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"MAKE DAD LAST FOREVER"

The Dallas Morning News, 2007

What kind of emotions swell when you hear the word “father?” Asking this question brings a wave of emotions. I cry easily when I think about Dad because of his lovingkindness and hopefulness. Claude Blaising is solid, clear, and confident about truth and love. Even if your dad was not loving or absent, this column, published by The Dallas Morning News on Father’s Day in 2007, will give hope to fill that void. Using a video I made with dad, I realized how I could embrace the highest ideals of a father and make them last forever.

"THE INFORMATION AGE OF BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT"

Park Cities People, 1990

One of the most exciting business strategies I discuss in my chapter of the book Eschatology: Biblical, Historical, and Practical Approaches is a dynamic concept I call “flow.” I previewed that idea 26 years earlier in this 1990 column. Flow is the skillful habit of being aware of the inherent opportunity in all pieces of information. Much of this information exists in unsought and unintended combinations throughout the day, providing more opportunities. Just recognizing the existence of flow breeds an excitement of what might be in the information coming your way.

"BANKING SYSTEM FACES A REAL THREAT"

The Dallas Morning News, 1988

Twenty years before our banking system nearly burned to ashes in 2008, The Dallas Morning News published my viewpoint about this risk. What I worried about in 1988, the solvency of our banking system in a crisis, came true in 2008 when the global financial system almost collapsed. The problem was the size and actual value of international debt, which many large U.S. banks carried on their books as assets. The 2008 issue was about financial derivatives’ real value and size, especially the largest banks. Here’s the real issue: Are you prepared for an extreme crisis? Read more here.

"LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM NEVER LIES TOO STILL"

The Dallas Morning News, 1999

Where does one find inspiration in a world of massive suffering and misfortune? The answer arrived in a manger. Jesus was born in a parking lot for animals in Bethlehem. He arrived with the least and the overlooked. He comes to us today, offering to save us from the madness. The Dallas Morning News ran this column on Christmas Day in 1999. It recounts my experience of standing at the location where Jesus was born.

"PAYING OFF DEBT IS THE FIRST STEP TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM"

Park Cities People, 1993

Small financial habits are the lever that creates surplus. Use small parts of your income to prepay large debts. Awareness of this financial principle is liberating. Paying off a mortgage is easier than you think with prepayments. It is a wonderful sense of freedom and peace. Notifying all family members of this priority loads everyone on the bandwagon to cut costs and save money.

"LEASING A CAR? ASK ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, THEN DRIVE AWAY"

Park Cities People, 1992

The main point of this column is that questions are the answer. Questions are a practiced skill. Questions rock the boat. Questions create disorder to allow progress. Questions allow one to consider previously unheard-of options. Asking the right questions can save money and often lead to unplanned treasure because questions yield better results. Embrace questions for a better life in everything you do. Auto leases are an example. Other questions to ask before signing a lease can be found here.

"ECONOMIC OUTLOOK IMPROVES, NO TIME FOR PESSOPTIMISM"

Park Cities People, 1992

Somewhere in between the optimistic economic forecasters and the pessimistic media pundits is the “pessoptimist” I referred to in this 1992 column. A pessoptimist is someone who believes that everything generally will turn out to be all right, but it’ll be too late to do anybody any good. Pessoptimism breeds in the spirits of people who lose work because of technology and competition. New solutions and approaches are needed. I address these in my chapter “The Doctrine of the Future and the Marketplace” in Eschatology: Biblical, Historical, and Practical Approaches.

"ECONOMIST EXPECTS RETURN TO GOLD STANDARD BY 1989"

San Antonio Express-News, 1987

In this column, I predicted a return to the low-interest rate era of the post-war ‘50s. My forecast was that the United States would return to the era of low interest rates in one of two ways: a gold standard or a Fed policy change. A gold standard did not happen, but a Fed policy change resulted in declining mortgage rates from 10.38% in 1988 to 3.69% at the end of March 2016. Ironically, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.96% in January 2025. Taking time to project the future requires a willingness to be still and think.