It’s not a joke, or a blast from the distant past.
We’ll share a nice message of praise from Clayton Homes for our pro-industry work.
We said thank you, of course, and pointed to those who make this work possible. We’ll likely release that kind Clayton statement, next week. It will depend on other news, so stay tuned.
Next…
Why didn’t manufactured housing take off in the first decade of the 2000s, as Harvard and other researchers thought would happen?
The article linked below looks at that question, through the prism of the Warren Buffett’s “The Moat” Principle.
The report above is packed with direct quotes, industry comments, and is cross referenced.
From the outset of launching MHProNews, and later, MHLivingNews.com, we’ve always been about identifying what’s right or wrong, what does and doesn’t work.
As pro-industry publishers and service providers, we’ve always sought to identify an issue’s key, and then propose – and lead the way – on methods of dealing with a given problem.
With the Warren Buffett “the Moat” report above, we’re almost complete with our 2017 periodic series about the true state of the Manufactured Housing Industry.
Which reminds me of a real-life, blast-from-the-past.
One of the last articles that the respected Manufactured Home Merchandiser Magazine published from me before they closed-down listed the importance of Prayer among the secrets of success.
In their wisdom, the Merchandiser edited out my references to prayer.
For those who already know, no explanation is needed. For those who don’t know, or need to move beyond political correctness, let’s keep it simple.
The eternal, all perfect, all knowing, all powerful, all merciful Creator – God, requires nothing. Technically, the Almighty has no need for our prayers.
Then why pray?
Prayer isn’t a group of magic words, like a spell. Nor is prayer like rubbing a magic lamp just so to get a wish granted.
Then why pray?
Because it can be transformative for those who pray, and thus for others too. No wonder God recommends it.
On this third day of Christmas (C3), as we survey the great potential for our industry and nation, while contrasting it with the current climate in America let’s quickly compare the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” to the movie, Network.
Both are powerful films, but both are quite different.
Sex has been very much in the news this year and last (isn’t it always?).
For example, in It’s a Wonderful Life, sex is there in the background. In Network, sex is in your face.
There’s drama, and humor, in both stories.
Faith is uplifted in Wonderful, but in Network?
“The World is a Corporation” (Network, 1976). Note, that none of the false promises of the corporate world have come-to-pass. This isn’t to say that business is bad, its to say that the God should inspire and transform every aspect of our life. Yes, that includes our business or profession too. I know numbers of MH Industry pros who believe the same.
In Wonderful, that power of prayer is shown to be transformational. In Network, you have Sybil the Soothsayer and a whole cast of new age characters, and their respective behaviors.
So God’s mentioned in both films, but in Wonderful, the Creator is shown in a wonderful way. In Network, the new ‘god’ is money. How’s that working out, 41 years after Network became a hit flick?
The sexual revolution of the 1960s lay almost evenly between Wonderful and Network. The sexual revolution’s impact on the film and American society are self-evident.
Sex is good or bad, depending on its context. It’s sacred, or profaned, says the Creator, according to its right or wrong use. So too with the other 10 Commandments.
The devil is as real as God, you, or myself are. I respect them, but I’m not a high Anglican, as the brilliant writer, C.S. Lewis was. Lewis’ Screwtape letters, and some of his other writings, underscored how Satan operates. One of Lucifer’s tools is divide, and conquer.
Deceptive half-truths, spin, and outright lies. These are not Godly, they are satanic.
The angel was given free will, abused it, fell from grace. Then the demon takes what God made to be good – within a certain, specific context – and the devil gives what’s good, a twist. The same pattern as lies, or work, or food, etc. The devil takes what’s good, and twists it.
Since early in the history of humanity, the struggle over good and evil has played out on the stage of life.
All of history can be seen – with the eye of true faith – as a struggle between evil fighting the Good.
Satan can’t win – but ever the rebel, like his disciple Saul Alinksy and the book uplifting Lucifer in Rules for Radicals – that same, rebellious Lucifer/Satan who hates God and humanity – tries to drag as many people along behind him into Hell as possible.
Toxic Combination of Big Business in Bed with Big Government, Rules for Radicals, Generation Zero
We have each been given free will.
We must be informed and forged by a combination of grace and the right use of our free will.
Secular humanism’s ‘Everything goes’ philosophy of life has been a documentable disaster. The sexual revolution is just another excess, which has led to millions of broken hearts. Along with any other excess of food, drink, work, etc. – it leads to death between people, relationships, trust, and so on.
Who says? Not me, it’s God who said it. Ask Moses. Or ask Jesus, whose birth we are celebrating.
And on this, the third day of Christmas – C3 – we call to mind why God became an infant in the first place. To redeem and lead a fallen humanity back to an eternal paradise.
IMHO, Jesus ought to be held up as the exemplar for all builders, including factory-builders.
If you’ve not seen, It’s a Wonderful Life in a while, set aside the time to watch it with family, friends or solo at the link below. It ought to be a theme for our industry’s and national rebirth.
It’s how entertainment used to be done. It was uplifting, and inspirational.
In both Wonderful, and Network, there’s a monopolistic party of moneyed influence and power. A struggle of good and evil. Each film has lessons for our time.
As 2017 draws to a close, and 2018 looms ahead, what will be needed for a professional, business, industry or national rebirth? Core, fundamental, foundational principles and God’s own eternal values must be a the heart of it.
C3 – on the third day, Merry Christmas to all. ## (Editorially commentary, all third party images credits are as shown, and are provided under fair use guidelines.)
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Kovach is the award-winning managing-member of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC,
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