Enjoy Reading: 3 Books

I have never been much of a reader. Actually, I love to read but time constraints and a short attention span hamper my attempts to get high volume reading done. Often I find myself reading 3 or 4 books at the same time. I'm sure this perplexes my sweet little wife who can blast through a book in a few days. It takes me months! I'm quite jealous b/c I am aware how much reading helps us learn and enjoy life.


My freshman high-school year at Avon Old Farms School in CT, I had an English teacher by the name of Mr. Clark. Now, Mr. Clark was in his mid-eighties and was reknown for his disdain for nonsense. He was not afraid to publicly call out a young man for acting foolish or being lazy. If he did not like you, you knew it (and so did everyone else on campus). In any event, he was one of the most impactful teachers I ever had in school. When I arrived in CT, I hated reading. After a few weeks into my freshman year, I began to love reading. It changed my life. About a year after I graduated from College. I was in NYC visiting some good friends and I decided to make the trek to Avon to see Mr. Clark. He had since retired and was living in an assisted living center near the school. I called him and we met for lunch. We visited for a couple hours. He had an extensive library and was good friends with the famous American poet, Robert Frost. This had always fascinated me. I asked him about his love of reading. He said, "Cashion, if you learn to love reading, no matter what your situation or you age, you can go anywhere and do anything." I asked for a reading list, he kindly wrote some books down for me and I headed back the NYC. He passed away shortly after. However, not before I was able to take my wife to his nursing home to meet him. He had been asleep, but a friend announced our arrival and he perked up and we enjoyed a short visit.

There is the background and here are books that I have recently read and recommend. I recommend daily reading of the Bible (first and foremost):

1. 
   
   
    Tribes- By Seth Godin
   
   This is a great book! It's about connecting folks around you and leading a tribe. It is about recognizing your potential as a leader who brings about change by marshalling others who believe the same. Most of this is done through the use of the internet. If you have never see yourself as much of a leader, but recognize the fact that you have qualities that can improve your part of the world (work, family, products, ideas, etc), I recommend giving this short book a read.
   
   "Part of Leadership…is The Ability To Stick With The Dream For a Long Time….Long Enough That the Critics Realize That You're Going to Get There One Way or Another…So They Follow."- Seth Godin (Tribes)
   
   
2. 
   
   QBQ – The Question Behind The Question- By John G. Miller
   
   This is another great book! QBQ is a short book about personal accountability. In a culture where blame and cover-your-tail bureaucracy rule the day, accountability is scarce and highly prized. After reading, you'll look at questions differently and you'll begin to see how important your approach to accountability is. It's all about recognizing traits in our own behavior and personality. You begin to ask question with "What" or "How" and use the word "I" rather than the opposite. This is action language. "What can I do to expedite this process or solve this problem?" "How can I help you with this issue?" You get it? Instead of ""Who dropped the ball?" "When is the department going to do their job right?" "When are we going to get more technology?" I've personally fallen into that trap and I have discovered that making the change improves my life. (I still screw up sometimes and blame, but I'm improving). Take responsibility in front of your family and/or team. See how they react when your personal accountability is on the forefront of all that you do.
   
   "From the smallest group to the largest corporation, from the lowest rung on the ladder to the highest office in the land, there's an epidemic of blame going on and no one seems immune. The CEO blames the vice president, who blames the manager, who blames the employee, who blames the customer, who blames the government, who blames the people, who blame the politicans, who blame the schools, who blame the parents, who blame the teen, who blames the dad, who blames the mom, who blames her manager, who blames the vice president, who blames the CEO, and on and on it goes. This is the 'Circle of Blame,' and it would be kind of funny it weren't so true. Blame and 'whodunit' questions solve nothing. They create fear, destroy creativity, and build walls." -John G. Miller (QBQ)
   
3. 
   
   How The Mighty Fall – by Jim Collins
   
   
   
   
   I have about ten pages left in this book and I find it one of the most fascinating books I have read about business. This is a business book for people who hate "business" books. Jim Collins researches once dominant organizations that have fallen from greatness to decline or irrelevance. This book points out the phases of decline and shows you how to change course and/or reverse decline. Interesting thing about organizations in the first stages of decline, they are not aware of the fact that they are in decline. Profitability does not prove that decline is happening. In fact, profitability can fog our vision. Interesting read and well-researched by a great author. Below is an outtake from the book:
   
   Stage 1 is hubris born of success. The company's people become arrogant, regarding success as virtually an entitlement.
   
   Stage 2 is the undisciplined pursuit of more -- more scale, more growth, more acclaim. Companies stray from the disciplined creativity that led them to greatness in the first place, making undisciplined leaps into areas where they cannot be great or growing faster than they can achieve with excellence, or both.
   
   Stage 3 is denial of risk and peril. Leaders of the company discount negative data, amplify positive data and put a positive spin on ambiguous data. Those in power start to blame external factors for setbacks rather than accept responsibility.
   
   Stage 4 is grasping for salvation. Common "saviors" include a charismatic visionary leader, a bold but untested strategy, a radical transformation, a "game changing" acquisition or any number of other silver-bullet solutions.
   
   Stage 5 is capitulation to irrelevance or death. Accumulative setbacks and expensive false starts erode financial strength and individual spirits to such an extent that leaders abandon all hope of building a great future. In some cases their leaders just sell out. In other cases the institution atrophies to utter insignificance.
   

Take some time to research these books. I'll add a few more at a later date! Enjoy!

Lance Cashion
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Inspire: “If”

Preface: When I was a young boy, I heard this poem every summer at the closing day at camp. The words resonated with me then. As a freshman in high school, my teacher assigned our class this poem. It resonated with me again, but in a new way. As new father, the poem resonates still, in a different way. This proves that words properly used by the creative mind are living and timeless. Enjoy...

"If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Take care,
Lance Cashion
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Lance Cashion 'The Sound' Compilation FREE Download

Music inspires!  

Whether it's your first time hearing The Sound or you remember the Fridays when the radio show warmed you up for the weekend, I hope that you enjoy it… Share it, if you like!

Thank you for a wonderful 2010.  God Bless you and your families!

Below are links to download 'The Sound' Compilation that was released on Proton Radio/Proton Music in 2004. The compilation was released on iTunes in 2005 and was removed earlier this year because iTunes have set their store to be DRM Free, iTunes Plus. The folks at Proton have to re-upload the older content to the iTunes store to make it available again. This has not happened. So, I decided to upload BOTH sets for FREE download. I've provided the tracklisting below as well.

Links:
The Sound-Part 1 (click here for full mp3 download)
The Sound-Part 2 (click here for full mp3 download)

Proton Radio Presents: Lance Cashion - The Sound
By: Simon Jones on 5 October 2004
After over a year of hosting ´The Sound´ on Proton Radio, Lance inaugurates the station´s mix compilation series with a 2CD release shocasing a repertoire of tracks submitted by various artists to support the radio station. This latest venture from the station will be available to purchase online from some of the leading online stores and digital download portals when it is released soon. For more information, including the tracklist, check out this feature and find out how you can support one of the Internet´s leading online radio stations.


"My favorite thing in the world is watching and listening to people react to a piece of music -- I feel most comfortable behind two tables and a mixer... That is where I can be myself - that is where I communicate best with people. Without anxiety, just passion" - Lance Cashion


Lance Cashion has become a leader among DJs in Texas. Now, after over a year of hosting ´The Sound´ on Proton Radio, Lance inaugurates the station´s mix compilation series with a 2CD release showcasing a repertoire of tracks submitted by various artists to support the radio station. Ranging from the early morning sounds of melodic breaks to the deviously twisted beats of progressive house, the compilation features music from industry veterans like Sultan, PQM, and Momu alongside a dozen fast rising stars like Derek Howell, Micah, and Orchid.

In four years Proton Radio has grown to become the internet broadcasting´s gold standard for underground dance music, streaming 24 hours a day 7 days a week. With a steadfast dedication to provide listeners with the absolute highest quality programming and an emphasis on introducing lesser-known talents, Proton has cultivated an audience with thousands of daily listeners from locations around the globe. As a listener supported radio station, all proceeds from ´The Sound´ will go towards Proton Radio´s operating costs, so those who want to support Proton Radio can guarantee the continuation of the station´s broadcast by picking up Lance´s mix.

The Sound by Lance Cashion (Tracklisting)
Released 2004 on Proton Radio/Proton Music
Disc 1:
Dan Portch - Shoreline
Blue Haze - Messy Textures
Relisys - Agenda
Orchid - Transmission 3001
Relisys - With Sexy Results
Medway & John Morgan - Toobin ( Rob Curtis Remix )
Digital Witchcraft - Brindavan ( Momu Remix )
Derek Howell - Western High

 Disc 2:
Pat Foosheen - The Unthinkable
Rob Curtis - Twilight
The Sanctuary Moon - Don't Touch It
Micah - Pale Creatures
Dan Morris & Shylock - Badhatu
Rich D - Sunrise Girl
Ray & Peter - That Moment
Blue Haze - NineTen
Astrid - Rain (Soul Tan Mix)
PQM Project - Aenema (Noel Sanger Mix)
Derek Howell - We're Gonna Be Okay

Review of the compilation from Lunar Magazine:
Lance Cashion - The Sound - Proton Radio
by Smight
Almost 3 years ago to the date I had the pleasure of meeting Lance Cashion at a Quivver gig in Austin, Texas. Since that time I have come to know a man who stands for so many positive things, and leads prestigiously without as much as an ounce of attitude. Lance humbly brings to us, along with the forward thinking crew at Proton Radio, a mixed set that truly stands out as being something special and firm as a pillar amid the thousands of mixes that have been heard on the airwaves in the past 4 years. Taking the future and mixing it together between Internet radio and the digital revolution, this mix serves as the first of many positive contributions to the illustrious underground dance music culture. Selecting artists of amazing talent, Lance has delicately blended things together in all the right places to create a seamless mix of differing varieties of musical taste. The Iron Chef of dance music spoils the par of the average mixed set and wins the prize of covering so many styles across this two-disc set.

Disc 1 drops you into Dan Portch's "Shoreline," which quickly moves your mind to a place where everything is special and warm. From there you drift through subtle, housey grooves and almost at times ambient styles of melodic interaction. The mix moves forward into some more subtle styled and a bit more progressive material that still maintains the balance of the first track but has an elegant progression. From start to finish this mix is a wonderful introduction into Lance's brilliant programming; it's absolutely amazing from start to finish—one that I would put in my top 10 all time mixes.

Disc 2 is a high-octane thriller that starts with the master of eclectic ambience Pat Foosheen's "The Unthinkable," an absolutely brilliant tune that serves as one of the best opening tracks possible. Being a bit more up tempo, Disc 2 has a solid framework, groove, melody, emotion, and excitement. It moves through melodic landscape after landscape which might be compared to the feeling of being in a world that has never been seen before. You feel insight, intellect and aptitude dripping from each mix. Above all, this compilation contains extremely beautiful music that can make the worst day your best. Throughout this mixture is a very balanced use of breaks and 4/4 beats that work so well together—the programming once again being pushed to the highest degree of detail. Both CDs end with productions from the amazing Derek Howell. What a fitting compliment to save one of the hottest new dance music artists for last.

In the history of Proton Radio there has never been a more genuine contribution of love and respect for dance music than that which is demonstrated in this mix. From all accounts, this is by far one of the best mixes of 2004, period.

Beatfactor.net Review here...
Visit Proton Radio here...

Take care,
Lance Cashion
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Intel: 5 Things you MUST know when shopping for Insurance

1. Research, Research, Research!
- Do your homework! Is shopping for Health or Life insurance fun? Of course not. However, if you or your family gets a major illness or is severely injured, that last thing you want to worry about how your insurance plan will pay. 45 minutes of research will give you the knowledge to be an Educated Consumer not a buyer. With information at your fingertips, use the Web to gain knowledge. For your family’s sake and your future financial security, make sure you know the nuts and bolts of the product you are buying. You don’t have to be an expert, but you must be educated.

2. DO NOT enter your personal information on random Websites!
    (i.e.: name, SS#, phone #, email address, etc)
- You must know WHO is receiving your information and WHAT they plan to do with it. Many websites capture your info and sell it. Nothing is more infuriating than needing HELP finding an insurance plan and getting 50+ calls/emails from Telemarketers who are not licensed to help you (which brings me to my next point).


3. Speak to a LISENCED Agent (who holds a Resident or Non-Resident License in your home state)
- Speak to a professional. They must have the “Heart of a teacher”. If there is ANY doubt, get their name and license number. Tell them you’ll call them back and call your state’s Department of Insurance to see who this person is.
- Let the agent know what is important to YOU. Of course we all want inexpensive insurance that performs when we need it. A word of caution. Make sure you know what you are getting. Insurance is the kind of thing you may not ever use. But if you do need because you’ve been in a wreck and your family is staring at a $150,000.00 hospital bill and you are not able to work, you better make sure that the policy you have is worth the paper it’s printed on. As my wife always says, “Trust but, verify”.

4. When in doubt-Call the Department of Insurance!
- If you have questions about the Insurance Company or the agent, call the Department of Insurance in your state.
- There are many HIGH-quality, lesser-known Insurers out there who provided excellent service, competitive rates and pay claims properly. That said, just because you have not heard of them, does not mean they are not a good company. You’ll find that SOME of the larger carriers treat you like a number (not all). *For those looking at PPO (Preferred Provider Organization/Network) plans, make sure your Doctors accept the NETWORK. Contact me for more about this if you want*

5. DO NOT wait until last minute.
- If you know your policy contract will terminate in two months, or you are going to get on COBRA (very expensive)…. Start researching immediately. I’ve had folks contact me a week before their policy terminates and we have to scramble to get something in place. This causes frustration and stress for everyone.
- Get to work now before Murphy (Murphy’s Law) decides to join in and cause major problems/inconveniences. From my personal experience, if something bad is going to happen…. It will happen when you DO NOT have insurance. If you are receiving my Newsletter, you are smart enough to figure this out.
- If you are applying for individual coverage, the application and underwriting process take time (sometimes weeks). If you know this going into the process, there is less stress and you can plan accordingly.

I hope that this information is useful. If this is “old hat” for you, that is awesome! Make sure you educate your family and friends. As always, I’ll be happy to answer any questions or review your current policy. Just shoot me an email or reply.

Disclaimer LOL: I sell Health and Life insurance. My goal is to empower you to be an educated and informed consumer. I’ve found that life is easier and more fulfilling when people know how to navigate through the insurance world. At the end of the day, Insurance will be with you for the rest of your life. Better to make friends with insurance now than struggle with insurance later. Insurance is a tool and a life jacket. Hopefully you will not ever need it, but if you do… It MUST work the way you know it will. Your life may depend on it!

Lance Cashion
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Profle of the day: Col. Joshua Chamberlain (The Definintion of Courage)

Col. Joshua Chamberlain
(The Lion of Round Top)
The story how ONE man, made ONE decision that changed our Nation.

"Not a moment was about to be lost! Five minutes more of such a defensive and the last roll call would sound for us! Desperate as the chances were, there was nothing for it but to take the offensive. I stepped to the colors. The men turned towards me. One word was enough- 'BAYONETS!' It caught like fire and swept along the ranks".

VIDEO by Andy Andrews:What Joshua Chamberlain did at Gettysburg
Biography: About Col Joshua Chamberlain

Something to think about
Lance Cashion
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Do you bear fruit? (the measure of a man, woman, organization)

Bearing Fruit
-Do your thoughts bear fruit?
-Do your words bear fruit?
-Do your actions bear fruit?
-Does your work bear fruit?

¹⁵"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 7:15-19)

-What do our actions say about us?
-As Christians, what do our actions say about Christ?

You can measure a man and his organization by the results of his words, deeds and actions. When someone says "Sorry, this is nothing personal, just business", I cringe. This is a complete load of bull! It is always personal because your actions and your organization's actions are an extension of YOU! Bearing Fruit is mentioned throughout the Bible. There are different kinds of fruit; ripe fruit, bitter fruit, good fruit, bad fruit, etc. Everything that I am will manifest a result in my life and the world around me.

¹⁰And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, (Colossian 1:10)

We are surrounded and bombarded by ideas and actions of individuals and organizations that say one thing and do another. This is lying. We must be careful not to rationalize these modern phenomena but call it as we see it. Furthermore, we are charged with the task of building lives and organizations that bear good fruit.
At the end of the day before we fall asleep, can I honestly say that my day was fruitful in a Biblical sense? Sometimes I can't. But the day when I can, my sleep is more restful.

God expects us to be productive.  Our lives are to be a mission.  Our work/business is to be a mission. 

-How can your life and business be made to serve as a mission?

Lance Cashion
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Save Money, Buy an Accident Benefit

Health Insurance is expensive enough today and the process of buying a plan can be very frustrating. A bad agent will only make the process worse. Therefore, I'll offer you some quick pointers to navigate the process with ease. Today we'll look at Accidental Injury Coverage or Accidental Injury Benefits. These are insured benefits that work in concert with your regular health insurance plan (Major Medical, HSA, Employer Group plans).  I encourage you to do the research and feel free to reply or contact me personally with questions. Again, my advice is completely free!  There are links below for more info.

WHAT is Accidental Injury Coverage or an Accidental Injury Benefit?
-These are supplemental insurance policies that pay a benefit up to a certain amount if you (or a family member) are injured in an accident. Many also included other benefits like accidental death and dismemberment but we're focusing on the Accidental Injury value. The probability of an accidental injury leading to an Emergency Room visit and/or hospitalization is much higher than illness.

WHY should I consider purchasing Accidental Injury Coverage?
-If you and/or your family are on a $1500 deductible (or higher) on your Health Insurance plan, you must take Accident Coverage into consideration. The higher the health plan deductible, the more crucial it is to hedge against accident.

HOW much will this cost me per month?
-A $5,000 Accident Coverage should not cost you more than $40 per month for the ENTIRE family PERIOD.

You MUST look for creative ways to save money without substantially increasing your risk. One way to save money on health premium is to take a higher deductible health plan. The higher the deductible, the lower your premium will be. The problem some folks run into with higher deductible is a psychological one. A $3500 or $5000 deductible seem to be a lot to take on, but if your premiums are so high that you can barely afford it, you get creative!

Example: (for sake of simplicity, we'll assume your health insurance plan has 100% co-insurance after the deductible)
Currently, your family has a $1500 deductible health insurance policy and the premium amount is $600 per month ($7200 annually). You decide that $600 per month is breaking the bank. You know that you MUST have insurance on yourself and family. You decide to move to a $3500 deductible health plan and the premium is only $450 per month. You just saved $150 per month ($1800 annually)! You buy a $5000 Accident Injury Coverage policy for $30 per month. You are still saving $120 per month AND you have completely hedged against Accident Risk because the Accident Policy is going to pay all but a couple hundred dollars of your $3500 deductible. Basically, you end up with BETTER coverage than when you started and it costs you LESS. Why give your hard earned money to an insurance company, when you can keep it more important things (like an Emergency Fund)?

(another way to look at it)
Family A: Before hedging with Accidental Injury Coverage
$1500 Health Deductible / $600 per month ($7200 annually)
A $100,000 injury claim costs you $1500!
Family A: After hedging with Accidental Injury Coverage
$3500 Health Deductible / $450 per month ($5400 annually) + $5000 Accidental Injury Coverage / $30 per month ($360 annually) = $480 per month ($5760 annually)
A $100,000 injury claim costs you $250!

Extras:
-Employers: This is a great way to save money while improving benefits for your team!!!
-Folks with pre-ex: This is a good way to curb costs if you cannot move to a new plan. You can always go to a higher deductible to save money
-Parents with kids in sports: I think the value is pretty obvious J

In conclusion, in order to save money on monthly insurance expenses, you must get creative. One way is to use products like an Accidental Injury policy to do that. If you have a hand in controlling the cost of your healthcare, you will sleep better at night.

Note: Do not assume that because you are currently "healthy", you don't require health insurance. Try telling that to a family whose bread winner is in the county hospital with no insurance and bankruptcy is knocking at their door. Lives are ruined by selfish/foolish decisions. Don't be THAT GUY! When someone say's "I'm healthy, I don't need insurance", what they are REALLY saying is "I'm irresponsible, unreliable and short sighted". Personally, I do not associate with people who are of that mindset. Insurance rule, if you CAN pay for it… YOU MUST! It is quite another thing not to be able to afford health insurance. Ask yourself. What is more important, my family's well-being or an extra car payment or boat payment, etc?

Links:
SBA with Accident Benefit- Click Here (Example of the product I have and use)
High Deductible Health Plans (Wikipedia)

Take control

Lance Cashion
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Lance Cashion "Mix-Mas" DJ mix from 2002.

Click Here to Download the mp3

Yesterday, I was digging around my CD collection (most of my CDs are on spools) and found this old mix from 8 years ago. Out of hundred or so DJ mixes I have done over the years, "Mix-Mas" Volume 1 ranks in the top 5. It was recorded an put on CD for distribution around Texas. I released this mix CD two years before my sets started airing on http://www.protonradio.com/. So, it is rare. For years, I thought I had lost the master copy of "Mix-Mas". Luckily, there was a copy stashed in my collection. With that said, I have uploaded it to yousendit.com to share. I deem it a "Classic" mix of progressive house from that era due to the fact that it very underground and most of the tunes were unreleased at that point in time. I apologize I do not have a track list for this mix. Enjoy a mix from Christmas 2002!

Enjoy the sounds.

Lance Cashion

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TRUTH: Subject to Change without Notice by Ken Miller

Forward thoughts by Lance Cashion:
Ken Miller serves as the Grow Pastor and Minister to Men at Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas. He has written a fantastic article on "Truth" and Religious Lies. I have reread this article at least a dozen times and shared with my prayer group at my office. I think Ken demonstrates what we know to be truth and how lies are mixed with pieces of truth to deceive people into believing anything. This mixture is toxic to the mind, spirit and society. If you do not know "Truth", how can you possibly measure a misrepresentation of the truth or a flat out lie? 1 part Truth and 2 parts lie still equals a lie. I applaud Ken for his insight and cutting presentation of evidence that shine a light on the reality around us. You can visit Ken Miller here….

TRUTH: Subject to Change without Notice by Ken Miller
It seems there are fewer and fewer things you can really count on in life. Nothing – from cars and electronics to even our relationships – seems built to last anymore. Obsolescence is painfully inevitable. There just doesn’t seem to be much you can bank on these days, including the banks. Athletes let us down. Politicians disappoint us. Ministers fall from grace. Corporate America takes advantage of us. Friends and loved ones desert us. Our 401(k) plans fail to provide for us.

The one thing we could always depend on amid the instability of life was the truth. But if the truth be known, even truth seems to be standing on shaky ground lately. The postmodern mindset has deemed truth, like so much else in our world today, subject to change without notice. In other words, truth is considered subjective and changing, a flighty, fickle creature of our own making that is no more reliable than the stock market.

Nobody’s Right If Everybody’s Wrong
All this change demands our flexibility. (Or our tolerance, as the politically correct in our society like to refer to it.) We live in a world where about the only thing that isn’t tolerated is a lack of tolerance. Everyone is free to come up with their own version of the truth as long as they don’t try to promote it as the truth. This is a dilemma for us as Christians. After all, we claim to know the truth (1 John 1:21). Jesus Christ Himself professed to be the truth (John 14:6). We believe our version of truth has the power to set us free (John 8:32). This truth resides in us (John 16:13; 2 John 1:2). The Bible is the ultimate source of all truth (John 17:17). And we are called to live according to the truth it reveals (3 John 1:4).

But if we have the truth, what about everybody else? The answer lies in the lyrics to “For What It’s Worth,” an old Buffalo Springfield song from the ‘60s:

There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong

The battle lines are being drawn. Some say there is no objective truth, but even that is an objective truth statement. It’s either true or it’s a lie. It’s either right or it’s wrong. And nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong. But the truth is that the truth is right. God’s truth. The truth as revealed in His written Word and demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ, the Word become flesh. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6 NASB). If this is true, then every other brand or version of truth that does not line up with this statement is wrong. It’s a lie.

Religious Lies
And the lies are abundant. Many are hidden in the respectable guise of religion. Concealed by a thin veneer of truth, these subtle, almost subliminal lies appear to be trustworthy and true. That’s what makes them so dangerously deceptive. They appeal to our common sense. They resonate with our rational minds. They give us plausible alternatives to the truth that are far more acceptable and a lot less threatening to our self-centered little kingdoms of one. Over the centuries, countless lies have been perpetrated in the name of religion. Lies about God. Lies about heaven and how to get there. Lies about hell and its existence. Lies about the Bible and its believability and reliability. Lies about the sinfulness of man and what to do about it. And finally, lies about Jesus and His claims about who He was.

The Father of Lies
Where do all these lies come from? Who is behind all these attempts at deception and deceit? According to Jesus, it’s none other than Satan himself: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NASB). Satan is a liar and a deceiver. He is the consummate con man. A smoothtalking shyster and a four-flushing fraud who wants to confuse and conceal the real truth with his own virulent variation of it. His modus operandi from the beginning has been to blend a toxic cocktail made up of one-part truth and two-parts falsehood. It’s exactly what he did in the garden and he’s been doing it ever since.

And Satan’s favorite targets are the religious. He doesn’t waste time trying to get us to deny God’s existence. He simply convinces us that God is detached, demanding, unknowable and too big and too impersonal for man to have any kind of relationship with Him. This is the god of most of the religions of the world: a divine, distant deity who’s more of a force or a disembodied power than a real being who longs to have a relationship with man. And the truth is, some of us as Christians struggle with knowing God. We have a hard time talking to Him. We don’t feel like He listens to us. In essence, He seems unapproachable.

Another favorite lie of the enemy has to do with the Bible and its reliability. “It’s just another religious book,” he persuasively pleads. “Sure, it’s got some great tips for living and some timeless wisdom, but it was written by men, not God. It’s full of errors and man’s opinions and is way too out of touch to be of much use in today’s more complex society.” While most religions of the world admire the Bible, they don’t view it as the inspired Word of God. But the same could be said about countless Christian denominations today. They reject the notion that the Bible is inspired and without error. They question both its accuracy and veracity.

Then there’s the topic of sin and man’s depravity. Satan has this one down. He appeals to our intelligence, convincing us that the very concept of sin is both illogical and irrational. Even some of the world’s leading religions reject the idea of original sin or man’s moral depravity. Some refer to it as negative karma or the unenlightened state. Even those that refer to it as sin only believe that it’s an act done against the will of God, but not a state of being. They have bought Satan’s lie that man is inherently good and sin is nothing more than the consequences of a bad environment, poor education or inequality of opportunity.

What about heaven? Satan isn’t really interested in getting you to doubt its existence, but he does try to confuse the means by which you get there. This is probably the most common lie among all the world’s religions. Christianity is the only religion not based on man somehow earning his way into heaven. They all feature some form of rules-based, god-appeasing system by which man reaches heaven, Brahman, Nirvana or whatever state of enlightenment he’s trying to attain. Self-effort rules the day. Good works and good intentions are the standard of measurement. There’s no need for a savior, because you can save yourself. And this lie has taken on an even more subtle form for many Christ followers today. We confess that we are saved by faith alone in Christ alone, but then we spend our entire lives trying to keep God pleased by our good works.

Of course, Satan’s least favorite topic and the one where he spends the greatest amount of his effort at deception is hell. He knows the existence of hell is a tremendous motivator to mankind. So he spends a great deal of time trying to convince us it doesn’t really exist. He even appeals to our belief in a loving God as evidence against the existence of a place of eternal torment. How could a good and loving God create a place like that? But the enemy’s greatest efforts are reserved for denigrating the deity of Jesus and denying His role as the Savior of mankind. In reality, the first five lies culminate in this final one.

If God is unapproachable, He wouldn’t have bothered sending His Son. If the Bible is unreliable, then everything it tells us about Jesus being the Son of God is a fabrication of someone’s fertile imagination. If sin is irrational and man is inherently good, then no one needs a Savior. If heaven is attainable through my own good works, then I don’t need what Christ did for me on the Cross. If hell is inconceivable and everyone goes to heaven, then Jesus becomes nonessential. Now while most of us as Christians would never embrace this lie knowingly, we may struggle believing in the virgin birth, the stories of His miracles or the historical reality of His resurrection. There are Christian churches in this city that downplay all three. But without them, you end up with a nonessential Jesus. A good man, but not the Good News of God’s grace and mercy.

Truth of Consequences
We live in a day when truth is in short supply. We are surrounded by falsehood and constantly bombarded by the lies of the enemy. But Jesus told His followers “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NLT). We don’t have to believe the lies,religious or otherwise. We can know the truth and we can live in the freedom it brings. Freedom that comes from knowing our God is approachable and longs to have a relationship with us. Freedom that comes from knowing our sinfulness is real, but so is our Savior. Freedom that comes from realizing that heaven is attainable, not based on our own feeble human efforts, but on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Freedom that comes from knowing hell is a real place, but that we have been saved from it. Freedom that comes from knowing the Bible can be trusted because it is the Word of God. And the Word of God that reveals the truth of God is not subject to change without notice.
-Ken Miller (Oct 2009)

"The Undisciplined Pursuit of More (growth)" is a killer...

Co-Author of "Built to Last" and Author of "Good To Great", Jim Collins makes a very good point about the addiction to growth and more that many American companies have. Addiction by its nature is void of discipline.

We all want our organizations to grow. However, there is healthy, disciplined, sustained growth and unhealthy undisciplined growth that will lead to decline. One is like an athlete who trains hard, eats a healthy diet to achieve success and the other is like an athlete who trains hard, eats a healthy diet AND uses steroids to achieve success. I think its pretty obvious where those two models of growth lead.

Jim Collins wrote in "How The Mighty Fall":
"To neglect your core business while you leap after exciting new adventures is undisciplined. To use the organization primarily as a vehicle to increase your own personal success-more wealth, more fame, more power-at the expense of its long-term success is undisciplined. To compromise your values or lose sight of your core purpose in pursuit of growth and expansion is undisciplined."

Is your organization's growth healthy or undisciplined?

If you answered the question with the latter, although you are growing, you may be on the decline.

Time to take a look within my own organization.

I recommend reading "How The Mighty Fall". Great book and provides insight into great organizations that have fallen from grace to irrelevant

Proverbs 25:28 (NKJV)
²⁸ Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

Good evening!

Lance Cashion

Health Insurance Tips (Health Savings Accounts/HSAs)

Many clients and friends ask me about Health Savings Account Qualified Plans or HSAs. Since most folks look at the process of buying insurance like going to the dentist, it is my goal to make this as painless as possible. I teach my client how plans work and together we make decision on what suits their needs. Purchasing the proper coverage is a process and a very important one. The HSA qualified plan must be placed into the mix. I will present some basics here. Feel free to reply or contact me personally if you have specific questions. My advice is completely free!

I will also provide you with links for further education. Let me preface this conversation by saying that I’m going to focus on individual health plans/HSAs (not group).

1. HSA concept has two components: Insurance Policy and Bank Account

a) The Health Insurance component: This is a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) that is designated as HSA Qualified. You must purchase this plan from an insurance company. Premium mounts with vary from company to company, so get several quotes. You will buy an HSA Qualified Plan first.

b) The Bank Account component: This is a HSA designated checking account/debit account. You must open this account after your health plan has gone into effect. The bank will issue a debit card for medical expenses. You will open the HSA Bank account second.

2. HSAs are self-directed. You fund the account yourself up the mandated limits. There are annual maximums. Note: Your plan premium is separate from account funding.

3. HSA Qualified Plans and Bank Accounts have tax advantages
-HSA Qualified Plan premiums are tax deductible
-Distributions are tax-free for qualified medical expanses
-HSA accounts “roll-over” every year (your money stays in your account) tax-free
-Your personal contributions offer you an “above-the-line” deduction. An "above-the-line" deduction allows you to reduce your taxable income by the amount you contribute to your HSA. -Funds in the account grow tax-free through investment earnings, just like an IRA.
Please note that there are several other tax advantages to an HSA not listed.

4. HSAs Qualified Plans are a single deductible for individual and families.

5. HSAs are portable. If you leave your place of work, you take it with you.

I hope these basic points are helpful when considering coverage.

Helpful links:
Dept of Treasury: The Basics
http://www.treas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/pdf/HSA-Tri-fold-english-07.pdf
http://ustreas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/pdf/all-about-HSAs_072208.pdf

Have a great weekend!
Lance Cashion

Lance Cashion has been a licensed Life & Health Agent insurance agent in the State of Texas since 1998 and currently holds non-resident licenses in more than a dozen other states. He serves as the Vice President Marketing Technology and CTO at American Health Underwriters in Fort Worth, Texas.
-Serving the self-employed, small business owners, individuals and small groups
-Specializing in professional customer service and customer education (the heart of a teacher) -Employed at American Health Underwriters Inc (Est. 1968 by James H. Cashion Jr. Ft Worth, TX)
-10 years of experience dealing directly with clients, care providers and underwriters
-Major Medical and HSA Qualified Health Plans / Term Life Insurance / Medicare Supplements /Annuities