tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10561003188637876662024-03-13T03:59:16.807-07:00Van TalkNealVanMurfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05557951279330406446noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056100318863787666.post-40186801976752609112012-02-08T14:44:00.000-08:002012-02-09T01:33:36.788-08:00Cheers<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Making
your way in the world today takes everything you've got. <br />
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Wouldn't
you like to get away? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sometimes
you want to go <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Where
everybody knows your name, <br />
and they're always glad you came. <br />
You wanna be where you can see, <br />
our troubles are all the same <br />
You wanna be where everybody knows <br />
Your name. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You
wanna go where people know, <br />
people are all the same, <br />
You wanna go where everybody knows <br />
your name. </span></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">These are the words to the theme song to Cheers, one of my favourite TV
programmes. <br />
<br />
The comedy show is probably a bit dated now as Cheers ran for 11 series from
1982 to 1993. But the words still hold true today, just as much if not more
than they did back then. <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Making
your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from
all your worries, sure would help a lot</span></em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
Where I work at Two Pennies Money Advice (known as Worcester CASH for many
years), we help plenty of people who eventually decide it's time to take a
break from all their financial worries. Carrying the weight of the world on
your shoulders for months and often years can take everything you've got, and
much much more just to get by; 'Robbing Peter to pay Paul', avoiding opening the
post and answering the telephone, carrying extra stresses and strains on
health, relationships, at work, with no end in sight. The wonder for those of
us in these circumstances isn't why we want to take a break; the mystery is why
we don't get help sooner. <br />
<br />
And when money difficulties are resolved, we don't just <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">take a break from all our worries</span></em>,
it's a fresh start - a chance to live life free of the shackles of excess debt.
Living within a practical budget that works, <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">sure
does help a lot</span></em>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Here's something I've noticed about money difficulties. It's a lonely business.
When money becomes really tough, we tend to not tell other people about it. Not
for a long time. It is human nature to keep this private shame to ourselves, to
not ask for help, to even believe a magical outcome will appear out of nothing.
And we can't afford to socialise in the way we used to either. It can become an
uncontrolled spiral into loneliness. <br />
<br />
<u3:p></u3:p>Living with money difficulties doesn’t have to be this way. But it
can be. Dear reader, if you take only one message out of this post then please
make it this: <u>anyone concerned about their finances should speak to an
agency that offers free professional money advice at an early stage, not
leaving it too late when the easy solutions are no longer available.</u> <br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Here’s something else I've noticed about money worries. One bit of
feedback that consistently comes out our Money Secret Courses is that people
are reassured that they are </span><v:shape alt="http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/10645_big.jpg" id="il_fi" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 122.05pt; margin-left: -2.3pt; margin-top: 68.2pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 120.55pt; z-index: -1;" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-269 0 -269 21237 21501 21237 21501 0 -269 0">
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<w:wrap type="tight">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">not
the only one with these worries. <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You
wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same</span></em>. There's
really no need for pride or embarrassment to keep us away from speaking to
someone who can help.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F2gFJACL94M/TzMGrC0DMuI/AAAAAAAAAAU/EDsjEC_MLmI/s1600/Smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F2gFJACL94M/TzMGrC0DMuI/AAAAAAAAAAU/EDsjEC_MLmI/s1600/Smiles.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Money Secret Course is a
made-easy look at money; it reveals how to make sure you control your money,
not your money controlling you; and helps us make smarter choices in our
day-to-day lives. This is not a course for people with real difficulties (they
need one-to-one money advice) this is for the rest of us that want to be more
clued-up, to avoid things running out of control.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Three years ago I was
grateful for the help of Two Pennies Money Advice and I’m told the real me came
back ... not the version of me that was trying and failing to manage my way
through those difficult times. I don’t think anyone forgot my name, but they
might have forgotten the real me. <br />
<br />
There are challenges going on that need to be won. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Individually,
don’t let pride get in the way of seeking timely advice.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For
Two Pennies Money Advice, the challenge is for continued funding. These tough
times for all of us are tough for Two Pennies Money Advice funding too. I don’t
want to make this into a fundraising-blog, but if you would like to make a
one-off or regular donation, please do get in touch with me at
neal@twopennies.org.uk. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<u1:p></u1:p>NealVanMurfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05557951279330406446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056100318863787666.post-22351997590249577622012-01-15T10:33:00.000-08:002012-01-31T06:44:15.152-08:00Please Choose Me<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you know what it feels like to be let down
by someone else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of us do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you remember the time it hurt the most and
why it happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, I can think of times
when I felt that the other person owed me some kind of loyalty or preference,
whether I thought I'd earned it by doing them a favour it or acquired it through my
relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To feel over-looked for someone
else who was chosen ahead of me can be a bit frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times it can be a crushing disappointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Sometimes I</span> question or doubt the basis of my
friendship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes a sense of rejection
leaves me feeling lonely.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWOOacwBfsztmw4X8TfGZo9B0SX6kTTrqLUBWT56Lq_5V-oFb8uaGf_j8T7w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" id="il_fi" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWOOacwBfsztmw4X8TfGZo9B0SX6kTTrqLUBWT56Lq_5V-oFb8uaGf_j8T7w" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><v:shape alt="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWOOacwBfsztmw4X8TfGZo9B0SX6kTTrqLUBWT56Lq_5V-oFb8uaGf_j8T7w" id="_x0000_s1027" style="height: 136.5pt; margin-left: 312pt; margin-top: 101.3pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 137.25pt; z-index: -1;" type="#_x0000_t75" wrapcoords="-236 0 -236 21363 21718 21363 21718 0 -236 0"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><v:imagedata o:title="ANd9GcSWOOacwBfsztmw4X8TfGZo9B0SX6kTTrqLUBWT56Lq_5V-oFb8uaGf_j8T7w" src="file:///C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"><w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span>Chances are that this other person wasn’t fully aware how I
thought that they were letting me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With hindsight, there were times when my expectations were unrealistic or
even unjustified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But today it doesn’t
matter whether I was right or not, this blog is about the feeling of not being
chosen.</span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something occurred to me recently where I sat silently (well
mostly) wishing ‘pick me’ thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could have just said aloud what I wanted to happen and made it work out that way – but that wouldn’t be me being picked, that’d be me getting my own
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wouldn’t be any heart-felt
picking going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I wanted then was
to be picked because I was chosen.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To be a little clearer about it, this came out of one of those
unjustified moments that wouldn’t make me look good if the details were laid
out, so I’m skating past bits of the story here to hold on to the main purpose
of this, my first blog.</span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What occurred to me was that, moment by moment, day after
day, in the decisions I make, I have a choices where I can pick Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I accept Jesus may not be overly bothered
which biscuit I eat, so I’m not meaning every single decision, but you get the
point.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the thing, the point of Blog #1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I slipped slowly out of my melancholic
mood, a thought occurred to me that Jesus might be thinking ‘choose me’ quite a
lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it had been me that had died a
painful death for the sins of all humankind, I might hope that everyone would remember
my sacrifice, and kept remembering it every day and every time a decision was
there to be made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I would be
silently sending out vibes that shouted ‘choose me’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I was over-looked it would hurt a
little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I wasn’t chosen I
would wonder about our relationship. </span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://www.wallpapersbrasil.com/imagens-de-jesus-cristo-para-papel-de-parede/" rel="bookmark" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Imagens De Jesus Cristo Para Papel De Parede"><img height="150" src="http://www.wallpapersbrasil.com/wallpapers/200x150/imagens-de-jesus-cristo-para-papel-de-parede.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any of my ‘choosing me’ wishes aren’t worth the same
if I make it happen by pushing myself forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It needs to be a genuine preference to ‘choose me’, made out of free
will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t often have miserable
moments, but something good came out of this one because it made me think
harder about the times when I don’t choose Jesus, and how it must hurt the one
I profess to love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having a forgiving God, full of grace and love is not an
excuse to minimise the hurt I kindly return whenever I fail to choose him. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I apologise to those who were looking forward to some light
entertainment in Van Talk Blog #1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
will do better next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I apologise to
anyone who recognises in this blog my disgruntled reaction to a sense of not
being chosen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most importantly, I apologise
to Jesus for the many times I’ve failed to choose him.</span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">May God bless us all</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>NealVanMurfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05557951279330406446noreply@blogger.com1