Whatever Happened With the Book?

By Dwight Short

When I retired from Merrill Lynch in August of 2005, I was challenged by several people to write a book on Biblically Responsible Investing. After accepting the challenge, it dawned on me that I had never done this before and it was apparent that my learning curve took some time to process enthusiasm into content and structure. Over fifty interviews with theologians, pastors, and financial experts...

Nov 09,2009, 10:50AM |

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AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN BRUSSELS?

By Dwight Short

While recently in Brussels, we were just completing our visit to the Atomium and returning to the Grand Plaza for dinner when the sounds of Gershwin and American Country music were filling the air. It was to be our last day in Europe and we longed to be back in the good old USA but the music sounded like a hometown Fourth of July picnic. As we strolled thru the streets to find the source of this A...

Oct 27,2009, 12:07PM |

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DID YOU WIN YOUR GAMES IN FRANCE?

By Dwight Short

Many of you have been asking how we did in our basketball games while on mission to France. Our official record was 5 wins and 1 loss, but one of our games was not counted in this statistic because it was officially called a scrimmage. For many years, our guide and spiritual leader from France, Gerard Lanniee had prayed about the possibility of an American team of Christian players coming to Franc...

Oct 13,2009, 11:01AM |

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FIRST DAY OF TRAINING CAMP & OFF TO PRISON!

By Dwight Short

Many of us had just known each other for two days and we wound up a busy training camp by going to Lansing (Kansas) Correctional Facility to play against their team. One of our leaders, Brad Mann, who heads up the ministry known as "Livin-the-Dream" had played with his teams there before. Eight check points later and we are in the LCF gymnasium with 20 players on the prison team and 80 to 100 inma...

Oct 05,2009, 3:19PM |

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THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE; SEE IF YOU CAN ADD THIS UP?

By Dwight Short

More about France next week but some compelling stories are developing about ballot issues in Ohio that also speak to why it is important for investors to be serious about their holdings. The annual gathering of the American Roundtable highlighted many issues that reverberate with people who believe the Constitution still has a place in our decision making. A case in point is the battle over Issue # 3 in Ohio about casino gambling.

Sep 29,2009, 11:27AM |

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE BIBLE?

By Dwight Short

France is a unique place in the entire world as far as the secular emphasis of their society. We found this to be both a problem and an advantage in our work there with our basketball team. The problem is that you are constantly trying to make sure that the witness you leave behind is a positive one and that your actions help the workers who are left behind to follow-up on your efforts after you return to the USA. The advantage is that once you find something that works, it is so different from the status quo that people are interested and drawn to your ideas and witness.

Sep 21,2009, 5:11PM |

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FOOTBALL COACH OR FATHER, WHICH IS IT?

By Dwight Short

The sport that Americans spend time watching and playing in virtual computer games is back for a new season. Fall is a unique time of year in the Midwest and especially in Ohio, as the sport of football dominates the schedules for many families. The image of football coaches stalking the sidelines and masterminding offensive and defensive schemes brings the names of many icons to mind. In fact, the tougher the exterior and the meaner the look of a coach is often associated with greater success. Demanding standards for performance on the field is non-negotiable!

Aug 27,2009, 12:11AM |

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MISSED WOODSTOCK & HAVE NO REGRETS!

By Dwight Short

Publicity the past few weeks about the 40th anniversary of Woodstock reminded me of how different my life has been compared to popular society. As a young man in my Mid-20's when Woodstock took place, it struck me how revisionist historians are recording this event as something wonderful when for me it was most disgusting. So, when your grandchildren ask, "where were you during Woodstock" here is my answer!

Aug 17,2009, 6:15PM |

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A BUCKEYE FAN CHEERING & PRAYING FOR TIM TEBOW

By Dwight Short

Last week on ESPN, there were several discussions about the popularity of Florida's Sr QB Tim Tebow. Having close ties to the Ohio State Buckeyes has not discouraged me from also cheering loud and clear for this young man who passed on the NFL draft to play a fourth year of college football. Tim has given many reasons for wanting to play at Florida another year but my favorite reason of all is tha...

Aug 03,2009, 10:34AM |

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BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR!

By Dwight Short

My first overseas mission coaching assignment was in basketball against a Prep School team in Mombasa, Kenya. The boy's team was coached by a female French teacher who had a better knowledge of French than basketball. As we warmed up, our kids naturally were looking over their shoulders to scout our opponents. They were disorganized at the least and did not exhibit many basketball skills during their warm-ups. Our players walked over to their team and introduced themselves and wished them well. They indicated that their best player hadn't arrived yet but they told us to watch out when Oliver gets on the floor!

Jul 27,2009, 12:15PM |

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I WAS WRONG, CAN YOU FORGIVE ME?

By Dwight Short

These are still the most difficult words for people to speak when it comes to reconciliation. It was this time last year that the economic crisis was getting momentum to take a run off the cliff and send markets and hopes into the abyss. Much of the pessimism our society is experiencing today is a holdover of the false hopes of materialism and trust in things. Perhaps it would be easier for people...

Jul 21,2009, 12:06PM |

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YOU ARE INVITED!

By Dwight Short

Long time readers of the Monday Morning Message know that I do not promote very many things on these weekly chats with you. My efforts to enlighten you and share spiritual and Biblical insights are still the central purpose of my efforts in communicating with you. I will try to observe that even this week when I invite each of you to come and visit a new website that is dedicated to greater shareholder involvement, www.shareowners.org .

Jul 06,2009, 1:34PM |

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Are You a Reluctant Witness? (Excerpts from a study by John Bean)

By Dwight Short

There are so many characters in the Bible that we can identify with when it comes to making excuses to God when He calls us to duty. One of my favorites is Moses who had three really good reasons why God should NOT call on him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Think about your own life as you consider Moses' feeble attempt to tell God He was calling on the wrong guy!

Jun 29,2009, 9:24AM |

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Sunday Morning ... Do You Know Where Your Church Is?

By Dwight Short

Sunday mornings and church were pretty much paired together in my life as a child. When the chores were done on our farm in NW Ohio, the real work began each day except for Sunday when we cleaned up and went to the Wauseon Evangelical Mennonite Church also known as "The friendly church on the corner". It was the place where I accepted Christ as my Savior during a revival service and also where I was taught stewardship of time, talents, and treasure. Most of these experiences were mandatory (the exception being my accepting Christ) and non-negotiable with my parents, especially my father.

Jun 22,2009, 10:56AM |

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A Graduate to Remember!

By Dwight Short

(Adapted from the St Petersburg Times, 6-4-09) Every graduate is special at this time of year and the accomplishments of so many people are admirable indeed. Of course we all want to encourage every person who has successfully completed their degree or their graduation from each level of school. Please join me in saluting a young man by the name of David Ghai, who is one of the Lost Boys of...

Jun 15,2009, 8:09PM |

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God is Making a Comeback!

By Dwight Short

"The very things that were supposed to destroy religion-democracy and markets, technology and reason-are combining to make it stronger," according to a recently published book called God Is Back. This is probably not a shock to you if you live in a part of the country that boasts mega churches or new churches in every elementary school in your neighborhood. The authors of this book, John Micklethwait & Adrian Wooldridge make a strong case for the strength of world wide revival but it has somehow missed the newscasts of the mainstream media.

Jun 08,2009, 1:12PM |

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Winning Isn't Everything...

By Dwight Short

WINNING ISN'T EVERYTHING; IT'S THE ONLY THING! As a believer in Christ, there are many days when it seems like all that we stand for and all that we wish to share about our faith gets so marginalized. People of faith are attacked in the public square when they stand up for what they believe. You don't have to be Miss California to experience the wrath of those who would have you stand down about ...

Jun 01,2009, 9:41PM |

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Financial Advisors & The God Complex

By Dwight Short

More than 30 years of being a financial advisor, and working with clients with large portfolios as well as many with less than $50,000 of investable funds taught me many things. In the 1970's I built my primary base of business by becoming familiar with municipal bonds and the credits that backed each bond. But I was always drawn to the great potential gains that could be derived from owning stocks. Early on, I was drawn to finding a good value and then positioning it with as many clients who would be suitably able to own that stock.

May 18,2009, 11:38AM |

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Fear & Greed, guilty on both counts!

By Dwight Short

FEAR OR GREED, WHICH ONE IS HARDER FOR YOU? In my capacity to serve the donors of In His Steps Foundation, I am privileged to head an investment advisory committee that oversees our foundation's investments. I look forward to our periodic meetings and we just completed our quarterly gathering this past week. You can imagine like most investors, the past year has not been an enjoyable time when we...

May 11,2009, 12:38PM |

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Who are These New Shareholders?

By Dwight Short

Hello to the Newest Wave of Shareholders! Top level management of publicly traded companies are stomping around and complaining like puppies that are getting the short leash treatment. They are starting to lose significant power over proxy votes that they formerly could bully their way along. Chrysler and their new ownership arrangement will have at least 50% of their shares being voted by an ind...

May 04,2009, 12:42PM |

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What Does "having it all" Mean to You?

By Dwight Short

When the Cleveland Cav's won their first playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Cav's star LeBron James talked about having great teammates that helped him more than in past years. His version of "having it all" would be a team effort that helps him win an NBA title at least as a basketball player. NFL teams drafted college players this past weekend and filling out their rosters with great players at every position that will bring them a Super Bowl is "having it all" from a football team's point of view.

Apr 27,2009, 11:11PM |

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Tea Parties

By Dwight Short

Whether you feel that we are being taxed enough already, last week's attempt to communicate frustration with the current administration left a lot of people scratching their head. The confusion was caused by many different aspects of this event as it took on different meaning all over the country. As well meaning as it might have been, the messages were different and were being delivered by many different voices.

Apr 19,2009, 10:22PM |

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Could You be an Activist

By Dwight Short

Voting proxies a certain way hardly qualifies as an act of some rebel force bent on destroying capitalism. But the fact that most people don’t care whether they vote at all is an even greater indictment of shareholder indifference. We have arrived at this point because shareholders believe that their votes have no meaning and will not count even if they are cast with careful and thoughtful diligence. Those beliefs are not totally groundless as corporate governance and oversight from the point of view of the shareholders has been sorely lacking for some time.

Apr 19,2009, 10:17PM |

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Where Did All Our Money Go?

By Dwight Short

Many people are offering financial advice these days and the fact that most of the advice offered in the past has been of dubious value, any self proclaimed expert seems to get a hearing. Many of you have been reading "Surviving Financial Meltdown" by Ron Blue and Jeremy White where they have capsulated many sound ideas for Christians who wish to focus on the future and not be consumed by the present crisis. Ron has indicated from many interviews as well as his written materials four (4) themes that you will hear over and over from him:

Mar 16,2009, 4:52PM |

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The Market is Down Again!

By Dwight Short

As each day's negative action gets reported, all the market watchers are wondering why they have that turn in their stomach when it keeps on dropping. For elderly people, it may have something to do with their retirement funds and whether they can remain independent. For baby boomers, it could mean working longer than expected and trying to rebuild a savings plan that has been shattered by market losses. For other people, it could mean that they are out of a job that seemed so good just a few years ago, and it raises questions as to whether investing in stocks will ever be a good idea.

Mar 11,2009, 5:29PM |

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BAILOUT OR INTERFERENCE?

By Dwight Short

BAILOUT OR INTERFERENCE? We have heard and seen the debate among our country's leaders about how to spend billions and maybe even trillions before this current economic recession subsides. The stock market has been swinging in wild percentages almost daily to discount the pluses and minuses of these efforts. The naysayers have raised questions of government interference into corporate activi...

Feb 15,2009, 7:11PM |

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BIG BANG FOISTED AT AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

By Dwight Short

BIG BANG IN WASHINGTON, DC Last weekend we were thrilled to be with our grandson touring the Air & Space Museum in our nation's capital. We think Jed was also thrilled to be with us but then grandparents always think that way. While touring one of the exhibits we ran into Dean Stelow and his family who had just moved to the DC area a few weeks earlier. Dean was our worship leader at LifePoint Church in Tampa and had just taken on a new role and was visiting the same museum with his family.

Feb 10,2009, 4:01PM |

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