Ready to pursue joy and savor life’s possibilities in 2026? Register now for Catching Whimsy: A Fresh Start with Bob Goff! Step out of the cycle of endless planning and uncertainty and into the curiosity, delight, and possibility waiting for you every day. Hear from Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestseller Love Does, as he invites you to rest in God’s love and journey wide-eyed into a life rich with meaning, a faith alive with engagement, and a future shaped with intention. On-demand starting January 1st. https://bit.ly/Whimsy2026
No products will be sold. Speaker is not affiliated with Thrivent. Views are their own. See thrivent.com/social for additional disclosures.
I’m in the business of helping people save and invest, so take this proud moment with a bit of context! My girls both have Roth IRA’s and have had them for a few years. Once they started earning money, we talked about saving and investing. I know how powerful compound interest is, so getting them started early was a priority for me. Their early babysitting jobs didn’t have a 401k plan with an employer match (although that would have been amazing looking back!), but “Bank of Dad” wanted to encourage putting some of their money into investments vs all of it going into Dutch Bro’s coffee, so I offered a 2 for 1 match. For each dollar they put into their Roth accounts, Dad would add $2. Mr. Buffett isn’t worried about my kids Roth overtaking him on the Forbes list, but I’m excited to see how their accounts grow in the future!
Do you have a financial habit you're proud of?
Ready to pursue joy and savor life’s possibilities in 2026? Register now for Catching Whimsy: A Fresh Start with Bob Goff! Step out of the cycle of endless planning and uncertainty and into the curiosity, delight, and possibility waiting for you every day. Hear from Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestseller Love Does, as he invites you to rest in God’s love and journey wide-eyed into a life rich with meaning, a faith alive with engagement, and a future shaped with intention. On-demand starting January 1st. https://bit.ly/Whimsy2026
No products will be sold. Speaker is not affiliated with Thrivent. Views are their own. See thrivent.com/social for additional disclosures.
I have 3 brothers and we are all about 18 months apart – so saying Mom was busy is an understatement! I remember trips to the grocery store (my dad was in the Air Force so we got to shop at the commissary on base). Mom turned shopping into a game (that’s what we thought anyway) and one lucky boy would get to “run the calculator” at the store.
Mom would call out the price and you’d type it in to keep a running total. Sometimes at the checkout it became apparent that…the calculator operator had maybe made a mistake! Sometimes it worked out where an item or two could be added, sometimes items had to be removed. It was a game to us then, but as we got older we learned about our family budget and why keeping track during the outing was so important – we followed a budget and only spent what was allocated for groceries that week!
Online ordering platforms like Clicklist, InstaCart, AmazonFresh keep an accurate running total for you – and….maybe take away some of the sting of having to ask the bagger to remove that second box of Captain Crunch cereal!
Do you have a money lesson that you learned growing up that has stuck with you?
An Evening with Terrell Davis: Football, Grit, and Gridiron Glory
EHills Church, 25511 East Smoky Hill Road, Aurora, CO 80016
This free event is made available to all Thrivent clients. You are welcome to invite family and friends to attend with you. Please register each attendee.
Registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-terrell-davis-football-grit-and-gridiron-glory-tickets-1964451175347?aff=Thrivent or https://bit.ly/3L1gPey
Brought to you by the Thrivent Member Network, we invite you to join Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis for an electrifying night of stories, insights, and inspiration!
In partnership with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and hosted at Eastern Hills Church, this exclusive event takes place the Friday before the Super Bowl.
Hear Terrell break down his journey from underdog to legend, the mindset that fueled two Super Bowl titles, and what it takes to dominate on the biggest stage.
Childcare provided for ages 0-10.
Registration is required; seating is limited.
No products will be sold. Speaker is not affiliated with Thrivent. Views are their own. See thrivent.com/social for additional disclosures.
I found this article about 6 money personalities to be interesting. I'm a blend between the Trailblazer and the Penny Pincher! What are you?
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/01/there-are-6-money-personalities-finding-out-yours-can-help-you-be-happier-and-richer.html
If you are interested in watching, today, January 5, 2026, Thrivent Asset Management will ring the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Closing Bell—a first for our organization and a moment to celebrate the strong momentum behind our exchange traded funds (ETF) product suite. The ETF suite has surpassed $1 billion in assets under management and expanded with four new products this year. Very exciting day for us at Thrivent! For more information see Thrivent Mutual Funds | Thrivent
Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
We were a Christmas Eve family. If we behaved in church, we got to open presents -- a strong motivator as a kid. Our family now tends to do a few Christmas exchanges with Angie, Maddie, Layne, and I doing ours before we head to South Dakota and then one with each side of our family.
Do you travel to see family or do you have at home traditions for the holidays?
Our tradition has mostly been to travel back to South Dakota where Angie and my families are. We did have a few years when Angie was a Church Youth Director where we did church in Loveland and then traveled back on the 25th or 26th for a 2nd Christmas in Rapid City. This was a couple years ago at my parents house for Christmas.
Do you shop throughout the year for Christmas or do you wait until closer to the holiday?
It doesn't feel like Christmas shopping for me unless I'm doing the buying closer to the actual holiday -- so I normally don't really even think about my list until around Thanksgiving. Angie does almost all of our Christmas shopping though and she shops throughout the whole year and is normally done by Thanksgiving!
I am pretty traditional when it comes to Christmas Eve services. I like the evening service with candles, but maybe not the midnight one! We knew if we behaved in church we'd get to open at least a few presents when we got home!
Do you attend Afternoon Christmas Eve service or do you choose the candle light Christmas service?
Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas, we have 12 polls for you to engage in with us!
First up, do you do real or fake trees for Christmas?
Real trees are my preference. We've talked about going as a family to cut one down and make a day of it, but that hasn't happened just yet! Most of my family in South Dakota ventures out into the Black Hills to find trees for Christmas. What's your tree tradition at your house?
Do you have a favorite gift you've either given or received? My Mr. Coffee Cup warmer (well loved as you can see) that sits on my desk is one of my favorites I have received. My mother-in-law gave it to me years ago and I still think it's the best gift! A runner up would be the snoozy slippers that Kristi gave all of us -- I've worn through two different pairs now!
‘Tis the season for sweet treats! My favorite is the Peanut Butter Blossom — soft, chewy, and topped with a Hershey’s kiss, yum! What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?
Before the end of the year rolls around, check to see if you have an Action Team left! With Thrivent Action Teams, YOU can make a meaningful impact in your community. If you are a Thrivent client with membership, you have access to two up to $250 projects to make a difference.
If you need help, call the office or email one of us (Gene, Kristi, Erin or Maddie) and we can make it happen.
Maddie, my daughter and social media person for our office, did one at her student teaching placement this year! If you have done an action team, share what you did below!
The Friday after Thanksgiving is normally the day the Elder household decorates for Christmas. Last year, we got a 15 foot tree that was a great addition in the new house. (Peep it in the back of this picture)! I'm grateful we will have some extra guys around the house this year so I don't have to get on the roof to hang Christmas lights!!
Do you decorate for Christmas before or after Thanksgiving?
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy spending time with the people you love. I am grateful for my wonderful clients like you!
Our house has always loved hosting people and this year is no different. We will have 13 people around our table this year filled with lots of great food thanks to Angie's cooking. We tend to use Angie's adopted grandma's china and we recently got some from my grandma as well.
Do you have any fun traditions for Thanksgiving?
Even though Kristi started with me on April Fools day 12.5 years ago, she’s certainly no joke! I love how she has become the go-to for our clients who often ask to speak with either Gene or Kristi. She keeps our team focused and organized and also happens to be a wicked good speller. I’m grateful today for Kristi and for the fact that I truly love coming to work everyday to be with my coworkers who are also my friends.
What you need to know about legacy planning & how to get startedWhy is legacy planning important? Because it gives you the chance to make a lasting impact—supporting the people and causes you care about, while staying in control over who receives what, when and how. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin. ↓
