Enduring

I find myself focusing on endurance these days. This struggle with Leslie's cancer is a marathon, not a sprint. We've just got to get through it.

Leslie had an okay day today. She continues to battle with the shooting pains that are a side effect of the chemo, as well as the exhaustion.

Cindy came over this evening. She is such a blessing to us, not only meeting physical needs we have around the house, but especially as a friend. The kids love her so much and it was fun to watch the girls run to give her hugs when she left.

Uncle Wil & Aunt Kristin came by this evening after their recent travels. We all couldn't believe how much Kyla has grown! Leslie enjoyed feeding her a bottle before they had to head out.

I talked to Poppie briefly this evening. He sounded good and was out at a dinner theater. So I think he's definitely improving.

4 Down, 8 To Go

Leslie had her fourth chemo treatment on Tuesday. She's had an okay day. I think she's done better with each treatment, but she continues to have bouts of pain, and of course plenty of exhaustion.

McGrooter was sick yesterday morning. This is the second chemo day in a row that he has woken us up throwing up. I'm not sure if it is coincidence or if he is dealing with stress this way. I ended up staying home with him and he was fully recovered by day's end.

Poppie came home from the hospital yesterday. I haven't gotten a chance to talk with him today.

My plate feels extra full right now. I've got quite a backlog of work at the office, and I'm a good bit behind with some work for my web business. I have been particularly thankful the past two evenings as fellow teachers at Leslie's school have brought dinner to us.

Poppie Back in the Hospital

Early this morning, Mike took Poppie to the ER with chest pains. After a long day of tests and eventually a heart catheterization, Poppie is resting in the hospital this evening. The doctors found a blood clot in his heart and have put him on a blood thinner. They also found a bacteria in his stomach that can cause chest pains. They have prescribed an antibiotic for this. I stopped by the hospital tonight after work and visited with Poppie a few minutes, and had dinner with Mike and Becky. Poppie looks good, but it is hard seeing him in a hospital bed. He has not only become a grandfather to me, he is also my good friend. So please pray that the clot would be dissolved and the antibiotic would quickly knock out the bacterial infection. We hope he will come home tomorrow.

Leslie had a good day today and goes in tomorrow morning for her fourth liquid chemotherapy treatment. We both dread each treatment, but are thankful that each one has been a little less traumatic. Pray for her strength and recovery this week, and also that we'll be able to juggle all our responsibilities in the midst of this.

We are also still trying to sell our van. I got a call today from a guy who has a friend who is interested. Please pray the van will sell soon.

Oh dear, oh dear! I shall be too late

1.4966pour l'eur-usd ! Bien qu'étant prêt pour une volatilité accrue due au manque de liquidité ( Thanksgiving holiday US) , ce pic m'a un peu pris de court.

Dans le forex, il faut vraiment s'attendre à tout ; si demain je vois passer un lapin en veston qui regarde sa montre et s'exclame " mon dieu, je vais être en retard" , eh bien je ne m'en étonnerai plus :-)

C'est vraiment Alice au pays des merveilles .

The Day After

For Thanksgiving, we traveled to Greer, SC to visit at Leslie's sister's house. Neither Leslie or I felt well all day, so it wasn't as grand as it could have been. But the company and hospitality was great, and everyone else seemed to have a wonderful time.

Today we both woke up feeling better, and Leslie fixed a wonderful breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon, and chocolate chip pancakes. The kids gobbled it all down, of course, and the Munch ended up with her traditional chocolate ring around her mouth.

We worked on cleaning out the garage some more today. I started a couple of weeks ago, but today we made some real progress. I got several shelves put up, and then various items which were on the floor up on them. We're trying to get room cleared out so Leslie can get the van pulled in. The chemo makes her very sensitive to cold, so much so that she cannot open the fridge. So now that the temps are getting much cooler, getting the van inside is key, so that she doesn't have to be out in the cold any more than she has to.

While Les and I were working, the kids enjoyed a sunny but cool day outside. So often I look at our house and complain that we don't have a big flat yard. But the kids don't do that. They think, "what can we do with a big hill?!!" So they each got a hula hoop and enjoyed rolling the hoops down, countless times. Here are some pictures:

Headed up the hill - I'm not sure what Munchkin was so excited about
Chasing the hoop
Steering was a challenge
The trauma of a mis-steered hoop
Aggie posing
The Hoop Master
Loving the leaves
McGrooter
Always posing

After cleaning up, I enjoyed watching a beautiful full moon rise in the eastern sky. We warmed up inside, but I noticed Aggie wearing a scarf and gloves. She looked at me and said, "I have to wear these everyday because I can't breathe cold air." She has seen Leslie do this everyday due to the chemo. It's interesting to watch how each of the kids process their mother dealing with cancer. Soon she was helping Munchkin do the same thing.

Today was a good day for all of us. I continue to be extremely thankful for these days. Leslie had enough strength to do several things around the house and help with the garage. We were saddened tonight, however, to learn about the death of a close friend of one my co-workers. Anamaria lost the battle with cancer, at a very young age. She was a young Romanian girl, who just recently was diagnosed with cancer. Her battle was short, but she is now free of cancer and with her Lord.

New Look

I decided to switch my look up a little bit. What do you think?

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving with Leslie's family, including her Uncle Gary & Aunt Joan, and cousins Meghan and Allie. We went out to eat, and then back to Poppie's to visit and play some football. It was a great time, although hard without Nannie.

Leslie continues to gain strength and today was a good day for her. We are very thankful for another good day!

A Slow Week

Our week is slowing down, and boy do we need it after this past weekend. We're all off the rest of the week and ready for some good family time over Thanksgiving.

Last night I brought home some goodies for the kids, after an impromptu trip to the PCA bookstore at work. I saw a book by Judy Rogers about a girl named Isabelle. It takes Proverbs 11:22 and teaches little girls that no matter how pretty they get dressed up, when they act ugly they look ugly. It's really a cute story/song that is a good lesson for all of us when we act ugly. But I thought it would be especially good for Aggie to have and read at this time in her life. It's also a coloring book, so she has enjoyed reading and coloring. For the Munch, I got one of Judy Rogers' CDs, which has the song about Isabelle acting like a pig with a gold ring in her snout. We have some other CDs of hers and the kids enjoy them. For McGrooter, I've been wanting to start reading more adventure-type books with him so he could get more into the stories, instead of shorter books. So I picked up Little Pilgrim's Progress for him. I read the first three chapters to him last night and he didn't want me to stop. So I hope it continues to be a hit.

We were going to eat together as a family last night, but by the time I joined them at the restaurant Leslie needed to leave and head home. They had already eaten, so that was good. But it wasn't how we'd planned (even though we did get to see an old friend on the way out the door, even if it was a brief visit). She ended up going to bed early. However, overall Leslie has had several good days in a row. I am thankful her schedule worked out such that Thanksgiving week was not a chemo week. It will allow us to really enjoy our time.

We have much to be thankful for this year, especially. I am thankful the doctors found the cancer and that the surgery was successful. I am thankful the radiation is over, that this round of chemo is only every other week, and that Leslie hasn't lost her hair (although I think she'd be beautiful, I know the kids would have a hard time with that). I am thankful the kids have been so resilient, and that God has protected them in so many ways. I am thankful we lived so close during Nannie's final year. I am thankful for the huge sacrifices family and friends have made to come alongside and help us during these past five months of Leslie's cancer journey. Most of all, I am thankful that we are God's, He loves us more than we know, and that He is at work in our lives.

eurusd franchit les 1.48

Je ne sais pas ce que vous pensez du graphe attaché mais pour moi il était clair que l'euro enfoncerait les 1.48.

A Wonderful Weekend

We had a really good weekend. Leslie made it Friday night to join me at the Global Missions Conference in Atlanta. Thanks Dad, for bringing her down. Mom and Dad kept the kids for us and they made some great memories. Leslie was able to come to a couple of the sessions and rested the remainder of the time. She was sick some on Friday, but had minimal effects the rest of the time except for exhaustion. I have to say that I wrestled with exhaustion too, but it was very worthwhile. The conference was a wonderful blessing to me, and I believe to so many others as well. There were about 2,000 folks there, including nearly 200 from Covenant College. Drs. Richard Pratt and Paul Kooistra delivered the Word with boldness.

If I wasn't so tired tonight I would share many wonderful accounts from my time this weekend. The seminars went well (except for one technical glitch with my computer). I had a number of great opportunities to talk with missions pastors and leaders from all over the country, as well as with missionaries. Many people there encouraged both Leslie and me by speaking to us and praying with us for Leslie. My only disappointment was that Sandra McCracken and Derek Webb only sang one song during the Saturday evening worship service. But they did perform a concert afterward. I just needed to be in the exhibit hall during that time.

I am so thankful to be a part of Mission to the World, and to see the many ways the Kingdom of Christ is going forth throughout the earth.

espérance de gain du scalping

Le tableau ci-dessous démontre bien que le trader fx du type scalpeur est un artiste de haute voltige :-)



Les chiffres de la colonne de gauche sont des variables introduites par l'utilisateur en fonction de ses propres paramètres. Ainsi avec un spread de 3 pips, un gain moyen de 10 pips et une perte moyenne de 5 pips, l'espérance de gain est de seulement 1 pip par trade .

Il ne faut pas être un génie pour comprendre où est le problème. Il est quasi exigé d'avoir au minimum un ratio de 60% de réussite pour fleurter avec le break-even .( le seuil de rentabilité minimum)

Le moindre écart à ces valeurs, par exemple une perte importante, se répercutera directement dans l'espérance qui deviendra négative. C'est ce qui fait que le forex est si difficile: il demande une constance absolue dans les résultats et un suivi méthodique de chaque trade.

En introduisant d'autres variables telles que: le montant du capital engagé, la perte maximum tolérée, la rentabilité exigée par mois, le nombre de trades par jour etc... on se rend vite compte que le scalping est un exercice comportant des risques hors du commun !

FX-meter

Objectifs de la semaine réalisés à 100 %.

50 % par trades hedgés et 50 % par scalps ( 5-20 pips) sur breakouts.

Ten Years in Wall Street

Ecrit par William Worthington Fowler en 1870.



Livre très intéressant sur la faune que l'on rencontrait à Wall Strret à cette époque. On se rend compte à quel point la spéculation a existé de tout temps avec la même intensité qu'aujourd'hui. L'ouvrage contient quelques dessins pittoresques.



Un lien vers un site exposant des livres anciens sur les marchés fnanciers

Answered Prayer

Leslie had a good day today! The chemo has not taken the toll on her yet, as it has with previous treatments. We are continuing to pray that her stamina is sustained and that the nausea and other symptoms are minimal this week. She was still not able to go to work, but she wasn't in constant pain and hasn't been confined to the bed. Continue to pray!

We are also rejoicing this evening that God has answered our prayers for rain. The storms are rolling through! Even McGrooter was excited that it would rain this evening.

Playing Daddy Daycare

Today, I stayed home. I didn't want to. It was probably the worst day of the week for me to miss. But that is the way it panned out. McGrooter woke up this morning saying he felt like he was going to be sick. Eventually he was...all over the living room floor. Leslie had chemo, and her mom was taking her, so I was called from the bench to play Daddy Daycare once again. It turned out to be a good thing. I got a call from Becky later in the morning to say she was taking her good friend and her husband, Karen & Don, to the hospital. Don had a colonoscopy this morning and Becky went to be with Karen during the procedure (it was in the same building as Leslie's chemo). The docs didn't like what they saw, so much so that they wanted Don to go straight to the hospital for a CT scan and possible surgery tomorrow. Leslie was able to go to the hospital after her chemo to visit with them, and she said they did conclude it is cancer but didn't think it was through the colon wall. Don had no symptoms. Later they found spots on his liver. So folks, you know what I am about to say. Yes you who are 50+, even if you have no symptoms, go get a colonoscopy. Do it now. Call and schedule right now. I'll wait. Go ahead.

Uncle Wil came to the rescue, taking our van to the dealership this morning, and then upon this news, taking a few hours off to go and pick up Munchkin and then Leslie after her treatment so I did not have to get McGrooter out (even though he is continuing to show signs of improvement). So I sat with McGrooter as he watched TV and rested, and tried to get some work done in preparation for the conference this weekend.

So while I'm at it, let me dish out some more bovine theology for us all to partake of. This week is a pressure cooker week for me. There is lots to be done for the conference, and even though I thoroughly enjoy it, right in the middle of the week is a full day of missionary assessment that I am a part of. I didn't need to be out this morning. Really, I didn't need to be out any morning this week. But it was this morning, especially, that I didn't want to miss. We have our weekly staff meeting on Tuesday, and I knew we'd be making many last minute arrangements and decisions. But God, in His good providence, saw fit to keep me home today. For one thing, I now know that Becky needed to be with Karen. There were many other things throughout the day that reminded me, God is in control. When am I going to let that sink so deeply into my heart that I don't blow my lid when things don't go as I have planned?

Tonight as I was getting the kids ready for bed, I got a call from Uncle Gary that Poppie had gotten an iPhone! I was so excited for him. But they were having some challenges. They ended up coming over so I could get the phone up and running and I had fun with it. It was also a blast to watch Poppie with it. We boys never outgrow our toys!

Leslie is feeling okay after her third chemo treatment. She was tired tonight though, but we are praying that her stamina won't take the hit that it has in past weeks. We're still not sure if she will be able to join me this weekend. Please pray for us all this week.

mon courtier idéal

extrait d'une réponse que je donnai sur un forum:

question récurrente à laquelle je n'ai pas encore trouvé de réponse optimale, ( j'en suis au cinquième broker)
je pense qu'il faut réfléchir en terme de fonctionalités pour délimiter le terrain.

je paie une bierre à celui qui me trouve un courtier ( banque/broker/ECN) avec les caractéristiques suivantes:

- 0.5 à 1 pips de spread ( au grand maximum deux pips)
- si commission: de préférence inférieure à 1/2 pips
- hedging indispensable
- intérêts + et - sur rollover payés
- fonds protégés légalement ( pas par des organismes d'autorégulation qui ne protègent rien du tout)
- broker qui considère le trader comme "retail" en non comme professionnel ( directive Europ. Mifid)
- compte en euro
- plateforme qui tient la route ( pas le genre de truc qui plante l'ordinateur 3 fois par jour)
- de préférence avec une réputation 'clean' : pas celle d'un voleur patenté ou adepte de techniques douteuses
- pas de plateforme 'gelée' en stat ou période haute volatilité

J'ai limité ma liste à deux sociétés: ni l'une ni l'autre ne remplissent complètement le 'contrat' mais on en est pas loin: Interactive Brokers et SaxoBank .

Le broker c'est comme une F1 ou un cheval de course: si on n'a pas le bon on finit pas la course.
Bien sur le pilote est la pour faire la différence, mais on ne gagne pas avec une mule.

Weekend Update

Poppie went to the heart cath lab this afternoon where they found one artery that was 70-80% blocked and two that were about 40%. They were not worried about the two that were 40% and will treat those with medication. They treated the more clogged one using the balloon and stint and he is done and recovering. They will keep him overnight for observation and then he will go home tomorrow. I'm breathing a sigh of relief as this could have been worse, like open-heart surgery. Leslie is still at the hospital this afternoon and Uncle Wil went to pick up the older two kids at school. He took them on a special "errand" to Brewsters before bringing them home.

The Munch still has a fever, dark circles under her eyes, and is a little whiny. But all-in-all, she is a low maintenance sick kid. I can't complain. I've endured "Wow, Wow, Wubbzy," "Yo Gabba Gabba," and lots of "Dora The Explorer." I just hope that I didn't accidently write a note about doing the peanut butter dance from Yo Gabba Gabba in my PowerPoint for next week's Global Missions Conference. We went to see Miss Kristi, who is so fantastic with our kids. She explained that it's viral, so it'll just have to run its course, and the other two may very well get it. Munchkin did well, and only cried when she had her thumb pricked to check for really yucky stuff (which showed all clear). She quickly recovered and soon we were both happy! She got a cool bandaid and sticker for being brave which was a welcome distraction. We got home and had lunch, and she took a good nap. We are just praying she doesn't share it with Mommy at this point. :-)

As for Mommy, she had a good day as far as her health goes. It certainly wasn't the way any of us would have wanted to turn out as far as Poppie goes, but I was at least glad she felt good enough to be there with him. I think it would have nearly killed her to not be with the family. I was proud of her that she at least wore a mask most of the time she was there. The next several days should continue to be good ones for her again. She'll go for chemo again on Tuesday. We are praying that this next round will not be as harsh as the last two because she is planning on joining me at the Global Missions Conference. My parents are coming up to keep the kids, so please pray she will feel strong enough to join me, even if it is to rest in the hotel room most of the time. The conference is in the same hotel we're staying at, so it would be fine and I can come up and see her in between sessions.

On to other, nearly as important news. My friend Van, who has been on a blogging hiatus, made a recent video post. It's well worth the watch. Even though I've already endorsed Fred Thompson, this response from Huckabee was brilliant. He handled himself and the question very well.

My brother got his first deer of the season.

Pray for Poppie

Last night on my way home, I called to find out from Leslie that Munchkin had a fever and wasn't feeling well. She hardly ever complains when she is sick, so we usually don't know until she has fever. And when she does finally get to the point of complaining, she's usually pretty miserable. We gave her some Tylenol and she slept through the night.

This morning we got a call from Mike that Poppie was in the emergency room with a possible mild heart attack. The first two EKGs came back abnormal and his blood pressure was low. So they are treating him and talking about possibly doing a heart catheterization. He actually drove himself to the hospital because Mike was out of town and he didn't want to bother us. He eventually called Wil once he was at the hospital.

I'm staying home today now, since Becky was going to keep the Munch but is now going to the hospital, and Leslie wanted to go up there to be with Poppie too. I'm waiting for the pediatrician's office to open to see if we can get an appointment. I'll update more as it develops, but please pray for Poppie at this point.

Our Small World

Today I was convicted of how small our world is. By "our" I mean my family. We're in the middle of dealing with Leslie's cancer, and this is no doubt a hard thing. But as Leslie and I have both written, others are dealing with much more difficult things. I don't mean that to compare situations. I don't think that is appropriate. What I do mean is that I in no way wish to swap our situation with other friends and family members. I think of Darren and Marla who are dealing with Darren's failing kidneys. Another couple who are young and just had their first child who was diagnosed with cancer. Other good friends of ours are dealing with life-changing challenges. The list could go on.

The thing that spurred my thoughts today was reading an email from my cousin, Kiersie. Her husband, Martin, is currently deployed to Iraq. He has been there on multiple deployments, and she is at home with two children, waiting anxiously on his return. Kiersie wrote, "The countdown is on, finally, and he should be home between January 15-22, just over 2 months - - YEAH!!!!!  All I have left is one newsletter, one Christmas party to throw and then getting all the barracks ready for the single soldiers when they return!!!  I have to admit that I'll be SOOOO HAPPY when it's all over and done with!!" What a huge sacrafice she and Martin have made for him to serve our country. I am so burdened for them. Martin has been wounded. The sacrifices are real. And there are all of his soldiers with him, some who will return only to a barracks hall. I am so thankful for these men and women who are giving of themselves so we can live in freedom, in a country where Leslie can get the best medical care. Our own world of suffering is so small. Many are dealing with things I hope to never encounter.

These people are all around us. So may we not be so focused on our own little world that we neglect those around us who are bearing burdens, often greater than ours. As you look around to those you know, don't just say, "let me know if there is anything I can do." Look for something you can do, and do it. Consider them as greater than your self. Care for them, and show compassion. You'll be greatly blessed if you do, and God will expand your view of your own world.

Leslie had a good day today and was able to work the entire day. Her strength is returning, as well as her spunk. Keep her in your prayers.

Continuing To Improve

Leslie continues to improve since her last chemo treatment. She was up much of last night but did go into work for a few hours today. Her throat is soar this evening so we are praying that she is not coming down with anything. Cindy came over again this evening to help until I got home from work. She relieved Leslie's mom who is still fighting a sinus infection. Cindy seems to like our kids and they really love her. We're so thankful for her ministry to us during this time.

We continue to have so many things to be thankful for in our lives. It's strange to even say that in a time like this, but God is certainly sustaining us. I wish I could say that my satisfaction is in Christ, solely. But I struggle to keep my heart there. I was encouraged today by a video clip my brother-in-law sent me from John Piper. In it, Piper confronts what is known as the prosperity gospel. It is anything but the Gospel of Christ. It's a shame that so many are being led astray by this heresy. Even in my own heart I struggle believing that God is working for our good in the midst of Leslie's cancer. But I know that He is. And I can say that this trial has certainly pointed us to the fact that He cares for us. Nothing can separate us from His love. Not even cancer. Watch this clip and be encouraged.

Such A Difficult Thing

We've had a pretty good weekend, although Leslie continues to deal with a good deal of pain and nausea. We were able to get out Saturday for a couple of hours before she needed to get home. Today she stayed home and I took the kids to church. We had a restful afternoon and then Pop & Grandma dropped by for a visit. They brought by some food and some gifts from my sister (a wonderful memory book that she and some friends put together for Leslie, with various pictures and verses) and a blanket from Christa. This saga has turned into a marathon event for us, and so many kind gestures continue to lift our spirits.

This morning's sermon dealt with the sovereignty of God when life doesn't go as we expect. Chuck hammered home that God is working all things for His glory and our good. This is such a beautiful and hard concept at the same time. When I got home from a late-night run to Wal-Mart this evening, I looked up to a beautiful fall sky. I love looking at the sky when it is cool and clear, and tonight I was once again overwhelmed at how small I feel. It wasn't a feeling of self-pity, but a sense of how much God cares for me even though I am so small. It was a reminder to me to get my mind off of the "why" of my life, and revel in the fact that God is indeed working things for His glory and my good. I felt very weak as I went to the store. And yet there I was, a weak man staring at a vast sky, reminded that I am cared for by a great and loving God.

When I came inside I saw my wife looking far weaker than I felt. And as I hurt so deeply for her, I must rely on the same hope that our God is caring for and loving her. I think of Chuck's words this morning about Elijah, who endured the wilderness being fed by unclean birds. I can't imagine what must have gone through his mind, being one who was called as a prohet of God, and yet enduring such a difficult thing. Yet God was at work, just as He is in Leslie's body and life. Isaiah 55:9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

2 Down, 10 To Go

It's easier for us to look at the number of chemo treatments that Leslie has rather than the time frame. She completed her 2nd treatment this week and has 10 more to go. It will be March when she finishes.

This week has been rough for her. She continues to combat fatigue and nausea, and has regular pain which I assume is left over from the radiation. She has literally been in the bed most of the week since Tuesday.

The kids seem to be comprehending more of what is going on, at least the older two. McGrooter had an interesting conversation with Leslie last weekend (you can read more about it on her blog). Tonight, Leslie went to bed before the kids. When she told them all "good night," Aggie responded that she would climb in bed with her later and hug and kiss her a lot. She and her brother have been coming into our room every night for at least the past week, in the middle of the night. Aggie just comes in and lays down. We usually don't hear her or know that she's there until we get up and see her on the floor. McGrooter, on the other hand, comes and stands next to Leslie. He then lays down on the floor next to her. Last night she said that he continually popped up and just stood there. She said to me, jokingly, that she wished she'd had one of those nerf mallets used in the gopher game where they keep popping up. I don't know what is going on in their heads, exactly, but they seem like they just want to be near her. When I talk with McGrooter about it he always says he comes in there because no one sleeps in his room with him. Maybe he is just dealing with alone-fear, but I do wonder if he's struggling with the fear of his mom being sick. You can pray for them both, and for us that we'd have the wisdom to handle it in a way that glorifies God.

We've had some wonderful help this week, including a couple of delicious meals from folks at Westminster. Another friend from North Forsyth came by this evening to get Leslie's comforter and take it to the laundromat to wash. People's kindness continues to blow me away.

videos sur Bloomberg.com

Jim Rogers est impayable quand il traite Bernanke de "nut" pour avoir baissé les taux d'intérêts; pas plus tard que hier il le traitait de "madman" lors d'une autre interview. Les arguments de Rogers tiennent la route.

Aujourd'hui la Toussaint ...

... demain le jour des Morts. Un peu de respect et une pensée émue pour tous nos compères traders décimés par la sauvagerie du marché du forex. Que Dieu nous garde d'une fin semblable...