Christa Lannom – Page 46

MAX Mindfulness: Change Begins with the Mind

by David Wine, President & CEO

All change begins with the mind and all acceptance of change begins with the mind. Everything we do and become is first of the mind. Too often we confuse our mind change with external change.

For example, we want to begin to eat more healthy. So we shop for healthy foods, we plan our meals, we read cookbooks on healthy eating, etc. But unless we change our minds and really WANT to and FOCUS on eating more healthy, our change will be short-lived because we have done nothing to change our mind. Or we decide we are going to enjoy our work more. Business books will tell you to organize your files; clean your desk; put up pictures you love; listen to music; etc. Those are enablers for context. But unless we decide in our minds we WANT to enjoy our work, none of those externals will create enjoyment for us. Or, we decide we are going to love our neighbors more who have that barking dog. So we send them a note of best wishes; we say “hi” to them in their yard; etc. But unless we change our minds and WANT to love and let go of our issues with them, none of our external doing will work. Far too many “self-help” books and articles speak of external changes to make for internal happiness. It is the other way around.

That is why we spend so much time at MAX talking about mindfulness. Change, and the acceptance of change, is in our minds, not in externals. As humans we usually try to fill our needs with those externals. We spend all kinds of time taking care of our bodies; shopping for things to make us happy; looking for ways to empower ourselves; and so on. What we spend little time on is our mind focus and attention which is where our real power lies. It is the key to changing our lives. Our greatest power lies in our minds, not in externals.

So at MAX, where we value wholeness, mindfulness becomes an important habit to cultivate, wherein we learn the point of power in our lives as individuals and organizationally.

David Wine

David is the President and CEO of the MAX enterprise, having served in that capacity since its formation in 2001. He has forty plus years of leadership experience in the business and faith-based worlds, being an ordained minister, having been elected to the highest position in his denomination, and receiving numerous awards and recognition for his leadership in the insurance industry. He currently serves on numerous boards in the church and insurance sectors. His hobbies include hiking, biking, skiing and snowshoeing as well as being an avid reader. David and his wife, Sharon, have three daughters, a son, and four grandchildren.

Thank You MAX Members

As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, the term “lucky” comes to mind. But what does luck have to do with insurance? Insurance for your home is something you should have to protect your home and belongings – it’s more of a necessity rather than something you find at the end of a rainbow in a pot of gold, right?
Well, yes, homeowners insurance is a necessity. However, at MAX, we feel lucky, or perhaps the word blessed is a more appropriate term, to have members who trust us as their provider of home insurance. Without our members, MAX would not exist. So, thank you MAX members for choosing MAX as your homeowners insurance carrier.

MAX Mindfulness: The Power of “Letting Go”

by David Wine, President & CEO

In an earlier mindfulness communication I shared that I would write more about “letting go” which is also tied very closely to forgiveness. Probably the most important area we can ‘let go’ is our need to change everything and everybody, even those things we can’t possible change! We seem to have a particularly hard time of letting go of the need to change others whether it be our parents, children, spouse, co-workers, or others.

It is very important to understand the difference between influence and control. We can influence others. We can’t change them, however. Only we can change ourselves. Our spouse, co-workers and others can certainly influence us and we can influence them. The owner of change, however, is each person and if someone doesn’t want to change, nothing we do can change that! Indeed, the harder we try to change someone, the more likely they will not! We spend inordinate amounts of energy trying to do the impossible!

So a huge step towards peace is to let go of wanting to control others and wanting to change others. We are rowing upstream. Instead “flow with current” which means focusing first on ourselves, the only person we can change. As we become more compassionate, affirming, loving, and helpful our influence with others grows but remember the difference between influence and control/change.

Oh if I could only learn the lessons I teach!

David Wine

MAX Mutual Aid Ministries Assists Elderly Woman with Expenses

Meet Linda, an elderly MAX member on a fixed income. Linda’s property taxes have increased and she had several bills due that she could not pay. Linda’s church has helped Linda with her expenses over the past few winters and also purchases baked goods from Linda (which is one way she augments her income). Mutual Aid Ministries partnered with her church by matching their grant towards Linda’s expenses.

Their pastor wrote the following: “We are grateful to MAX Mutual Aid Ministries and the Share Fund grant was a God-send to help an elderly person in our congregation. Thank you!”

About MAX and Mutual Aid Ministries: Working primarily through churches and faith communities, MAX devotes a portion of our revenues to emergency grants for people in need of shelter, clothing, utilities, health care or other services insurance can’t provide. Each year we help individuals and families regain wholeness. Learn more here.

If MAX sounds like a company you can relate to and would like to be a part of, join today by insuring your home, farm, or church with MAX. Just complete our Get Started form.

Winter Storm Preparation Tips

We value our Members who choose MAX for their homeowners and farmowners insurance and offer the following actions to protect you and your family, as well as minimize any property damage that might occur from a winter storm:

Follow directions from local officials.
Build a basic emergency supplies kit with nonperishable food, water and first aid supplies.
Charge cell phones, find flashlights, and check batteries. Do not use candles for emergency lighting.
If you have plumbing on outside walls, open your cabinet doors or insulate your pipes to prevent freezing.
If pipes do burst due to freezing, turn the water off. Now is a good time to locate your main water valve shut-off.
If the power goes out:
- Turn off and unplug appliances and electronics to avoid damage from a power surge when it comes back on.
- Do not use a generator unless it has been properly installed and ventilated to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Learn more about when you can save or throw out food due to power outages by clicking here.
If you are using a wood stove, fireplace or space heater, make sure you monitor it and keep all flammable materials away.
Do not climb on roofs to remove snow but use a quality snow removal tool instead.
When clearing sidewalks, do not overload the shovel and take breaks to prevent injuries.

Above all, we at MAX want you and your family to remain safe through any weather event. Our Claims Department is standing by at 877-971-6300 dial 5, and is prepared to help and assist with any type of loss coming from a winter storm. Be safe.

Photo by Gattou – Lucie Provencher