Some things continue to run amok. The economy surely tops the list of things over which we exercise no control. Mysterious bank employees decide to limit loans. Unreachable members of Congress make decisions behind closed doors. No one takes responsibility for the mess we're in, and it's time we take matters in our own hands!

Being UP when the economy is DOWN is a skill that requires practice. Knee warfare becomes all-important. If no one else can foresee the future and be relied upon, I know God does and can. Taking my problems to Him is my first line of defense...not my last. That said, there are other weapons at my disposal. I control my name. I control where I do business. I control my product lines. I control my business philosophy, offering excellent customer service. I control my attitude. Each of those areas can be tweaked to adjust my business.

I can also choose to support those businesses with faces and names. In a day when Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and large mail order companies dominate, it behooves us all to make the effort to keep the small businesses alive. These are people with faces and names. Unlike mysterious bank employees and unreachable members of Congress, they labor diligently to be availabe, to meet our needs, to answer our questions, to make us happy. If we continue to support only the cheapest and largest businesses, we will lose that shrinking strata of service and responsibility that keeps the mega-businesses in line. I would urge you to support your local businesses!

Above all, let's decide to be hopeful. Let's wear cheerfulness as a garment we choose each day. And let's counter each negative with a positive. We may not change the fabric of the world, but we can certainly weave more joy into our daily lives. It's up to us. I say, "let's stay UP!"