Good News From Mary April 2, 2009

God Will Provide

For many people, the biggest obstacle to becoming a successful investor is the belief that investing is too difficult for them to handle. Because that misconception is so prevalent, Sound Mind Investing shows people how to bust that complexity by establishing a personal investing plan.

With all the emphasis on planning, it's easy to start thinking that investing success or failure depends solely on you. What a relief that isn't the case! Surely God expects each of us to faithfully do the best we can, but ultimately, He has promised to provide for every need, whether or not we pick all the right mutual funds along the way Matthew 6:25-33.

Becoming overly focused on questions such as “Are my investments earning enough?” and “How did the market do today?” can get our eyes off two important areas.

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Eat better — for less money

It took a vicious case of Lyme disease to convince Keith Schorsch to change his diet — and his family's. The 44-year-old Seattle resident credits his recovery to nutritional improvements, and ever since then he has insisted on organic, unprocessed, and low-sugar everything. He cut back on carbs, beefed up his protein intake, and lost 50 pounds in the process. His two young sons evince a genuine fondness for yogurt and broccoli. "Eating well and exercising properly changed my life," says Schorsch. "I can now run five to seven miles, whereas before I could run only one to two miles comfortably. And now I bike for two to four hours at a high heart rate; before I was more comfortable in the one-hour range."

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Computer exercise helps stroke victims "see" again

Millie Sauer did not even know she had suffered a stroke until she tried to read a book as she recovered from surgery and saw only a gray blur for part of the page.

Hours or even days had passed since the stroke had damaged part of her brain responsible for vision and Sauer, 69, was far past the point for any effective treatment.

"I was told I would have to live with my situation," Sauer, who lives in Sun City West, Arizona, said in a telephone interview.

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Time to Say Bye To Washers of Old?

One of the main selling points of high-efficiency clothes washers is that they'll save you several hundred dollars in water and energy costs over the life of the appliance. We've come a long way from the washers of the 1930s, but is it worthwhile to spend $200 to $300 more than the price of a typical washer?

"These days we're loath to tell someone to spend the extra money because we don't know what kind of budget they're working with," says Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor for Consumer Reports, which published its latest washer ratings in February. "But if you tend to take the long view, you will make up that money in the end."

Read on for help in deciding whether a high-efficiency washer is right for you.

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Do You Know What Your Doctor Is Talking About?

Lately when I see patients nodding their heads at the end of a visit, as if in agreement with the therapeutic plan, I can’t help but remember Jack.

Jack (not his real name) had barely entered middle age when I met him, a hospital patient who suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, vascular disease and kidney failure. I spent about a week caring for him, covering temporarily for a colleague who was away, and I quickly learned from the nurses that Jack was a well-known figure on the ward.

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