8 • April 29, 2022
OPINION
Stock Market Insights: Is inflation about to peak?
BY DR. RICHARD L. BAKER, AIF® Founder & Senior Wealth Advisor at Steadfast Wealth Management hen it comes to roller coasters, we have a ride twice family rule. The first time you ride a roller coaster you just want off and you promise yourself you will never get back on. But I’m always challenging my kids and when they want to ride a new roller coaster,
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BY PAT LAMB Columnist
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or many mothers, Mother’s Day is the favorite holiday of the year. It is so nice to be honored and hear the expressions of love and appreciation. However, in many cases, mothers are not given the respect or honor they should receive not only on Mother’s Day but also during the
they know they must ride it backto-back because the second time isn’t nearly as scary as the first time because you know where the peaks and drops are. Inflation is still really high, and everyone keeps talking about it. It’s affecting all of us because it’s so widespread. Last week’s inflation report saw consumer prices up 8.5% from the same time last year, the most in nearly forty years. How high will it get? Will it ever stop? There are many questions, but I do see some possible clues that the tide is turning. I see three clues that inflation might be near a peak. Clue number one is the auto industry. The supply chain and chip shortage made it so difficult to find
a new car that used car and truck prices skyrocketed. Just two months ago the price of a used car was almost 45% hirer than the year before according to the Manheim Used Car Value Index, but now it’s ‘only’ 24.8%. Still high but not as high as it was. I like the downward trend. Clue number two is gasoline. This clue is a stretch but I’m trying to be optimistic. The price of oil has fallen to $104 a barrel, down from a peak of $124 on March 8 according to Yahoo Finance. Thankfully, gas prices have followed oil prices down as well. The U.S. average price of $4.10 is down from $4.34 in early March, per GasBuddy.com. Hopefully, gas prices will continue to come down and be more reasonable. But, and this is a big but, if
Europe stops importing Russian oil and natural gas, energy prices could escalate quickly. The third clue inflation might be near a peak is the shipping mess at our ports is getting worked out. The major west coast ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are responsible for unloading nearly half of all imports to the U.S., are seeing their backlogs drop. In early April, there were a total of 37 ships lined up for both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, down from 65 in September 2021 and 109 in January 2022, according to the Business Insider. This helps shipping prices as well. Shipping rates from Shanghai, China to Los Angeles or New York are down 28% on average from the highest point last year according to LPL Financial Research.
Prices have a long way to fall to make much of a difference and it won’t happen overnight, but inflation could possibly be near its peak. Some prices will stay high permanently because of labor costs but many will come down. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do see a trend downward and I hope it continues. There is one exception to the family ride twice rule with roller coasters and that would be my wife. She hates roller coasters and is a scaredy-cat, but gets to do whatever she wants. She prefers staying on level ground, she’s sort of anti-peak. When it comes to inflation, I think we all prefer level ground too. Have a blessed week! https://www.steadfastwealth.net/ richard-baker
remainder of the year. In order for a mother to be respected, she must do some things to earn that respect, dad needs to encourage the children to respect their mother, and a family needs to attend a church where children are taught the importance of the family and the command to honor parents. Although we should each respect our mother whether the respect is earned or not, it is so much easier when the mother does and does not do certain things. Mothers should have the well-being of the family in her mind and heart first after love for God. A godly woman is a woman who is filled with love as described in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians in the Bible. She is patient with her children
and understands each child is unique. She needs to do her best to see that the children are getting proper food and have a clean, orderly house to live in. She needs to be an encourager. Her speech should be gentle. Mothers who use profanity and “street talk” have a hard time getting real respect from children. Dad plays a big role in teaching children proper respect. He needs to set a good example for the children by showing respect to their mother. In addition to setting the example, he needs to require the children to always speak respectfully and to listen to the mother. Under no circumstances should he override the mother’s decision in the presence of the children. To do so indicates that he does not believe that she
is capable of making right decisions for them. Children quickly pick up on this attitude and they, too, decide that she is not capable of giving them advice. If Dad disagrees with Mom, the issue should be settled between the two of them out of the presence of the children. When men talk down to their wives in front of the children, the children get the impression that their mother is inferior. Families who do not attend church are robbing themselves of a great deal of help. In church, the children are taught the Ten Commandments. They usually are required to memorize them. One of the commandments tells us to honor our fathers and mothers. This is not an option. God holds us responsible to obey this commandment as well as the
others. It really helps to have someone outside the family teaching the children to act properly and to respect their parents. As I watch children in church recite Scripture, sing songs, and learn how to behave properly, I often feel sad to think how many children are missing out on these activities. These activities, along with church camp opportunities, enhance the learning they get at school and home. They get practice in memorizing, and they learn Scripture verses about acting correctly which better prepares them for life. Although Mother’s Day comes only one time each year, we should teach children to love and respect their mothers at all times. This positive behavior should become a pattern of behavior to last a lifetime.
Train Up a Child: Children need to respect Mom
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Purpose in pain
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BY TIFFANY GRAVETT Staff Writer
bransonglobe.com
hen the Israelites escaped the rule of Pharaoh and made the trip from Egypt to the Promised Land, it took them forty years to eventually reach their destination. The trip from Egypt to Canaan typically only took about a month. So why did it take God’s people so long? They didn’t have the strength yet to fight the battles ahead. They didn’t have the faith yet to lay claim to the land God was giving them or the fortitude to protect
and maintain it. God was patient with them. He allowed his people to endure pain and pressure. They learned patience and perseverance. They shed the sins that kept them bound and defeated. And when God’s perfect timing brought them to their destiny, they were ready. They were strong enough to fight the battles. They had the faith and fortitude to walk boldly into the land and take hold of it. Had their journey taken any less time, the
Israelites would not have been worthy of nor would they have appreciated the amazing things God had in store for them. Easy come, easy go. I know the journey seems long, my friend. The battles are endless and the pain cuts deep. Some days it’s all you can do to take one more step or to breathe one more breath. The wait seems to be dragging on forever. But the person you were when you started is not the strong and resilient person
you are now. The pain–though difficult–had a purpose! Had the promise come swiftly, you wouldn’t have been able to claim it and maintain it. God’s preparing you to lay hold of the promise with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and not to let the enemy destroy where He has brought you. Keep on traveling. Keep on breathing. Keep on hoping. When it’s the right time to receive the promise, you’ll be more than ready!
