Compound Interest

Albert Einstein said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it.”  He went on to say "Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe" and "Compound interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time."  Compound interest means that if I have $100 and earn 10% interest, I will earn $10 in interest.  But the following year I won't just earn 10% on the $100, I will earn 10% on $110.  Every year the snowball picks up a little more snow and the interest earned, along with the total amount, grows larger.  Compound Interest in 30 years would be $1,744 as opposed to just $400 using simple interest.

Recently, we decided to make a change in our finances.  We learned a great deal from attending and later teaching Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace classes.  Because our situation was so grim, we are still digging our way out; however our "peace" is much greater and our situation more secure.  The greatest gift of OUR transformation has been the change in our children. 

Our oldest financed his discovery tour to Taiwan last year and actually returned with more money than when he left.   This year, he moved there to begin teaching and left a large sum of money in the bank here and took plenty of cash to get started there.  How do you do that while in college?  Our oldest daughter bought her own $5000 vehicle with cash and recently let me know that she has a substantial wedding savings account started just after moving into her own apartment.  She is also working, attending nursing school and is on a strict budget.  Even our youngest is heading off to college with some money in the bank and her own car that she bought with cash.  

Most of what our offspring were taught is what they caught while they were watching us. They don't hear what you say - they watch what you do.   That also may also be the cause of any undesirable qualities.  I often wonder how incredible our grandchildren will be based on what I see in them because I know about compound interest.  Then, in horror, I ponder the repercussions if we would not have changed.  Today, we can make changes that will affect our family tree and everyone we know.  Many of these decisions and actions have nothing to do with finances.  Our actions produce compound interest - let's make sure they are good ones!

Superhuman

One of my new favorite shows is called "Stan Lee's Superhumans."  Stan Lee is the creator of many comic book heroes like the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk.  The show is about real life people who have extraordinary abilities.  One show was about a man that had incredible strength while another could hold his breath for 8 minutes and dive over 650 feet.

The show reminds me that, with God's help, we can accomplish more that we usually think we can.  I often limit myself and my passion to just what I think I can accomplish.  Today, I was just taking stock of the exceptions when I DID dare to dream and made some dramatic changes.  Several years ago, I gave up tobacco.  What a relief from a strong hold in my life.  This year  I changed my eating habits dramatically where I no longer need medicine to control my blood pressure.   I doubted for many years I could do that.  

We forget that the power that raised Jesus from the dead and the power that saved our souls is also the power that  helps us conquer the impossibilities of our life.  In this way, we can be more than conquerors.  We can be more than just normal humans making excuses - with God's help we can be "super-human."