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As much as we try to complicate what great service is...it's really pretty
simple: It is giving the customer more than they expect...consistently. You
notice I said simple, not easy. There is a big difference!

Here's a little secret...the 3 keys to creating a service culture in your
organization are: reinforce, reinforce, reinforce. And never underestimate
the power of great stories to turn the switch from "off" to "on." In
Customer Love there are 24 unforgettable true stories about individuals or
companies who have "wowed" their customers and turned them into raving fans!
And here's what makes it real for you and your team...with each story there
is a service "lesson learned." This, of course, helps to get the creative
juices flowing, and the conversation started about how this "lesson" might
apply to your organization; and how you can use it to make your service
culture all it can be.

Today, I'd like to share the Introduction that I wrote for Customer Love. I
think it captures the essence of what this little book is all about, and why
it is a perfect way to thank your customers and your team!

Introduction from:
Customer Love...Great Stories to Inspire Great Service
By Mac Anderson

I'm a big fan of Nordstrom. My wife is a bigger fan! For many years we've
been impressed with the "Nordstrom attitude" when it comes to serving their
customers. A few years ago, we were in Nordstrom doing some last minute
Christmas shopping. As we were walking through the men's department, an
employee came out of nowhere and said, "Sir, wait right here, I'll be right
back." I watched him run over to the next counter about 100 feet away, grab
something and start running back. When he got back, he said, "Sir, I think
you've been trying on sweaters." I said, "How'd you know?" He said, "The
back of your black shirt looks like it's been snowed on, and it's not
snowing in here!"

We both laughed and he proceeded to remove the fuzz with his lint roller.
After about 10 seconds, he said, "That's it...You're free to buy more stuff!
I hope you and your wife have a wonderful Christmas!"

After spending about one hour in the store, we each had 3 Nordstrom bags,
and as we were walking out the exit into the rest of the mall, another
employee ran over and said, "Let me keep all these bags here while you do
the rest of your shopping. They'll be right here, just ask for me." He
introduced himself, as did we, and he handed me his card.

About one hour later, with more packages from the mall, we came back. As we
walked into the store, I saw the gentleman who had taken our bags walking
towards us and with a big smile, "Welcome back Mr. and Mrs. Anderson." He
then looked at our new shopping bags and said, "My goodness, you're going to
have a load. Can I help you take these bags to the car?" Now please
understand, it's Christmas, the store is full of people, it's cold outside,
the parking lot is full...and this gentleman is asking if he can help take
our bags to the car! And even though I said, "No thanks" I knew his
intentions were 100% sincere. I have to tell you the whole service
experience on that day blew me away, but I've learned over the years, it's
business as usual at Nordstrom!

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Excerpt from
Finish Strong: Teen Athlete...Developing the Champion Within,
by Dan Green

Western Oregon University's Sara Tucholsky had no idea that the first - and,
as it turns out, only - homerun of her career would cause ripples that would
make her last swing of the bat as a college softball player a national media
sensation.

With two runners on and her team down a run to Central Washington
University, Sara hit a homerun to centerfield. As she rounded first base,
she missed the bag. When she turned to tag the base, she injured her knee.
Able only to crawl back to the base, Sara was told that she would be called
out if her teammates came to her aid. If a pinch runner checked into the
game, her homerun would count only as a single.

Players and fans alike were stunned when Central Washington first baseman
Mallory Holtman, the conference's all-time homerun leader, asked the umpire
if there was any rule against opponents helping an injured player around the
bases.

She was told that there was not. Together, Holtman and shortstop Liz
Wallace picked up Tucholsky and carried her around the bases, stopping at
each bag to allow Sara to touch it with her good leg. "It was the right
thing to do," Holtman said in an interview on national television, after the
respectful act of sportsmanship had been witnessed by millions on ESPN and
had become a YouTube sensation.

The three runs sent Western Oregon to a 4-2 victory, ending Central
Washington's chances of winning the conference and advancing to the
playoffs.

"It's a great story," Western Oregon coach Pam Knox said, "something I'll
never forget - the game's about character and integrity and sportsmanship,
and it's not always about winning and losing."

As it turns out, the players who helped Sara had no idea of the
circumstances surrounding the at-bat, or that the story would make headlines
around the country. "We didn't know that she was a senior or that this was
her first home run," Wallace said Wednesday. "That makes the story more
touching than it was. We just wanted to help her." The gesture left Sara's
Western Oregon teammates in tears. "I hope I would do the same for her in
the same situation," Sara said. Central Washington coach Gary Frederick
called the act of sportsmanship "unbelievable."

"In the end, it is not about winning and losing so much," Holtman, who
initiated the act, said. "It was about this girl. She hit it over the fence
and was in pain, and she deserved a homerun."

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Without a strong foundation built on positive character traits, success will
not long endure. It is virtually impossible to fake good character. Phonies
are quickly spotted because they haven't the substance and determination to
maintain the charade. Developing good character begins with a positive
attitude. Your desire to be a good, decent, honest, considerate person must
first take place in your mind. When you make the decision to become a person
of character, you will also find that you are much more willing to do the
right thing simply because it is the right thing to do.

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by Rick Warren

Do all your work in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 (TEV)

"Any job can be turned into worship when it is built on the model of
Christ's love."

The Apostle Paul says, "Do all your work in love."

He doesn't say some of your work, but all of your work. He also says no
matter "what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." (1 Corinthians 13:3, MSG)

The point is, any job can be turned into worship when it is built on the
model of Christ's love; that love is expressed to co-workers, clients and
customers. Mother Teresa said, "It's not what you do so much that matters,
but how much love you put into it."

Think about it like this

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Building on the first Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest
Hit Housing Markets (the "HFA Hardest Hit Fund"), the Administration
recently announced an expansion of the initiative to target five additional
states with high shares of their populations living in local areas of
concentrated economic distress. This second HFA Hardest Hit Fund will
include up to $600 million in funding for innovative measures to help
families stay in their homes or otherwise avoid foreclosure in states that
have been hit hard by concentrated economic distress.

Responsible families across the country have found themselves unable to pay
their mortgages due to unemployment or underemployment. While the first HFA
Hardest Hit Fund targeted five states with home price declines greater than
20%, the second HFA Hardest Hit Fund will target five states with high
concentrations of people living in economically distressed areas, defined as
counties in which the unemployment rate exceeded 12% in 2009. Less than 15%
of the U.S. population lives in such high unemployment rate counties. The
five states that will receive allocations based on this criterion are: North
Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina.

President Obama announced the first HFA Hardest Hit Fund on February 19,
2010, with up to $1.5 billion in funding for innovative measures to help
families. States that were allocated funds under the first HFA Hardest Hit
Fund are not eligible for the second HFA Hardest Hit Fund. HFAs in states
qualifying for the second Hardest Hit Fund will be required to submit plans
to Treasury for review before becoming eligible for funding. Once HFAs have
submitted plans to Treasury for review, and Treasury determines that the
plans satisfy the requirements under the Emergency Economic Stabilization
Act of 2008 ("EESA"), the plans will become eligible for funding up to a
predetermined allocation cap.

Expansion of Help for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets

1. $600 Million to Help State Housing Agencies Further Address the
Challenges Facing Housing Markets with the Most Concentrated Areas of
Economic Distress
-Funding will go to states with the highest share of their population living
in counties in which the unemployment rate exceeded 12% in 2009 (excluding
states already eligible for Help for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets funds).
-HFAs must submit program designs to Treasury. Approaches that respond to
problems caused by concentrated economic distress will be particularly
welcomed.
-To receive funding, HFAs' plans must satisfy the requirements for funding
under EESA.
-Funding will help support innovative foreclosure prevention efforts and
help for unemployed homeowners.

2. Accountability and Transparency
-All funded program designs will be posted online.
-To create accountability for results, program effectiveness measures and
results will be published online.
-Program activity will be subject to effective oversight under EESA.

3. Allocation Caps
-Allocation caps have been determined in proportion to the number of people
in these five states living in counties with high unemployment, resulting in
the following allocation caps:

State Allocation Camp (millions)
North Carolina $159
Ohio $172
Oregon $88
Rhode Island $43
South Carolina $138

Illustrations of the Types of Programs that May be Funded in the States

The HFA Hardest Hit Fund is designed to allow the maximum possible
flexibility to HFAs in designing programs that are tailored to the needs of
each participating state. To be eligible for Troubled Asset Relief Program
("TARP") funds, all programs must promote the purposes of EESA and be
consistent with its requirements. Section 2 of EESA provides that the
purposes of EESA are to restore liquidity and stability to the financial
system and to use TARP funds in a manner that, among other things: Protects
home values; Preserves homeownership and promotes jobs and economic growth;
and Provides public accountability.

The objective of the HFA Hardest Hit Fund is to allow HFAs to develop
creative, effective approaches that consider local conditions. To provide
guidance to HFAs in designing programs, Treasury has outlined some of the
possible types of transactions that would meet the requirements of EESA.
States are encouraged to submit proposals that provide targeted relief to
areas or localities with high concentrations of economic distress, but each
state should respond to local conditions:

Unemployment Programs - Programs may provide for assistance to unemployed
borrowers to help them avoid preventable foreclosures.

Mortgage Modifications - Programs may provide for modification of mortgage
loans held by HFAs or other financial institutions or provide incentives for
servicers/investors to modify loans.

Mortgage Modifications with Principal Forbearance - Programs may provide for
paying down all or a portion of an overleveraged loan and taking back a note
from the borrower for that amount in order to facilitate additional
modifications.

Short Sales / Deeds-In-Lieu of Foreclosure - Programs may provide for
assistance with short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure in order to
prevent avoidable foreclosures.

Principal Reduction Programs for Borrowers with Severe Negative Equity -
Programs may provide incentives for financial institutions to write-down a
portion of unpaid principal balance for homeowners with severe negative
equity.

Second Lien Reductions - Programs may provide incentives to reduce or modify
second liens.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of acceptable transactions. Other
innovative ideas and transaction types (including innovations related to the
Making Home Affordable Program) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
for compliance with EESA. Treasury may publicly announce additional types of
transactions that would meet the requirements of EESA.

For programs designed to help individual homeowners, the target population
should be limited to residences with unpaid principal balances equal to or
less than the current government sponsored enterprise (GSE) conforming limit
of up to $729,750. HFAs may target low and moderate income borrowers at
their discretion consistent with that HFA's state enabling legislation.

For more information, visit www.financialstability.gov.

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Building on the first Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest
Hit Housing Markets (the "HFA Hardest Hit Fund"), the Administration
recently announced an expansion of the initiative to target five additional
states with high shares of their populations living in local areas of
concentrated economic distress. This second HFA Hardest Hit Fund will
include up to $600 million in funding for innovative measures to help
families stay in their homes or otherwise avoid foreclosure in states that
have been hit hard by concentrated economic distress.

Responsible families across the country have found themselves unable to pay
their mortgages due to unemployment or underemployment. While the first HFA
Hardest Hit Fund targeted five states with home price declines greater than
20%, the second HFA Hardest Hit Fund will target five states with high
concentrations of people living in economically distressed areas, defined as
counties in which the unemployment rate exceeded 12% in 2009. Less than 15%
of the U.S. population lives in such high unemployment rate counties. The
five states that will receive allocations based on this criterion are: North
Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina.

President Obama announced the first HFA Hardest Hit Fund on February 19,
2010, with up to $1.5 billion in funding for innovative measures to help
families. States that were allocated funds under the first HFA Hardest Hit
Fund are not eligible for the second HFA Hardest Hit Fund. HFAs in states
qualifying for the second Hardest Hit Fund will be required to submit plans
to Treasury for review before becoming eligible for funding. Once HFAs have
submitted plans to Treasury for review, and Treasury determines that the
plans satisfy the requirements under the Emergency Economic Stabilization
Act of 2008 ("EESA"), the plans will become eligible for funding up to a
predetermined allocation cap.

Expansion of Help for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets

1. $600 Million to Help State Housing Agencies Further Address the
Challenges Facing Housing Markets with the Most Concentrated Areas of
Economic Distress
-Funding will go to states with the highest share of their population living
in counties in which the unemployment rate exceeded 12% in 2009 (excluding
states already eligible for Help for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets funds).
-HFAs must submit program designs to Treasury. Approaches that respond to
problems caused by concentrated economic distress will be particularly
welcomed.
-To receive funding, HFAs' plans must satisfy the requirements for funding
under EESA.
-Funding will help support innovative foreclosure prevention efforts and
help for unemployed homeowners.

2. Accountability and Transparency
-All funded program designs will be posted online.
-To create accountability for results, program effectiveness measures and
results will be published online.
-Program activity will be subject to effective oversight under EESA.

3. Allocation Caps
-Allocation caps have been determined in proportion to the number of people
in these five states living in counties with high unemployment, resulting in
the following allocation caps:

State Allocation Camp (millions)
North Carolina $159
Ohio $172
Oregon $88
Rhode Island $43
South Carolina $138

Illustrations of the Types of Programs that May be Funded in the States

The HFA Hardest Hit Fund is designed to allow the maximum possible
flexibility to HFAs in designing programs that are tailored to the needs of
each participating state. To be eligible for Troubled Asset Relief Program
("TARP") funds, all programs must promote the purposes of EESA and be
consistent with its requirements. Section 2 of EESA provides that the
purposes of EESA are to restore liquidity and stability to the financial
system and to use TARP funds in a manner that, among other things: Protects
home values; Preserves homeownership and promotes jobs and economic growth;
and Provides public accountability.

The objective of the HFA Hardest Hit Fund is to allow HFAs to develop
creative, effective approaches that consider local conditions. To provide
guidance to HFAs in designing programs, Treasury has outlined some of the
possible types of transactions that would meet the requirements of EESA.
States are encouraged to submit proposals that provide targeted relief to
areas or localities with high concentrations of economic distress, but each
state should respond to local conditions:

Unemployment Programs - Programs may provide for assistance to unemployed
borrowers to help them avoid preventable foreclosures.

Mortgage Modifications - Programs may provide for modification of mortgage
loans held by HFAs or other financial institutions or provide incentives for
servicers/investors to modify loans.

Mortgage Modifications with Principal Forbearance - Programs may provide for
paying down all or a portion of an overleveraged loan and taking back a note
from the borrower for that amount in order to facilitate additional
modifications.

Short Sales / Deeds-In-Lieu of Foreclosure - Programs may provide for
assistance with short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure in order to
prevent avoidable foreclosures.

Principal Reduction Programs for Borrowers with Severe Negative Equity -
Programs may provide incentives for financial institutions to write-down a
portion of unpaid principal balance for homeowners with severe negative
equity.

Second Lien Reductions - Programs may provide incentives to reduce or modify
second liens.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of acceptable transactions. Other
innovative ideas and transaction types (including innovations related to the
Making Home Affordable Program) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
for compliance with EESA. Treasury may publicly announce additional types of
transactions that would meet the requirements of EESA.

For programs designed to help individual homeowners, the target population
should be limited to residences with unpaid principal balances equal to or
less than the current government sponsored enterprise (GSE) conforming limit
of up to $729,750. HFAs may target low and moderate income borrowers at
their discretion consistent with that HFA's state enabling legislation.

For more information, visit www.financialstability.gov.

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There were 1,704 central Ohio homes sold during March of 2010. This is 54.1%
higher than the previous month and 25.3% higher than March of 2009. First
quarter saw 3,873 homes sell in central Ohio which is 12.5% more than home
sales during January through March of 2009, according to the Columbus Board
of Realtors.

There were 4,949 residential homes put on the market last month - a 44.3%
increase over new listings the previous month and 32.8% higher than homes
listed in March of 2009.

"The central Ohio housing market is on fire right now," exclaims Sue
Lusk-Gleich, President of the Columbus Board of Realtors. "There's no
question the home buyer tax credits have a lot to do with our market
activity. But the significant increase in listings as well as rising sale
prices are clear evidence that our local market is regaining its strength."

The average central Ohio home is selling for $149,277 this year which is
7.8% higher than the sale price of a home sold between January and March of
2009. Homes sold during the month of March for an average of $151,719 - a
5.9% increase over last year.

According to Lusk-Gleich, "Home prices have shown steady increases for the
last few months - another key factor in any market recovery. However, when
you consider that the national median price of a home is over $170,000,
central Ohio housing remains a very affordable market."

First-time home buyers can recoup 10% of the purchase price of the residence
up to $8,000. Current homeowners who have been in the same principal
residence for five consecutive years during the previous eight years can get
up to $6,500 back. In order to take advantage of the credits, a contract
must be in place by April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30, 2010.

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Latasha Hall never envisioned herself a homeowner. But by the end of the
month, she will be. Just in time.

With the soon-to-expire tax credit for first-time buyers as an assist, the
single mother plans to close on a $166,650 three-bedroom house in Clifton
Heights, Pa. "If it hadn't been for the credit, I wouldn't have done it,"
Hall said.

To be eligible for the federal tax credits-up to $8,000 for qualified
first-timers and up to $6,500 for certain repeat buyers-houses must be under
contract by April 30, with settlement by June 30, 2010.

With those deadlines in sight, some real estate agents say they are
relishing their first busy days in months.

For some buyers, a tax credit is an added perk in an already-friendly market
with good inventory and low mortgage rates.

For those like Hall, who is working toward her bachelor's degree in behavior
and addictions counseling and who works two jobs, it's the last piece that
fits the puzzle. In January, Hall visited Weichert Realtors for help finding
a rental home after her landlord's lender foreclosed.

Steve Madonna, a loan officer with Weichert, looked at her income (about
$54,000) and her credit score (which needed some work, but not much) and
suggested she buy instead. Madonna connected Hall with a state loan program
that would provide $5,000 of the $8,000 credit up front, for use on closing
costs or maintenance on the house. Hall set to work paying off two past-due
bills and bugging the credit bureaus-sending weekly faxes and calling
often-to update her score quickly. "If I hadn't heard about this credit, I
wouldn't have worked so hard to get it done," she said. "This is my time to
go out and do what I have to do. I kept thinking about my kids."

The new Clifton Heights neighborhood is safer, she said, and it's just two
blocks from the school her 9-year-old son attends. The credit has been "a
blessing," Hall said.

To Realtors like Daren Sautter, it's a relief. "It's nice to be busy," he
said.

Sautter, of Prudential Fox & Roach in Cherry Hill, N.J., watched showings
and Internet leads triple in the first three weeks of March.

He expects to be slammed through the April 30 deadline, then figures he'll
see a lull before the spring market picks up some. "If you don't sell a
house in April," Sautter said, "you're not selling it."

Sellers likely will be thinking the same thing, Realtors said, and listing
prices could drop this month.

Sautter recently helped Pat Poole price her four-bedroom Cherry Hill house
to sell. At $290,000, it went after just one day on the market. Recently
divorced, Poole was looking to downsize. She sold the house to a young
couple who used the repeat-buyer credit. Her next task: finding a new house
for herself and her 17-year-old son in time to secure her own tax credit.
"I'm going to get in under the wire," Poole said.

A flurry of activity is noticeable in areas with a strong inventory of homes
affordable to young families, Realtors said.

But some brokers are seeing a "trickle-up" effect. Would-be buyers are able
to sell their homes, aided by the rush for the tax credit, and upgrade to
communities with better school systems or more historic charm.

In Haddonfield, N.J., the proximity to Philadelphia and access to the PATCO
High-Speed Line were big draws for Jeff Minors and Amy Henry. Minors will
commute to his job as a financial-news editor in New York City. The couple,
longtime renters, were looking to move to southern New Jersey from Norwalk,
Conn., with their 2-year-old son. They recently moved into a four-bedroom
home in Haddonfield that cost about $575,000. The first-time-buyer credit
was an added bonus, Minors said. "We were more concerned about finding the
right house at the right price," he said. "But it's definitely a nice
benefit."

(c) 2010, The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop
making any excuses, that's the day you start moving down the road to
success.

No one else can do it for you. Only you can make it happen.
You're the only one that has to live your life.

Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility. It's up to
you to choose the thoughts and action that will lead you to success.

Your life will be what you make of it. Nothing will ever happen by itself.
Success will come your way once you realize that you have to make it come
your way by your own actions.

The power to succeed is yours alone.

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"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord."
(2 Corinthians 3:18)

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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

".I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what
lies ahead"
(Philippians 3:13, NLT)

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TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Are you determined to forget the past? I know many people don't fully
understand what that means. They wonder, "How can I forget something that's
happened to me?" But one definition of the word forget is to disregard
intentionally or to overlook. In other words, you have to choose to
disregard your past so that it doesn't keep you from moving forward. That
means the good and the bad. Sometimes our past victories keep us from rising
higher as much as past failures. If we don't let go of the old, we'll never
be able to embrace the new.

It doesn't matter what's happened in your history, it's time to forget what
lies behind. Make the choice today to look forward. Trust that God has a
better future in store for you. Trust that He's working behind the scenes on
your behalf. As you forget what lies behind and press forward, you will see
the abundant life the Lord has in store for you!

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A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, I choose to forget the past today. I don't want anything
to hold me back from the good future You have prepared for me. I choose
forgiveness and ask that You help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward in
every area of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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"When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of
the time thinking what they want to hear and one
third thinking about what I want to say."

~ Abraham Lincoln: Was the 16th U.S. president

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Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks
that lay before you.

Denis Waitley

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Your attitude is not determined by circumstances, but by how you respond to
your circumstances.

You can respond positively or negatively to any situation.
It's how you react to events, not the events themselves, that determines
your attitude.

Any challenge facing you is not as important as your attitude towards it,
for that will determine your success or failure.

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn
out.

It's not your position but your disposition that counts

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"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you"
(1 Peter 5:7)

Do you know what it's like to face a problem so big it seems downright
irresponsible not to worry about it? There may not be a thing you can do
about it, but you feel like you need to at least be concerned. After all,
somebody needs to! And no one else seems to be volunteering for the job.

I remember one time in particular I felt exactly that way. I was holding a
series of meetings in Ruston, Louisiana. I had just discovered our budget
was $800 short

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by Rick Warren

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our
hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17 (NIV)

"Every job has some parts to it that you won't like, but you can still
worship God through those parts of the job."

God establishes the work of our hands by giving us gifts that will make a
difference in the lives of others. That's what success is-being what God
meant for you to be. Jesus said, "My purpose is to give [you] a rich and
satisfying life." (John 10:10 NLT)

You may be thinking, Well, Rick, what about work that needs to be done but
doesn't express my gifts; it just has to be done?

Any homemaker knows exactly what I'm talking about. I would say to you that
every job, even the one you are suited for, has mundane parts. Every job has
some parts to it that you won't like, but you can still worship God through
those parts of the job.

And I would suggest you adopt this attitude: "Maybe this job that I'm in
right now is a phase of my life and I'm not going to be here the rest of my
life. But this is where I am for now; therefore, I will worship God right
now."

The apostle Paul says, "Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping,
eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an
offering." (Romans 12:1 MSG)

"Lord our God, may your blessings be with us. Give us success in all we do!"
(Psalm 90:17 TEV).

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If you really study those who have reached the top of any organization, you
will find that they are the people who cheerfully accept challenges, take
the initiative, and get the job done. They don't complain, and they don't
make excuses. Those who never get anywhere in their jobs and careers can't
seem to understand that achievers don't become achievers after they reach
the top. They reached the top because of the way they conducted themselves
along the way. You can easily become one of those individuals who regularly
advance in the organization-if you are willing to pay the price. Any good
manager will tell you that the type of people who are most in demand are
those who can think for themselves, who will take the initiative to do the
right thing without being told, and who will stick to the job until it is
finished. You can be one of those people if you choose to be.

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You will doubtless remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood who was
nearly fatally deceived by the wolf posing as her loving grandmother. The
deceptive wolf had enticed the girl little by little until she was nearly
taken in.

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?"
I Corinthians 6:9

Deceivers come in many guises in today's world. Their ultimate goal is your
total destruction. Satan, after all, is the master deceiver, and his
temptations may be subtle. On the other hand, also in today's world, sin no
longer hides under a grandmother's cap. It is wide open, obvious, and ugly.

Just as a kind woodsman came along at the right time to rescue Little Red
Riding Hood, God is there, waiting for you to call upon Him as your rescuer,
fortress, tower and strength.

Today, pray that our leaders and our nation will seek purity of every kind,
spurning every form of immorality and debauchery.

Recommended Reading: I Corinthians 6:9-20

- Peggy Gustave

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In the first quarter of 2010, Wells Fargo
earned $2.5 billion, or $0.45 per common share, according to the bank's
earnings report
released Wednesday.

In its report, Wells Fargo said all business segments contributed to the
strong earnings results, with net income from community banking of $1.5
billion, wholesale banking income of $1.2 billion, and brokerage and
retirement net income of $282 million.

The San Francisco-based bank's revenue of $21.4 billion was up 2 percent
from the first quarter of 2009, and pre-tax pre-provision profit (PTPP) was
$9.3 billion, marking the fifth consecutive quarter PTPP exceeded $9
billion.

Wells Fargo said is believes credit has "turned the corner," as it supplied
more than $128 billion in credit during the quarter, including mortgage
originations and consumer and commercial loans and lines of credit.

At the end of the first quarter, the bank reported $125 billion in total
home mortgage applications, including $76 billion in actual originations and
an application pipeline of

$59 billion. As of March 31, 2010, Wells Fargo's owned residential servicing
portfolio totaled $1.8 trillion.

Citing data from Inside Mortgage Finance, Wells Fargo said the delinquency
and foreclosure rates of loans included in its mortgage portfolio were less
than three-fourths of the industry average. According to the bank's earnings
report, less than 2 percent of loans secured by owner-occupied homes and
serviced by Wells Fargo proceeded to foreclosure sales in the past 12
months.

The low rates of delinquency and foreclosure were the result of the bank's
continued efforts to help homeowners
stay in their homes. Between January 2009
and March 31, 2010, Wells Fargo had 523,336 active and completed trail
modifications on its books. Of these, 144,932 were Home Affordable
Modification Program (HAMP) active and completed modifications, including
30,014 permanent HAMP modifications. And nearly 380,000 were proprietary
trial and completed modifications.

In addition to completing HAMP and proprietary modifications, Wells Fargo
recently announced its participation
in the Second Lien Modification Program under HAMP to help
struggling homeowners with a reduction in their home equity loan payments.
In order to make these programs successful, the bank has added more than
10,000 staff focused on home preservation since January 2009. By the end of
the first quarter of this year, Wells Fargo had a total of 17,400 staff
focused directly on these efforts.

The bank's allowance for credit losses increased to $25.7 billion during the
quarter, primarily due to a $693 million addition to allowance upon adoption
of FAS 167. In addition, Wells Fargo provided $402 million to mortgage
repurchase reserve.

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Each month, the analysts at John Burns Real Estate Consulting
(JBRC) get out their red
pens and score various aspects of the industry using the grade school scale.
Looking at the firm's latest report card, housing overall is very near the
bottom of the class, with a D+.

Let's start with the good marks. Housing affordability got a grade of C-.
Affordability, the California-based market research firm said, "continues to
be excellent this month," with mortgage rates and median home prices
throughout the country still extremely low. JBRC's housing-cost-to-income
ratio dropped to 25.2 percent.

"Affordability is so good that owning the median-price home is now less
expensive than renting the average apartment," the company said in its
report.

According to JBRC's assessment, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate
remained flat at 4.99 percent by March month-end, while adjustable mortgage
rates fell to 4.20 percent. The share of adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)
applications increased to 5.2 percent by the end of March, but is still
significantly less than the peak level of 35 percent of total applications
in early 2005.

The existing home market, which took home a grade of D+, worsened this month
as sales volume fell and the

months of supply increased, JBRC said in commentary. The same was true for
the new home market, but the decline was "slight" compared to that of
previously-occupied properties, leading the company to assign a C- to the
new home sector.

Home sales boomed last fall as the expiration of the original tax credit
approached in November. JBRC says with the new deadline of April 30
approaching, sales have improved this spring, but not nearly as much. The
pending home sales index through February is nowhere near as robust as last
fall, further dampening expectations for sales numbers in the months to
come.

"Not only do sales remain low, but also the traffic of interested shoppers
is not improving," JBRC said.

Housing supply received a failing grade of F. Although vacancy rates in the
U.S. have improved in recent quarters, the majority of the country remains
oversupplied compared to history, JBRC said. Just six states in the are
currently considered undersupplied - Oklahoma, Wyoming, New Mexico, North
Dakota, South Dakota, and Alaska.

Several factors played a role in housing's overall sub-par grade.

JBRC said, "The Fed has declared that they are done buying mortgages from
the GSEs, elected officials have declared that there will be no more tax
credit extension, and recent loan modification clarifications have cleared
the way for the mortgage servicers to increase their foreclosure activity,
which will result in more distressed sales."

With all these dynamics in play, the firm concluded, "Despite the tremendous
affordability that exists, we remain very cautious about the back half of
2010 because consumers just aren't showing much interest in homebuying right
now."

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While some are already touting improvements in the commercial real estate
sector, Fitch Ratings is expecting widespread
deterioration in commercial mortgage performance to rear its ugly head.

In a special report issued Wednesday, the ratings agency warned that loan
defaults will continue to escalate for U.S. commercial mortgage-backed
securities (CMBS). Fitch is projecting the default rate to rise another 4.4
percent in 2010, pushing the overall rate past 11 percent by the end of the
year.

In what the agency sees as a precursor, new CMBS loan defaults increased
more than five-fold last year - 1,464 conduit loans totaling $17.75 billion.
Thirty-four percent of the increase came in the fourth quarter.

"Fourth-quarter default rates reached their highest ever levels both in
principal balance and number of loans with no clear signs of stabilization,"
said Mary MacNeill, a managing director at Fitch.

The number of defaults in 2009 alone surpassed the cumulative number of
defaults from the inception of the CMBS market through 2008, which totaled
$17.74 billion.

One of the biggest areas of concern for Fitch is large loan defaults, which
increased dramatically last year. In 2009, 56 loans over $50 million in size
defaulted, compared to just five in 2008. Not surprisingly, most of the
defaulted loans came from 2006-2008 vintages.

Delving deeper into specific vintages, 2007 deals led in defaults last year,
accounting for 35.6 percent by principal balance. Fitch predicts 10-year
cumulative default rates on 2007 Fitch-rated CMBS to reach a staggering 27
percent.

"The aggressive underwriting and higher leverage in the 2007 vintage is
leading to substantially higher default rates," MacNeill explained.

For the first time in five years, multifamily was not the property type with
the most new defaults. That distinction went to retail last year, with 32.3
percent. Following retail was multifamily (22.1 percent), office (20.2
percent) and hotel (17.8 percent). Fitch projects sizeable default increases
for each property type, with rates likely to be accelerated for office and
hotel loans.

"Office defaults spiked in the fourth quarter last year, with further rental
and net operating income declines likely through next year before a rebound
takes place," said Richard Carlson, a senior director at Fitch.

Carlson added, "Larger concentrations of hotel loans in recent vintages will
translate to higher defaults, particularly among luxury properties, resort
destinations, and those hotels heavily reliant on group and convention
business."

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Private equity investment funds, in collaboration with the U.S. Treasury,
have relieved the market of $10 billion in souring real estate assets,
purchased through the federal government's Legacy Securities Public-Private
Investment Program (PPIP).

PPIP was unveiled just over a year ago, under the guise of the original
intention of the government's $700 billion bailout package when it was sold
to Congress - to remove so-called toxic mortgages from the system.

The program has been widely criticized for its slow start, though new data
from the Treasury shows it's beginning to gain momentum. Still, some
market-watchers say the delay means PPIP, at best, will have only a marginal
impact, since private-investor appetite for distressed asset

deals is growing and the previously gridlocked secondary mortgage market is
starting to show signs of movement.

The Treasury published its second quarterly summary of PPIP
activity Tuesday, which showed that the PPIP fund managers' holdings
nearly tripled compared to the previous three months. As of March 31, 2010,
the eight funds participating in the program had acquired just over $10
billion in eligible assets, compared to $3.4 billion at the end of 2009.

About 88 percent of the PPIP portfolio holdings, or $8.8 billion, are
non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS). Twelve percent, or
$1.2 billion, are commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). Of the RMBS
assets, nearly half fall into the Alt-A loan category.

By the Treasury's calculations, the PPIP investment funds have $25.1 billion
of total purchasing power, which includes $6.3 billion in private capital.
The Treasury has matched the private equity contribution dollar-for-dollar,
and also provided $12.5 billion in debt capital.

The Treasury cautioned that because the funds are in the very early stages
of their three-year investment periods, it's premature to draw any
meaningful conclusions about individual performance, but the report did
include some preliminary stats on each fund's returns so far.

The fund managed by Angelo, Gordon & Co. and GE Capital Real Estate is
registering the highest rate of return at 20.6 percent.

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Home builders are vying actively to buy land to buy in anticipation of a
market turnaound.

"There's been an absolute land rush," says Gregor Watson, a partner with
McKinley Partners, a California-based real-estate fund.

Builders prefer land with improvements, including sewers and streets because
it allows homes to be constructed quickly. Especially attractive are
suburban lots in neighborhoods that are easy commutes.

Nationally, the price of finished lots are up about 20 percent from early
2009. Prices for attractive lots in Phoenix and Southern California have
risen 60 percent. Nationwide, the best-located lots are fetching twice as
much as they would a year ago, said Greg Vogel, CEO of Land Advisors
Organization, a land brokerage firm based in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Dawn Wotapka (04/21/2010)

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An estimated 1.4 million borrowers have failed to pay their mortgages in
more than a year, but continue to live in the properties, according to
Lender Processing Services, which tracks mortgages on 40 million homes.

Under the new government regulations, it takes banks 14 months to evict
nonpaying borrowers - longer in some states. "Many of these people are
gaming the system," said Ted Jadlos, a managing director at Lender
Processing.

Also, banks aren't in a hurry because once they take possession of a
property they must write down its value to reflect market price. Plus,
unoccupied homes are more likely to fall into disrepair or be vandalized.

Some analysts predict that this shadow inventory will cause prices to slide
further, but so far it's not happening.

Source: Financial Times, Suzanne Kapner (04/21/2010)

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Despite the rising number of defaults, the commercial real estate market is
improving.

Prices are up. Commercial real estate values have risen 6 percent in recent
months, according to Real Capital Analytics.

Nearly $14 billion in loans were modified in the last six months.

Investors also have been aggressively buying commercial mortgage-backed
securities (CMBS). Research firm Trepp predicts that $25 billion in CMBS
will be issued in 2010.

Source: USA Today, Paul Davidson (04/20/2010)

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Mortgage applications to buy homes rose 10.1 percent last week on a
seasonally adjusted basis compared to the previous week, according to the
Mortgage Bankers Association weekly survey.

On an unadjusted basis, the purchase index rose 11 percent compared with the
previous week, but was down 5.2 percent from the same week a year ago.

"Purchase applications continued to increase coming out of the Easter
holiday, as we approach the end of the home buyer tax credit, and are up
modestly over last month." said Michael Fratantoni, MBA's vice president of
research and economics.

Declining Treasury rates pushed loan rates down from the previous week:

* 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.04 percent from 5.17
percent.
* 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 4.34 percent from 4.45
percent.
* 1-year ARMs decreased to 6.95 percent from 7.02 percent.

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (04/21/2010)

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Nearly half the homes sold in March - 48.2 percent - were purchased by
first-time buyers, according to a survey of more than 1,500 real estate
practitioners by Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance.

"Many observers had felt that the pool of first time home buyers had been
depleted last fall," Thomas Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys,
said in a statement. "Instead, the normal spring-summer buying season is
combining with the tax credit to produce blow-out results for first-time
home buyers."

Source: Reuters news (04/19/2010)

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The US-based Risk Management Association (RMA), a trade group that pushes
sound practices in financials, said that recent proposed rules from the
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision - that are designed to strengthen
banks ability to operate smoothly - may in fact have the opposite effect
once in practice. Furthermore, defining the wording around mortgage
servicing rights practices under the new requirements remains unclear.

The RMA is a member-driven organization, with a board comprised mainly of
bankers and risk managers from medium to large financial institutions. The
Capital Working Group consists of senior staff at major banking companies
responsible for risk measurement and management, including the management of
bank capital positions.

The Basel committee serves under the Bank for International Settlements
(BIS), an international organization with basically the same wants as the
RMA. Currently, the BIS committee is pushing for the implementation of Basel
2 standards by 2012. The Basel 2 standards are recommendations on banking
practices with an eye on risk management.

The RMA's main concerns surrounds new leverage ratio requirements set forth
by the BIS, as well as the shifting status of mortgage servicing rights on
the balance sheet.

The proposal to adopt a 1,250% risk weight for certain positions that
previously have been deducted 50/50 from Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital, results
in effective capital allocations that are all out of proportion to risk,
said the RMA in a letter in its role as advisor to the BIS.

"These effective capital requirements are complicated by supervisory
requirements in the US that lead to effective capital ratio requirements
above the Basel II minimums," said the letter, written by Suzanne Wharton,
an associate director of risk management and the RMA attorney, Edward
DeMarco.

Further, the letter does not specifically name current legislation in
Congress, namely H.R. 4173 which would establish a Systemic Risk Council,
though this is considered a sticking point by bankers as adhering to the
Congressional Council would likely be mandatory and Basel 2 adaptation is
optional. The US regulation would require 15-to-1 cap on leverage ratios for
these companies.

"When the 1,250% risk weight is used, instead of the 50/50 deduction, the
resulting supervisory requirements can easily result in a total capital
requirement above 100% and, sometimes, a Tier 1 capital requirement above
100%," the RMA said in the letter to the BIS.

Under Basel II modifications, mortgage-servicing rights are defined as
"certain intangibles." Being classified as intangible describes a status
akin to difficult to value with certainty, and therefore cannot provide
liquidity in a downturn, explains the larger complaint sent to the BIS.

"In the case of Mortgage Servicing Rights (MSRs), however, the term
'intangible' is inappropriately applied. MSRs are a written, tangible, legal
contract like any other financial asset," says the letter.

"MSRs have an ongoing market for their value, and firms can sell MSRs and
their associated servicing facilities and staff, both in a going concern
situation as well as in conservatorship or receivership. For these reasons,
we believe that MSRs should not be deducted from regulatory capital."

Write to Jacob Gaffney.

The author holds no relevant investments.

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"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt
compass me about with songs of deliverance."
(Psalm 32:7)

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It seems that each week we can pick up a newspaper or watch the evening news
and find that someone in a place of honor and respectability has behaved
with dishonor and lost respect because of infidelity.

"Guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your
youth."
Malachi 2:15

Governors, congressmen, judges, pastors and many celebrities of every stripe
seem to think nothing of tossing aside their marriage vows in relationships
of passion with someone else.

In this period of the Old Testament, God was highly distressed at the number
of marriages ending in divorce. He told Malachi to have the people guard
themselves in their spirits. Yielding to temptation, after all, begins with
one thought at a time.

At the same time, God wants us to be faithful to Him. In that relationship
also, we must guard our spirits and not break faith. He, after all, remains
ever faithful to us.

Today, pray that our President will remain faithful in his marriage vows,
being one in the flesh and spirit with his wife.

Recommended Reading: Malachi 2:10-16

- Peggy Gustave

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Your dilemma goes deeper than having a shortage of time,
it's basically a problem of priorities.

Most people leave undone those things that should be done, while they do
things that they shouldn't be doing.

Set priorities for your goals. A major part of successful living lies in
your ability to put first things first.

Most major goals are not achieved because people put
second things first.

Is what your doing getting you closer to your objectives?
Anything that is wasted effort represents wasted time.

Don't serve time, make time serve you.

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You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline
are taken out of your life.

James G. Bilkey

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"It is not the strongest of the species
that survive, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change. "

~ Charles Darwin

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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers."
(I Peter 4:8, NIV)

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TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

So often, people try to make others fit into their mold and be just like
them. We think, "If they would just change, then I wouldn't get upset. If
they would just do it the way I want, then they wouldn't get on my nerves."
But really, we need to give people room to be who God created them to be.
Life is too short to spend it trying to fix everybody. Sure, we should
encourage people and help them grow and come up higher. But we have to come
to the point where we step back and say, "All right, this is who God made
them to be, and I'm going to accept them the way they are. Just because they
don't have my same strengths, I'm not going to let that frustrate me." We
have to choose love every day because love covers over our differences and
offenses. Love is what allows us to appreciate what others bring into our
lives, and it brings us together in unity.

Today, above all, choose love. Choose to focus on the things that make your
relationships stronger because in the end, love is all that remains.

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A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I choose to set my heart and mind on You. I choose
to love others the way You have commanded. Give me the strength to walk in
Your ways and understand Your love more each day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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As the 40th anniversary of Earth Day approaches (Thursday, April 22), the
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is reminding homeowners that
they can use fewer resources and save money by taking advantage of federal
energy efficiency tax credits through the end of the year.

Homeowners who purchase qualifying water heaters, windows, air conditioning
units and other appliances, insulation and roofing can be eligible for tax
code section 25C tax credit, equivalent to 30% of the cost. There's a $1,500
overall limit for purchases made in 2009 and 2010.

"You can save money, save energy, and be a good steward of the Earth's
resources," said NAHB Remodelers Chair Donna Shirey, a remodeler in
Issaquah, Wash. "I can't think of a more appropriate way to commemorate
Earth Day."

Carolyn Taylor of Columbia, S.C., will enjoy Earth Day with a new tankless
water heater that supplies plenty of hot water for her active family of
four. Remodeler and NAHB member Pete Williams of ATherm Remodeling in
Columbia suggested the switch because it was less expensive than relocating
her existing gas water heater during a whole-home renovation project.

When Williams told her about the energy-efficiency tax credit the family
would also enjoy, that was the icing on the cake, Taylor said. "Any time you
can do something that makes a home more energy efficient and saves you
money, of course you should do it," she said.

Remodeler Shawn Nelson in Burnsville, Minn., helped homeowners combine the
federal credits with a state program that offered rebates for qualifying
windows as part of renovation projects he completed over the winter.

In a statement last week to the House Ways and Means Committee, NAHB urged
Congress to extend the section 25C credit past its December 2010 expiration
date and to reinstate the section 45L $2,000 tax credit for builders of
energy-efficient homes, which expired at the end of 2009.

A more generous credit for appliances that use renewable energy is in effect
through 2016. The section 25D credit applies to 30% of the total cost of
solar panels for electricity or hot water, wind power equipment and the
installation of geothermal heat pump systems. This credit can be used in
conjunction with new or existing homes.

"These renewable systems are more expensive up front, but may offer
significant savings in the long term," said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a
builder in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. "Both the 25C and the 25D credits are
worth investigating, and you'll get helpful information from the NAHB
website, your local home builders association or the NAHB Remodeler member
you choose to help you with your renovation and improvement plans."

For more information, visit www.nahb.org.

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Each of you should go on living according to the Lord's gift to you, and as
you were when God called you. This is the rule I teach in all the churches.
1 Corinthians 7:17 (TEV)

"If you are in a job that does not match the gifts, interests and abilities
God gave to you, then give serious consideration taking steps to get out of
it and into the job God has called you to."

God does not expect you to glorify Him with gifts you don't have. But He
does expect you to glorify Him with gifts you do have.

To fulfill God's will for you life, you need work that expresses what God
made you to be. If you're in a job that is not using the talents, gifts,
abilities, and interests that God gave you, you may want to pray about
whether or not you're in a mismatched job.

This is a serious problem and it's a spiritual issue. It is far more
important than you may think it is

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A professional home inspection can not only provide a great education about
the home's systems, but also be a crucial tool in negotiating the most
equitable price on the home, according to HouseMaster, one of the first and
largest home inspection franchisors in North America.

"Our experience and research shows that approximately 40% of resale homes
have at least one defect that can cost a home buyer a minimum of $500 to
repair," said Kathleen Kuhn, President of HouseMaster."A home inspection by
a professional and qualified home inspector is an excellent tool to
encourage home sellers to make repairs or make further price adjustments as
a result of conditions noted in the inspection report."

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), in 2009, a record
47% of homes sold were purchased by first-time buyers. Tax credit incentives
from the federal government of up to $8,000 and historically low mortgage
rates continue to attract first-time buyers to the market. A professional
home inspection not only educates buyers on the condition of the home but
can minimize costly surprises down the road. HouseMaster provides the
following tips to ensure that first-time buyers make an educated decision
when purchasing a home and get the best price possible.

1. Inspect the Inspector. Only hire a home inspector with an excellent
reputation and credentials. Ask how long the company has been in business,
ask about specific formal training and ongoing education the inspector has
and verify the inspector carries professional liability insurance also known
as "Errors & Omissions" (E&O). If the company doesn't carry this insurance,
it could indicate a poor track record or lack of experience.

2. Ask for a sample of a report. The credentials of the inspection company
and the quality of the final inspection report will be important. A poorly
prepared report without pictures or clear, concise details addressing all
the various systems and accessible elements of the home is less likely to be
taken seriously by a home seller.

3. Inspect ancillary systems. It's hard for first-time home buyers to know
what they need, so be sure to ask what additional services the company
offers. If the home you are considering has a septic system for example, a
professional home inspection company may offer septic system inspections or
can coordinate that service for you. Generally, the company will offer you a
multiple services discount as well as the added convenience of only having
to attend one inspection appointment. Other common services offered by home
inspectors are termite inspections, mold screening, water testing and radon
testing.

4. Go along on the inspection. Ask the inspection company if they encourage
buyers to tag along on the inspection. If the inspector discourages you from
going along and asking questions, find another inspector. A home inspection
is not simply a laundry list of what is wrong with the home. In addition to
documenting issues and needed repairs that may exist, a professional home
inspector will also show the new buyer how to operate the various systems in
the home and provide tips on improving energy efficiency and maintaining the
home in general. And being present during the inspection will make the final
written report that much more meaningful.

For more information, visit www.housemaster.com.

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Margaret Wolfe Hungerford said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It
was her way of saying that we see what we wish to see in others. Every
living human being is a complex combination of feelings, emotions, and
thoughts-some good, some bad. Your impression of another depends far more
upon you and your expectations of that person. If you believe someone is
good, you will find good qualities. If you don't, you won't. When you are
yourself a positive person, you tend to find positive qualities in others.
As you work to develop good, constructive habits to improve yourself
continually, make it a practice to look for those same qualities in others.
It's easy to spot another's shortcomings, but when you identify the good in
others and congratulate them upon their positive achievements, you will make
friends on whom you can always depend-both in good times and bad

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Amid the legal storm building over allegations of securities fraud in the
subprime mortgage space, Goldman Sachs said Tuesday
that its first quarter business dealings turned a hefty
profit, more than doubling its numbers from a year ago and coming out far
ahead of analysts' expectations.

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The company reported net earnings of $3.46 billion for the first three
months of this year, or $5.59 per share. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had
forecast $4.14 a share. The Q1 numbers compare to net earnings of $1.66
billion, or $3.39 a share, for the same period last year. Net revenues rose
to $12.78 billion, from $9.43 billion a year earlier.

"Our performance in the first quarter reflects more signs of growth across
the economy and the strength of our client franchise," said CEO Lloyd C.
Blankfein. "While we are encouraged by growth prospects for the economy, we
continue to put a premium on strong capital and liquidity levels, and
disciplined risk management."

Goldman Sachs' results got their biggest boost from the company's trading
and principal investments business, which produced net revenue of $10.25
billion, 43 percent higher than the first quarter of 2009 and 60 percent
higher than the fourth quarter of last year.

As DSNews.com previously reported
, Goldman Sachs was hit with a civil
lawsuit on Friday, in which the SEC accused the firm of cheating investors
in a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) backed by subprime mortgages. The
suit claims Sachs misrepresented the expected performance of the security to
its clients, who lost $1 billion on the deal, while the investment bank and
a fellow hedge fund themselves were betting on the mortgages to default.

Reports today reveal that the SEC's decision to sue the Wall Street fixture
was split down party lines in a 3-2 vote. According to Reuters, SEC Chairman
Mary Schapiro sided with the two Democratic commissioners, Luis Aguilar and
Elisse Walter, in deciding to pursue civil fraud charges. The two Republican
commissioners, Troy Paredes and Kathleen Casey, dissented.

The partisanship reflected in the agency's assessment may be further
evidence of the political motivation surrounding the charges, which have
helped fuel Washington
's push for stronger financial regulatory
reform.

Blankfein referenced the SEC charges only briefly in the earnings release.
"In light of recent events involving the firm, we appreciate the support of
our clients and shareholders, and the dedication and commitment of our
people," he said.

But Goldman Sachs is already putting together a strong defense with its deep
pockets. The Wall Street firm said in a statement released Friday, "We are
disappointed that the SEC would bring this action related to a single
transaction in the face of an extensive record which establishes that the
accusations are unfounded in law and fact."

The company added, "Goldman Sachs, itself, lost more than $90 million. Our
fee was $15 million. We were subject to losses and we did not structure a
portfolio that was designed to lose money."

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In February, the Michigan State Housing
Development Authority (MSHDA) was selected as one of five state housing
finance agencies (HFAs) to receive financial aid through the administration
's HFA Hardest-Hit Fund. But before these funds
can be used, each HFA must submit a program design to be approved by the
U.S. Department of Treasury.

http://ping.fm/zs6Ko

MSHDA has done just that. The agency recently submitted its plan
to the Treasury, detailing its intentions to use the majority of its
$154.5 million allocation to help unemployed borrowers. Through a nonprofit
corporation set up specifically for the purpose of being an "eligible
entity" under the Hardest-Hit Fund, MSHDA plans to administer three
programs, including the Unemployment Mortgage Subsidy Program, the Principal
Curtailment Program, and the Loan Rescue Program.

These three programs are projected to help more than 16,000 borrowers avoid
the devastating personal effects of foreclosure, while reducing the
secondary but destructive impact foreclosures have on neighbors,
neighborhoods, local government budgets, and the social services network.

Almost 65 percent of the state's total allotment will be directed to the
Unemployment Mortgage Subsidy Program, which will subsidize up to half of
the required monthly mortgage payment for borrowers who are unemployed while
they seek new employment. Homeowners who have lost their job through no
fault of their own and qualify to receive unemployment benefits will apply
for assistance through their lender, who will in turn transmit the
application to MSHDA for approval.

Under this program, unemployed homeowners will be eligible to receive
monthly subsidies, paid directly to the lender/servicer, of up to $750 or 50
percent of the required monthly principal, interest, taxes, and insurance
mortgage payment. Assistance will be provided for two months after the
homeowner returns to work, with the maximum length of assistance set at 12
months.

MSHDA anticipates using 20 percent of the funding for the Principal
Curtailment Program. This program will provide one-time matching funding of
up to $10,000 to homeowners seeking to modify their loans. The lender or
servicer must agree to provide matching forgiveness of principal overhand
and to modify the reduced loan balance consistent with program requirements.

As with other programs, the Principal Curtailment Program will prevent
avoidable foreclosures by helping homeowners who currently cannot refinance
or modify their mortgages due to negative equity positions, MSHDA said.
Homeowners will benefit from both a restructured loan payment and the
reduction in principal balance that must be serviced, reducing monthly
payment and increasing sustainability. The agency expects this program to be
of particular benefit to recently unemployed borrowers who are back to work
at lower salaries.

Another 10 percent of the state's Hardest-Hit Fund allocation will be used
for the Loan Rescue Program. MSHDA said many Michigan families have
encountered some significant obstacle in their lives that resulted in
mortgage delinquency, and this program will provide up to $5,000 in
assistance to household who can now sustain homeownership, catch up on
delinquent payments, and avoid foreclosure. In many cases, the Loan Rescue
Program will be coordinated with existing mortgage modification programs to
help borrowers restructure their mortgage to sustain homeownership.

MSHDA said it consulted with several outside partners during the initial
development of this plan, including the Michigan Bankers Association, the
Michigan Credit Union League, the Michigan Association of Community Bankers,
the Michigan Association of Realtors, the Michigan Foreclosure Task Force,
and MSHDA's statewide homeownership counseling network. In addition,
servicing staff from a selection of community, regional, and national loan
servicers participated in sessions intended to begin aligning the
application process, data requirements, and the like with existing
lender/servicer systems and infrastructure.

The agency said most of the local, regional, and national loan servicers it
consulted have agreed to integrate the Hardest-Hit Fund programs into their
current loss mitigation waterfall process. The Treasury will review and
approve MSHDA's plan by early June, and funds should be available to
Michigan homeowners by early July.

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First-time homebuyers accounted for a record-high share of purchases last
month, according to new data released this week by Campbell
Surveys. The
results aren't entirely
http://ping.fm/eJESy
xpected, considering the April 30 contract deadline to receive the federal
homebuyer tax credit is fast approaching.

The momentum from the tax break is likely to continue into this month, as
many lenders are still reporting a flurry of contract activity just ahead of
the cut-off date.

The government's initiative to stimulate home sales has worked,
incentivizing sidelined homebuyers to seize the moment . and the extra cash.
But some economists have warned
that sales are being pulled forward to make the tax
credit window, and as a result will slip fairly substantially in the months
ahead. There are no plans to extend the credit again.

While round two of the program added payouts to existing homeowners making
new purchases, the credit still seems to have the most draw for
first-timers. The Campbell survey found that 48.2 percent of March's home
purchase

transactions were attributable to first-time homebuyers. This eclipsed the
previous peak of 46.9 percent reached last October when the November
expiration of the original homebuyer tax credit sent purchases by first-time
buyers soaring.

"The strong participation of first-time homebuyers this spring is a welcome
surprise," said Thomas Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys. "Many
observers had felt that the pool of first-time homebuyers had been depleted
last fall, but this is turning out not to be the case. Instead, the normal
spring-summer buying season is combining with the tax credit to produce
blow-out results for first-time homebuyers."

The surge in first-time buyer activity in March came at the same time the
volume of distressed properties in the housing market climbed to over 50
percent, according to the survey. This was far above the distressed share
low of 37.3 percent recorded in November, when a combination of
government-mandated loan modification efforts and foreclosure moratoriums
significantly reduced the inventory of distressed properties on the market.

According to the Campbell survey, first-time homebuyers are particularly
attracted to what has turned out to be one of the most popular forms of
distressed home sale transactions - the short sale. The latest survey found
that short sales accounted for 18.6 percent of the housing market in March.

"None of the survey results take into account the new Home Affordable
Foreclosures Alternative (HAFA) program for short sales," commented Popik.
"This government program took effect in early April, so we expect short
sales to account for an even greater proportion of the real estate market in
coming months."

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Neil Barofsky, special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief
Program (SIGTARP), has been highly critical of the government's foreclosure
prevention programs
inhttp://ping.fm/sVHI6 months.
On Tuesday, he released his quarterly report to Congress
, and put the administration's new initiatives to help
unemployed and underwater homeowners under the microscope.

He said to the Treasury's credit, the changes are an important step forward
in addressing the flaws of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) -
in particular expanding borrower participation and addressing re-defaults
driven by negative equity - but raise several issues that could impede the
program's effectiveness.

Barofsky said in the report, "Treasury's urgency in rolling out the new
initiatives, laudable as it is, risks significant costs in the form of
ill-defined goals, incomplete program guidelines, increased vulnerability to
fraud, incentives that may prove ineffective, and the potential for
arbitrary treatment of participating borrowers."

SIGTARP has put forth a laundry list of suggestions to address these issues.
First and foremost, he says Treasury needs to clearly identify participation
goals and expected costs for each HAMP subprogram.

To safeguard the program against fraud, Barofsky wants the Treasury to drop
its differing valuation requirements across the various HAMP programs and
adopt the Federal

Housing Administration's (FHA) appraisal standard for all principal
reduction and short sale programs.

He says because the program guidelines don't require appraisals prior to a
principal write-down, it is easier for servicers to deceptively meet the
criteria for incentive payments.

"No program of this type and scale can be considered well designed without
robust protections of taxpayer funds against the predation of criminals,"
the report said.

Barofsky also says that the voluntary nature of the principal write-down
effort undermines its effectiveness. He wants the Treasury to consider
mandating principal reduction under specific scenarios to ensure consistent
treatment of similarly situated borrowers and to address servicer conflicts
of interest.

He also suggests the Treasury lengthen the three-month minimum term of the
unemployment forbearance program.

Despite Treasury's efforts thus far, the inspector general said, HAMP has
made "very little progress" and the "foreclosure crisis has not abated." He
noted in his report that nearly 2.8 million foreclosures were initiated in
2009 and 2010 is on pace "to be even worse." There were more than 932,000
foreclosure filings in the first three months alone, with bank repossessions
up 35 percent compared to 2009 levels.

Juxtaposed next to these numbers, HAMP just doesn't measure up - only
230,000 permanent modifications made over the program's 12-month existence.
Barofsky says HAMP's progress represents only 8.2 percent of the
foreclosures initiated in 2009, and fewer than only the most recent
quarter's actual bank repossessions.

"Until Treasury fulfills its commitment to provide a thoughtfully designed,
consistently administered, and fully transparent program, HAMP risks being
remembered not for catalyzing a recovery from our current housing crisis,
but rather for bold announcements, modest goals, and meager results,"
Barofsky said in his report to Congress.

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Hi Pilar,

Pilar Tobias wants to add you as a business connection on Plaxo.

To accept this connection request, go to:
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Thanks,
The Plaxo team

More than 20 million people use Plaxo to keep in touch with the
people they care about.

Don't want to receive emails from Plaxo any more? Go to:
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He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of
you?

"To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.."
Micah 6:8

The beginning of each student's school semester generally starts with each
teacher presenting a course syllabus, containing the schedule, an outline,
and basic requirements needed to pass.

In His Word, God has presented us with a complete syllabus for living.
Although the outline may change relative to circumstances, and the schedule
be adaptable, the basic requirements for getting a passing grade are a
submissive faith in Jesus Christ, and the lifestyle listed above.

How would you grade yourself on dealing fairly with others? Or on showing
mercy even to those who may have wronged you? Are you learning humility?

As you pray for yourself in these areas this day, pray that the President
and our leaders will act with justice, will love mercy, and will walk humbly
with the Lord.

Recommended Reading: Micah 6:6-13

- Peggy Gustave

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by Rick Warren

Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others
have done to us. Matthew 6:12 (TEV)

"If you're a Christian carrying guilt around, it's because you're not taking
advantage of what Jesus Christ did on the cross."

We all make mistakes. We all have regrets. I don't measure up to my own
standard for myself, much less God's standard of perfection. It's not very
hard to admit you're not perfect. So what do we do when we fall short?

I was listening to a psychologist on the radio recently. A guy called in
and was pouring his heart out about how guilty he felt for things he had
done wrong. He asked, "How can I get rid of my guilt?" This psychologist
said: "You can't. You've got to learn to live with it." I almost shouted
at the radio: "Wait a minute! Give me that guy's phone number! He doesn't
have to go through life filled with guilt!"

There is no reason in the world you have to live with guilt. God has given
us a way to get rid of guilt. It's called confession. God promises that
when we confess, He forgives us instantly, totally, completely, freely, and
continuously. If you're a Christian carrying guilt around, it's because
you're not taking advantage of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. The next
step in making contact with God is pardon: I give God my guilt.

God wants to forgive you.

* You don't have to beg for forgiveness

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Your view of yourself will greatly influence how others perceive you. If you
are a confident, cheerful, positive person, your co-workers, friends, and
family will be attracted to your personality. If you are unhappy, negative,
and always complaining about your situation, others will be repelled. Even
when at times you don't feel very happy, by forcing yourself to behave in a
positive fashion, you will find that you soon feel genuinely upbeat, because
your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between an artificial
emotion and the real thing. When you behave positively, you will positively
influence everyone around you-including yourself.

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Former Homestore.com CEO and Chair Stuart Wolff was sentenced to four and a
half years in prison Monday for his role in a 2001 scheme to inflate
Homestore's revenues.

Wolff, who accepted a plea bargain, admitted to one count of conspiracy to
commit securities fraud.

Wolff received nearly the maximum-possible five-year term. He maintained
that he didn't participate in the fraud, but did approve it.

During the sentencing, the judge said Wolff and the Homestore scheme caused
"widespread injury to untold numbers of people in the stock market," and was
a "calculated deception of the public."

Source: Inman News, Matt Carter (04/19/2010

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