

“Well, I just thought it was going to get better.” This is what I hear every day from patients who present to my office complaining of shoulder problems. The shoulder, like the rest of the human body, is an amazing structure. The Psalmist wrote: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This becomes increasingly evident the more you learn of the human body. And the shoulder is no exception. God has made us with an amazing ability to heal and to adapt. However, as we age, that healing ability slows and adaptation decreases.

The shoulder is a joint comprised of two bones, the glenoid (shoulder blade) and the humerus (arm bone), a multitude of ligaments that hold it together, and plethora of muscles that provide motor function. The most common problem I encounter in the office related to the shoulder is rotator cuff damage. The rotator cuff is actually a tendon composed of four separate muscles that come together and form a common tendon that’s responsible for moving the arm in front of the body, outward from the body, over the head, behind the back, and behind the head.

Damage to the rotator cuff can occur in a myriad of ways. It can be traumatic (a fall or dislocation), it can occur from repetitive activities, and it can be the result of long-term wear and tear and abuse.

Unlike hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer, and many other health issues that we middle-aged men face, a shoulder problem is not going to kill you. However, as many of you know who have dealt or are dealing with shoulder problems, it can be quite life-altering and debilitating.

What are the symptoms of rotator cuff problems? Glad you asked. Probably the most common symptom that bring patients into the office with a rotator cuff injury is night pain. A pain that keeps patients up at night and disrupts their sleep. It always amazes me how well patients adapt to loss of function due to their rotator cuff injury, but there is no getting around not sleeping. This shoulder pain at night is a classic symptom of rotator cuff injury. As noted above, the rotator cuff is a tendon and thus there is typically loss of function accompanying this as well.

“I think I may have a rotator cuff injury—now what do I do?” Glad you asked. First order of business is to get it evaluated. The good news is that not all rotator cuff injuries require surgery. Many of these injuries can be treated with medications, injections, therapy, and alterations of activities. The important thing is to get an evaluation and diagnosis. Early treatment may help prevent the need for surgery or may improve the outcome of a surgical procedure if surgery is required. A thorough clinical exam, X-rays, and commonly an MRI are required to make an accurate diagnosis of your shoulder problem.

For those of you who don’t know me, I am a 50-year-old (middle-aged man), who, like most men, like to believe “it will get better.” Many times, we are in denial of what is really going on with our bodies. I believe as Christ followers we have a responsibility to care for our bodies. We are told by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we should treat them accordingly. Listen to your body, and don’t be too proud to see your doctor for your shoulder. The Good Lord only gave you two of them, so take care of them.

Author: Sean O’Brien

Sean O’Brien completed his orthopedic residency in Oklahoma City. He completed an upper extremity fellowship (shoulder elbow and hand) at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fl. He practices orthopedic surgery in Yukon and Oklahoma City. His practice is geared towards Orthopedic Sports Medicine, shoulder, knee and elbow. He accepts all major insurances.

Office phone number 405-759-2663
3110 SW 89th St. suite 200C
Oklahoma City, Ok. 73159

Love Others

In this section of The Memo, I have tried to find voices that are outside of the mainstream evangelical church. I think it’s important to listen to their opinions on why they want to remain on the “outside” of the church.

There are a multitude of reasons for people leaving or staying away from the church. Some of them are probably not valid, but that’s not the point. The point is we are to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” This is a quote from Jesus. His great commandment to us is to “love God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I think this is the main reason people are leaving or avoiding the church. We are not loving them as ourselves. They will say it’s something else such as “Everyone there is a hypocrite” and they wouldn’t be wrong! Or they might say they cannot believe in a God who allows all this suffering in the world; maybe it’s that they simply cannot believe in the Bible as the Word of God. Again, there is a multitude of reasons, but I believe the underlying issue is that we have not loved them well. I am projecting myself in this issue, but I think I am not alone.

Most people come to faith in Christ through a relationship with a Christian. Most people avoid accepting Christ because they have met a Christian. I’m afraid I have been on the wrong side of this equation. I can remember as a young believer being told that I needed “to win” people to the Lord. I went through multiple evangelistic programs. I can remember that it felt like learning the latest sales technique for “winning” people to the Lord. It felt like I was trying to make a sale, a transaction. In this way, people were just a number, a transaction. Make the sell and welcome them to the club.

Please hear me in this: I am not against evangelism. But I do think at least in my case, I have been guilty of not following Jesus’s commandment as I’m trying to influence people for Christ. I do not think you need a program to learn how to share your faith. If you love people as you love yourself, you will be a witness wherever you are. People can see or smell a “sell” from a hundred miles away. I don’t think I could sell a cup of water to a thirsty man!

I recently read a book by a couple of brothers. The title is BLESS: 5 Everyday Ways to Love Your Neighbor and Change the World by Dave and Jon Ferguson. It’s a great way of living a life that makes sharing your faith natural, real, and authentic and not a transaction. I highly recommend everyone read this book. It’s an easy read, and it will be an encouragement to you.

The B stands for Begin in prayer. Pray that you will have the heart and the eyes to see the people God places in your path. The L stands for Listening. Listen to them, nonjudgmentally. You do not have to solve their problems or give them the solutions right up front. Just listen. The E stands for Eat. Eat with them. Something powerful can happen when you share a meal or a cup of coffee. The first S stands for Serve. Simply listen to them, and they will tell you how you can serve them. The second S is for your Story. When you’re living this out, you will “earn” the right to tell your story. And your story is your story! No program. No sales. Simply your story, how God has shown His love to you. You do not even have to open a Bible to tell them your story.

The pressure for you to perform is off. You do not have to memorize a bunch of Scripture to share your faith. (Memorizing scripture is still a very good thing to do!) You simply do what Jesus has told us to do. Love God and love others.

Go in God’s peace, my brothers. Love God and others well!

Author: Dr. Curtis Brown

Retirement: Part Six, The Last (I Think)

In preparation for this article, I interviewed a few retired friends to ask about their experiences and to have them relate any advice they would have for would-be or currently retired persons. They were very generous, and I think their stories will be helpful to everyone.

Retiree #1: Current age, 75. Age at retirement, 67. Born in Kentucky, grew up in Indiana. After high school, went to Bible college to become a pastor. Didn’t finish, wanted to go to work. He worked for Baskin-Robbins as a field rep and lived in Memphis and Chicago. In 1990, he joined Express Employment, where I met him. He sold franchises for Express until he retired in 2014. His wife is self-employed and continues to work some. Health issues have slowed them both down, of late, but they continue to travel some and are very active in both church and personal ministry. If you’re ever in trouble, you’ll want to know these two people. Personal ministry is their heartbeat, and they practice it wherever they go, whatever they are doing, and with whomever they meet. I asked him, What’s the best thing about retirement? “All of it.” Advice? “Give all to the glory of God and enjoy Him forever.”

Retiree #2: Current age, around 75. Age at retirement, about 72. Grew up on a farm near Stillwater, Oklahoma. Was an educator, mostly in career tech, for 49 years. As a superintendent (CEO) in career tech, he gave his board three years’ notice so that he had a “phase out.” Reasons for retiring: a bad back, and “it was just time.” Since retiring, he fishes, has written two books, is writing a third, and changed his business card to Fisherman and Author. Biggest surprise? Missing “being a part of it [the industry].” Best part? “Absence of stress.” He actually enjoyed snow for the first time in 2019, after 49 years of having to deal with it as a superintendent. Discovering writing. Having time to fish. Grandkids. Worst part? “Missing my contacts and relationships (community) and a sense of guilt for not being ‘productive.’” Advice? “Have a plan. Have a passion.”

Retiree #3: Current age, 80 plus. Age at retirement, 65. Went to school in Philadelphia to be a pastor. The Assemblies of God were creating a support organization called Chi Alpha to serve AG students at secular universities. He was involved in the leadership of that organization for a number of years. He retired “from” being the assistant superintendent for the Assembly of God churches of Southern California “to” traveling the country and world speaking, and with his wife, leading marriage enrichment retreats and seminars. He was also an adjunct professor for fifteen years. Since I’ve known him, he has also pastored two churches on an interim basis (one for two years) in Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks. Advice? “Stay engaged. Keep learning. Recommended reading, Gail Sheehy’s New Passages.” (I also highly recommend her first book on the subject, Passages, which was a New York Times best seller and also named one of the ten most influential books by the Library of Congress. It’s all about the mid-life stage of life. Who am I and where do I go from here? Good reading for those considering retirement.)

Retiree #4: Current age, 88 (I think). Age at retirement, 67. Went to Vanderbilt on a football scholarship. Was a college chaplain, ministered in Chicago and Hartford, Conn. Retired after 20 years as President of Wesley Seminary. Like retiree #3, he morphed into another “career” by being a global consultant, mentor, and trainer of seminary and Bible college presidents (including an engagement in Moscow for a start-up seminary). Was asked to write a book on the subject, titled Leadership and Change: A President’s Story. Advice? “For those considering retirement, ask yourself two questions: Do I know myself, and can I keep doing what I’ve been doing and do it well and happily? For those who’ve decided to retire or who are already retired: Find meaning.”

Retiree #5: Current age, 60ish. Age at retirement, seven months ago. Grew up in OKC “playing school.” Got a degree in interior design and worked in the field of sales and marketing. Took a break to raise kids and got a Master of Education degree. Taught from 2002 until 2022. Thought about retiring twice, but bosses talked her out of it. Teaching in the COVID environment and a bout with rheumatoid arthritis finally said it was time to retire. Expectations? “No deadlines. My time is my time.” First change? “Moved to the Wheeler District, a new community-centered development near downtown OKC.” Surprises? “So busy . . . but deadlines are mine; I choose.” Advice? “Do something you always wanted to do. I always wanted to live downtown, now here we are. Be able to say no. Keep yourself free.”

Retiree #6: Current age, 62. Age at retirement, eight months ago. He grew up in Bethany, an Oklahoma City suburb, wrestled in college, got degrees in biology and education and a master’s in school administration. He graduated from Marine Corps OCS and flew jets off aircraft carriers. He taught school for three years, then went to the police academy in 1992 and served until his retirement in 2022. Best thing about retirement so far? “Sleeping! I worked graveyards all thirty years of my law enforcement career.” Reason for retirement? “Fatigue and having been exposed to too much bad stuff for too long. Time to go.” Surprise? “Antsy, looking for things to do. Working on long-term plan.” Advice? “Stay busy.”

Retiree #7: Current age, late fifties. Retirement date, June 2020. Grew up in Oklahoma City, spent two years at the University of Central Oklahoma studying mortuary science (because of forensic detective shows on TV, was fascinated by the human body), liked the science but didn’t like the business part. Went to OU to study physical therapy. After a year. attended the Air Traffic Control at the FAA training center in Oklahoma City. Spent 31 years in Longmont, Colorado guiding planes over the middle of the US. Air traffic controllers must retire at 56, so that was always in mind, but he thought that was too young. After having to leave air traffic control, moved back to Oklahoma City and taught at the FAA training center until retirement in 2020. Surprises? “Enjoying retirement more than I expected. I like not working. I’m inherently lazy. Still have two special needs children living at home, so still on a regular schedule, but can go fishing for a day or two more often and spouse can take days to go with friends on short trips.” Hardest part? “Fixed income . . . no raises annually. Not a problem financially, just mentally, 75% mental.” Advice? “Have something to get you out of bed in the morning.”

So, as you can see, everyone’s retirement is pretty much the same. Not. Like the rest of all our lives, retirement is uniquely our own. Some have an abrupt and nearly total change of activities, while others, like retirees #3 and #4, morph into something different but related to what they had been doing. All, however, seem to change the pace and the demand level of their new now.

In view of the experiences the above have related, let’s see how they fit with two articles we have discussed here before. The first is Dr. Michael Weiderman’s list of universal needs. This clinical psychologist says all of us have a need for four things:

Contribution (Calling): a sense that our life and work has meaning.

Choice (Control): the freedom to choose our own direction.

Competence (Capability): Knowing that you are good at something(s).

Connection (Community): a sense of belonging.

As for contribution or calling, the advice from this group firmly backs this up: have something to get you out of bed in the morning; find meaning; do what you always wanted to do; stay engaged; keep learning; have a plan; have a mission; stay busy; and give all to the glory of God and enjoy Him forever. All recommend figuring out how you can serve and contribute. It may be similar to what you have been doing (retirees #3 and #4) or something entirely different, but something important to you and others.

Freedom to choose your own direction seems to be one of the most satisfying aspects of retirement for this group.

Sharing experiences and wisdom gained for the benefit of others was a reminder for all our interviewees of their competence and capabilities. Learning and honing new skills was also a plus.

Connection was important to all these. Staying in touch with former friends and coworkers and spending more time with family and church friends was universally mentioned as one of the things they were enjoying.

So, it appears that a happy retirement needs the same elements as the rest of a happy life, and this sampling of retirees confirms that.

Another article we previously discussed was from Dr. Riley Moynes concerning the four phases of retirement. He identified the following as the common progression for retirees:

Phase 1: Vacation Phase — no routine; do as you please.

Phase 2: Feeling Loss or Lost — loss of routine, relationships, identity, purpose, and for some, power.

Phase 3: Trial and Error — this can’t go on. Explore ways to satisfy the four universal needs.

Phase 4: Reinvent and Rewire — find meaning and purpose and choose activities that mean something.

Well, our interviewees seem to have moved through these phases rather quickly without getting bogged down in number two. They all enjoy their freedom but continue to do things they find meaningful, worthwhile, and enjoyable. Any of our seven could be a model and mentor for the aspiring or current retiree. If you are already retired and having trouble, I encourage you to seek out happy retirees in your own circle of acquaintances and invest some time and the cost of a cup of coffee in learning how to be successful and happy in your new season. Remember, you are unique, but the experience of others will help you through the Trial and Error Phase and into the Reinvent and Rewire Phase. I guarantee you, nearly any retiree would be more than happy to help. (They have the time and want to feel like they are contributing. You’d be helping them too.)

As with every season of life, retirement is what you make it. Make yours beautiful.

I think this is the last in this series, but if you have additional questions, contact Curtis Brown and let him know what you might need; I’d be happy to respond.

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11.

Praise God.

Author: Dave Gillogly

Sacred Math

Bon Iver, led by Justin Vernon, is by most standards one of the signature indie bands on the scene. As Mumford and Sons was to folk, so Bon Iver is to Indie, but I digress. I was listening to a podcast where Justin Vernon and his bandmates were interviewed about their writing process for a song called “Holyfields” on Bon Iver’s most recent album, i,i. Near the end, Vernon said something that I had to rewind and play multiple times. He said:

“We can never not be all of us . . . [it’s] Hard to separate and decipher what one person is. You can’t have one person without the other. That to me . . . seems to be sacred math for figuring out our problems as human beings—understanding there’s always the other we are responsible for.”

I was blown away, and since that podcast, I have been obsessed with the term he coined: sacred math.

If one googles sacred math, they will find an ideology developed during ancient times that focused on the spiritual meaning of various sets and sequences of numbers or geometrical shapes. While interesting in its own right, and further, while it may carry some crossover to how I will be using the term, this older version of sacred math or golden math really doesn’t have much to bear on my thoughts. So when I use the term sacred math, think of something entirely different than the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence. Think of individuals and social responsibility.

So what is sacred math and how might the notion of sacred math offer insight into social responsibility? I’m not really sure, but selfishly, I hope this blog will help me clarify my own thoughts.

Sacred math is the notion of understanding oneself in light of another. It is what Jesus was pointing to when he said, “Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them.” When two people get together, it’s not just two people. In equation terms, 1+1 = 2 and then some. There is something divine in properly seeing and encountering someone other than yourself. If humans are in fact created in the image of God, then everyone bears/carries some measure of the divine within themselves. In other words, we can see within anyone (and everyone!) something about the nature of God. Therefore, when the other is truly seen, something of the divine nature is recognized and is ushered into the space. I mean, it’s always there, but the act of seeing invites it into the conversation.

I imagine we have all experienced a conversation with someone who was not truly listening, or perhaps we’ve been the one not truly listening. I think we all know what that feels like, as if something has been missed entirely. I wonder if that “something” is the “seeing” of the other person, if it’s the missing of the “divine.”

Sacred math is seeing the world through a good eye, seeing the world from a mindset of abundance. Sacred math looks at the world and says there is always room to add, there is always more to come later. Annie Dillard says it like this, specifically in regard to the writing process:

“One of the things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water. Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.”

I think she nails the abundant mindset that comes from recognizing and knowing the numerical economy of sacred math. The equation (this is for my math nerds) does not read 1+1= 2+C, for C is a constant value. Sacred math says 1+1 = 2 and then some, an unspecified amount, a variable amount, something undisclosable, out of reach of the nature of math, just like trying to add words to numbers.

Sacred math is a way of approaching the world which sees the other (used here to indicate anyone who is not like me. Also read: alien, foreigner, political opposite, etc.) not as problematic, but as the solution itself. The encounter of the other is the solution. For when 1 and 1 get together, something more comes about than the simple sum of the 1 and 1.

Vernon claims that this is the key to solving our problems, and I tend to agree; that is to say, a physical encounter with another human being draws us each closer to the divine and pulls us farther away from polarized, unhealthy, and extremist thinking.

Is it a coincidence that the nation feels more polarized than ever after a few years of fully using social media? Social media eliminates the encounter of person to person, of a face to a face, and thus seems to reduce, if not altogether, eliminate the divine from the conversation.

To conclude: I had a conversation this weekend with a friend of mine. We hiked up and down Mount Scott in the Wichita Mountains and talked about life. It felt normal and real, rather unnoticeable, like the feeling of feet hitting the ground while walking. Nobody really thinks about that feeling, the feeling of the soles of our feet actually striking the ground, but it is there, and it is a very real feeling, a feeling that connects us with the planet we traverse.

I know the divine was there walking with us on Mount Scott, and I suppose what I’m trying to communicate in this brief conclusion is that the practical application of sacred math probably feels a bit like the hike my friend and I did this weekend. Actually listening to someone, and actually believing that it is worth it to spend time and effort on a person feels a bit like feet hitting the ground during a hike. It’s very, um, unsexy to listen to a person sometimes, to care for someone, to believe that there is enough in this world and that the person sitting across from you saying the vaccine is load of hogwash (or that the vaccine needs to be forced upon everyone) bears the image of the divine just like the person begging for help on the side of the road.

Maybe we need some help (I certainly do) remembering that 1+1 = 2 and then some, and further, that when God created the world, He said (and has yet to say otherwise) that it is very good.

Author: Seth Brown