Thursday, January 31, 2013

Dumping Credit Card Debt Forever

Peace & Prosperity,
     I had numerous recent conversations regarding credit card and other debts. I help folkout out debt on the daily. While I pray and pour libation for your financial-FREEdom I submit this for your consideration. Here's the road to FREEdom. Let me start Biblically.... Romans 13:8

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." - KJV
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." - NIV

     If you are one who follows the Bible I invite you to consider that passage.........Cool..... Time up. I'm not pushing a certain translation or interpretation. However, it seems pretty clear that this particular passage warns Bible-followers to remain away from debt and to pay their debts. What's crazy to me is I've met and interacted with numerous self-described Bible-followers who aovid creditors calls, who have crazy amounts of debts, who have gone to court for collections, and who have had to move numerous times due to not paying their rent. One of the most difficult moves in acheiving financial FREEdom is dealing with debts. Here's one solution:

GET OUT OF DEBT !

My debt-destruction partner Dinh Nguyen and I provide a service that can reduce the amount and interest rate on debts. The ability to assist clients is fact dependant (It doesn't work for everyone - it depends on a few considerations) but when it works it works. To learn more about the process contact Dinh by calling 1-800-470-8155 ext. 141 and he will review the terms and see if it will be a good fix for you.

If your debts are greater than your income I would suggest considering our strategy and also considering the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (http://nfcc.org/) and requesting a Hardship DMP (Debt Management Plan) which may reduce your interest to 0%. Today I listened to a Clark Howard episode (01.24.13 - Here is the download link)  where he correctly advised the same. Currently my family is using the Debt Snowball approach,  as described by Dave Ramsey and my financial fav' Michelle Singletary, which sets one in a process of payiong off the smallest debts towards the largest debts to effectively 'Flee From Debt !" Whatever approach one uses, GET OUT OF DEBT. The good life awaits you ! Be blessed, stay blessed, be a blessing.

One last thing, If you know me personally.......Yes I do read and refer to the Bible. Don't be shocked ! I follow tried and true approaches.............. Hotep & Ashee !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

IN PLACE ! Daddy and the DIVAGirl

This post is a bit self-serving.....But then again, so is this entire enterprise.

In 2011 I created some music to compliment a little song my daughter created. Later that year we recorded the track in the studio, and later released the song on I-Tunes and Amazon.com. We then shot a video, and waited......and waited.......and waited......... Now, about a year later, we finally received the video and it went live on Youtube. This is my daughter's second release !
Enjoy !
Seko
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Guest post - Feelin’ Some Kinda Way About Single Parenthood

Feelin’ Some Kinda Way ~ About Single Parenthood

I woke up this morning and realized something – I’m tired!

I recently had a conversation with a married male friend who told me that he wanted to give me props. He was just leaving from a meeting of a volunteer board in which is he is a member, headed to pick up his children from day care and take then to little league practice. I believe it was his day to do so, and his wife would be headed home from work to get dinner started and waiting for her husband and children to get home. On the average week, he and his wife split the duties of shuttling the children around. They both work full time in jobs that are not exclusively 9 to 5, have outside commitments in their community and are active in their church. I was quietly wondering when they have time for each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a guest post from AngelinaD. The full original post ,ay be found here:
http://angelinad.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/i-woke-up-this/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week, I worked my 9 to 5 each day. On several days during the week, I prepared dinner (my teenage daughter is on deck the other days); I shuttled my children to alternate activities on alternating days; I did laundry; I had two meetings with potential clients, I completed some work for an existing client; I picked up prescriptions for my mother and ran errands for her; I remembered that my inspection is due and I need an oil change; I took the children to the movies; and loaded groceries in the car in the rain. I wrote some things…this is all I care to share – this week. I am not alone. There are many single parents who share my plight, and we do what we do because there is no other positive choice, and because we can.

As single parents, we often find ourselves in situations that tire us out. The best we can hope for is often that we have children that are well-behaved and easy to manage. In recent years, I’ve had the best of both worlds; and at times, the worst of both worlds. So, I can relate; and I encourage single parents to remember to find ways to take a moment for yourself – to constantly rebuild yourself and to rejuvenate your spirit. Regardless of the behaviors we are faced to deal with, our children are still children. And so, we must remember that at all times. We try things that didn’t work and try some things that did. We sometimes must penalize one child because of the behaviors of another, simply because you are only one person and cannot do it all. I’m feelin’ some kinda way about single parenthood because parenthood is hard, but when you are one person, your time and responsibilities are stretched to the point of discomfort. Some people deal with the discomfort better than others. Remember to reach out and access your resources – social services, parks & recreation, community programs. Look into mentoring programs and encourage activities. It has been said that the idle mind is the devil’s workshop; work towards little idle time for your children. Remember we are all working towards the same goal – raising kids who can take care of themselves and benefit their families and the world.

“When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go…you know…I went.” ~Forrest Gump

Maybe you asked for your single parent status, and maybe you didn’t. But, either way, do what you need…when you need…and remember your children…to give them what they need….

http://angelinad.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/i-woke-up-this/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sunday Schooled - I smile, you smile

I smile, you smile.

(Photo - Sam Varner graduates from Princeton University)
Dad's family wished him well as he discussed going to college. His mother and father both had third grade educations. His grandparents had less formal education. He used to tell me "I was never the smart child, I was only the one that was able to self motivate himself." In truth my father's siblings all did well. My grandfather, My father's Father had three families with three wives, He buried the first two wives and my grandmother buried my grandfather. My Grandfather had over 28 children and took care of all of them. My Father grew up calling many of his brothers and sisters aunt and uncle. These brothers and sisters were from my Grandfather's previous marriages. When my Grandfather married my Grandfather was in his late 60's and early 70s and my grandmother, formerly my grandfather's housekeeper, was in her 20s....... Back to the story..... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Sunday Schooled' is a collection of blog posts from Seko Varner's former blogs. This post was dated 12/05/2007 while Seko's father, Rev. Dr. Samuel Varner was alive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Photo Will Varner & Sam Varner Circa 1950ish)
The family went from plush to poor as the Whites in his neighborhood tricked his father out of land that he acquired. At one time my grandfather owned the first T-Model Ford vehicle in Opelika, Alabama and had acres of land. After the devils finished with him, he was extremely poor. Dad grew up with no running water, eating every two days at times, and in a home/shack that may seem third-world'ish in today's American standards. I remember the day he received his Doctorate degree from Princeton. He smiled widely for hours. His teeth became dry, he was so proud.

He ensured that my siblings and I had an easier life. He ensured that he was a better husband than his father was. He ensured that he would be able to provide us with an education after formal school since his father wasn't able to provide him with that opportunity. Dad made sure that he was the man that his father trained him to be and the man that his father wanted to be. Dad often told me that a dwarf standing on the arms of a giant can see farther and go farther than the giant. As I talk to Dad about the necessity of having more than an educational opportunity for my kids he simply smiles. I realized today that the smile he gives during those talk is the same as when he graduated. His graduation graduated our family, my new insight provides our family's new insight. I shine you shine. I pray now that I can experience that smile for many more years. After his last surgery his appetite has decreased. Dad now can go days without feeling hungry. I now enjoy every meal with him in a different light. Just watching him eat makes me smile.

It's funny......When I smile my son looks at me and smiles without knowing why. I guess I have a dwarf on my shoulders now. I smile, he smiles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Money is Spiritual - Rabbi Daniel Lapin


I just finished listening to the newest episode of Dave Ramsey's EntreLeadership podcast. On this episode, Dave Ramsey teaches more ways EntreLeaders can apply Financial Peace principles to their businesses and Chris LoCurto interviews best-selling author and financial expert Rabbi Daniel Lapin. While I began listening for Dave's viewpoints, I ended up listening to Rabbi Daniels's section four times. Good stuff ! Click here for the link to access this podcast. I've now downloaded the episode and will be listening to it as I hit Planet Fitness in a few hours.......Or if Planet Fitness hits me, which is more likely.......... Anywhoooooo !

Thou Shalt Prosper is a widely acclaimed book written by the good Rabi regarding Hebrew/Jewish financial practices. A while ago I learned that a lot of the ancient Hebrew/Jewish text gave practical advice on ways in which the followers were to approach money and business. I found it interesting how the cultural and religious traditions focused so much on creating and maintaining a 'blessed financial foundation'. So I googled' the good Rabi and found that he has much to offer online. Below is a link to receive his weekly Thought Tools, also below is a video from one of his sessions on the 700 club. http://youtu.be/pjcbQdteWkU 



Enjoy the videos. Hopefully you'll enjoy the gift as much as I did. Also sign up for his weekly email. I did.

America's Rabbi's Thought Tools
Thought Tools is a free weekly Bible study email from Rabbi Daniel Lapin. It brings you tips, techniques, and knowledge that you will use to improve your life in four areas-Family, Faith, Friends, and Finances.
CLICK HERE TO BE REDIRECTED TO THE PAGE TO SIGN UP FOR THOUGHT TOOLS

Have a healthy new year ! (Fiscally Healthy & Physically healthy !) Something to consider...

Seko Varner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Sunday Schooled - I'm Bigger than that.

"I'm bigger than that."


I had a dear friend ask me today how I was able to get past the "kid-resentment". I mentioned to him how at times I had problems with the time that my children take from me and the opportunities that having a family has prevented me from taking. He is a father as well, and is struggling with something that I heard other men speak of privately. I'm sure it sounds like a weakness of the spirit to speak of this in public, so I believe that many fathers keep this to ourselves. Actually, I've only heard a few mothers speak of the Kid-resentment factor.. I'm not sure what to make of that revelation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Sunday Schooled' is a re-posting of Seko's former blog posts. This is a re-post of a posting dated July 8, 2008. During that time Seko's father and mother-in-law were still alive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My experience in Fatherhood has been based in marriage, in the creation of the foundation of a family. So in many ways this resentment is more of a difficulty of Family than it is with being a Father. When entering my marriage the idea that the two will share each others dreams seems all-inclusive. It's been my experience that our dreams are shared to an extent in the best of situations. For instance: I've always dreamed of living out of the country for a few years, my wife can't imagine being physically away from her family. My dream, her nightmare. There really is no way that the two dreams can be reconciled fully. In my decision to become one with my beloved I had to attempt to kill my dream. Simply visiting or traveling isn't my dream. Having a vacation home out of the country for a few months isn't my dream. The specifics of my particular dream will never come to fruition unless my Wife kills her dream of always being in close proximity with her family. A commitment to a relationship means the killing of some of one's dreams in some way. This situation causes some resentment. I'm sure this resentment is natural and healthy and expected and all that other BS......It's something I have to deal with. I see the commitment I have with my children as having a similar experience.

In becoming a Father I have to let go of some of my agenda-items. I have to make decisions to engage in activities that I'm not fully interested in, not really concerned with. Working for, and knowing that my movements are for the greater good, is not always going to make me feel good and in many instances don't match with my agenda. I can say that the joy and accomplishments I see in my children seem to quell the rise of resentment. The hugs and interest I receive from my kids often dispel the dream/freedom-loss that I experience. I told this friend to hug his kids more, enjoy their experiences, and to spend more time with them and his resentment will fade.

So then my friend wanted to know what he could do when the hugs, the interest, the pride, the love, the sharing, the accomplishments are not enough to wash away the resentment. I shared how I often tell myself "I'm bigger than that." seems to work for me. I use these few words as a mantra almost daily, not out of ritual, but out of necessity......

I've had to kill some of my dreams to be in a relationship. I've had to kill some of my dreams to be a father. Truthfully I have to keep killing these dreams as they seem to arise the next day, next week, next year. I found that these dreams are similar to a Phoenix, rising out of the ashes. It's similar to the "Christian" construct of dying to self daily to allow the Christ to live in you daily (I'm aware that historically the concept of dying to self daily to allow the creator to live more fully is older than my religion.....Back-up off of me you haters). I have to die to self daily to allow the Father and Husband in me live. Being myself and being a Father doesn't always jibe. Being a Father is a more developed position that being myself ever could be. Having a committed relationship is a far more advanced state of existence than simply 'being myself' could ever be. The truth is, being in a relationship makes one bigger.

I ended the conversation with my friend realizing that I really had nothing concrete to help him over the hump except for him to know that I was always here for him to speak too. Upon the close of our conversation I realized that having my friend to bounce ideas, concerns, and worries off of has indeed made me bigger. I just pray that he feels bigger from our call. Bless you my friend, let's grow together ! Daddies til' the day we die !

Seko
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is also in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, real estate, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Purpose, Creativity, and Faith in the New Year

The purpose: To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community.
The use of creativity: To leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
The faith in: Parents, teachers, leaders, and the righteousness and victory of struggle.
The New Year: A chance, symbolically, to create anew.

As a child I learned to embrace the above principles as a child would. As a teenager the stuff started to make sense, and made me more attractive to the ladies I was attracted to "I think it's cute that you do so much community stuff." (I later learned that I needed a few more things to finally get the girls who ended up hugging me and then falling all over my Thuggy', Pretty Boy, and Sport-Jock friends. I found that the power of music and performance, as a DJ and and musician, gave me just as many groupie-girls as my Thuggy', Pretty Boy, and Sport-Jock friends. Life was good................ As a college student I truly became conscious of the impact that a purpose driven life produced.

It was then that I learned the importance of motivation. I currently tell my children that the word Motivation has basically two portions. The Motive, and the "Ation" (Action minus what you 'see'.) I further detail that once one loses their motive, normally the action will fall off as well. I was taught by some of the best elders that I needed to constant focus on my motive, as the motives may change over time. As a parent, I know truly feel "the blessing in their suggestions." I fully believe in the principles of Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith) as they are transliterated in the seven candle observance. Ashee.

On Nia 2012, I received an email from the Dave Ramsey Team. The email simply stated "Are Your Goals Realistic? Take the Test. Ask any successful person, and they'll agree. In order to succeed, you must have goals." (Here is the link to his message to his subscribers. The test of the goals was deceptively simple: (1) Are your goals in writing? (2) Are your goals specific and measurable? (3) Are your goals shared? (4) Are your goals your own? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

As an agent with World Financial Group we frequently focus on goals. I'll need to openly share some goals for 2013 in an upcoming self-n-business development training. While the process we use is a great and involved process, I loved the deceptive simplicity of Dave's message. So tonight I leave you in the Roman Calendar year of 2012 and will greet you in the Roman Calendar year of 2013 with my goals. I'd love for you to share your goals with me as well. Let's grow together. Have a blessed year.......Here's a hint .... It's up to you to make it blessed...... I know, some of you still think that it's solely up to the Almighty. (Read whatever Holy book you wish....... All who were blessed, worked for their blessing. Thanks to my mentor John Epting for fully making that point to me in his actions, words, and prayers.) Alafiah ! Ashee ! Amen !

Are Your Goals Realistic?
Seko~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seko Varner is from Positive Vibes Financial, a World Financial Group team of financial services agents. They specialize in debt reduction, investments, and insurances. Seko is in high demand as a special events DJ and owns an event marketing service. Seko has diverse background in business, counseling and education. Seko is active with numerous Youth Mentorship programs and has a background in radio and television. Visit www.HappilyEverAfter.Be or call 757-248-3820 for more details.