Right now, it is “ugly times ugly”: Gordan Gekko

I am looking for deals, but only good deals.

Ride the trends but do not try too hard for the turns.

They got all the power, half the money and now they are working on getting the other half.

Stay positive pal, most people, the loose, they whine, they quit, but you must be there for the turns.

… do not run when you lose, do not whine when it hurts. It is like being in the first grade; nobody likes a crybaby.

My grandfather, Charles E. Morgan, never saw Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), but he taught me to spot trends. His wisdom echoes in those quotes. Using craps as a metaphor, he shared strategies to minimize losses—a stalling tactic to weather bad rolls while waiting for the tide to turn. His system was simple: limit your downside, maximize your upside, and bet on the casino’s best odds, like free odds. “When others are losing and walking away broke from reckless risks,” he’d say, “that’s when you dig in. You’re positioned for the turn—because it always comes.” Those Grandpa-and-me talks happened in the summer, perched by his workbench after the day’s work was done—cherished memories, timeless lessons. Though we discussed craps, it was really about life.

A bit about my grandfather: Charles E. Morgan wasn’t a gambler. Self-educated, he read an entire encyclopedia set, A to Z. A keen observer, he analyzed issues objectively, forming judgments through critical thinking. Married to my grandmother for 60 years until he died in 2016, he lived simply—two homes from the 1950s onward, two GMC trucks (1979 and 1991) over 37 years, and a cash-based life. He worked over 30 years at Ball Brothers Glass. This man foresaw today’s chaos, warning me often. He’d say Americans live for the moment while other cultures plan generations ahead. He predicted a totalitarian one-world government and railed against corporate and government “rackets”—pension looting disguised as legal, corruption in plain sight. He drilled modern history into me: the Great Depression via his parents’ tales, WWII ration books, and more. Hard work and living within your means were his creed. I won’t delve into the details of this lesson, which I’ll keep private, but my grandfather taught me to “promote the general welfare” of loved ones while emphasizing that my own welfare is my responsibility. I didn’t fully grasp this until reading A More Perfect Union by Ben Carson when a lesson from years ago finally clicked.

These are (Ugly × Ugly) times, but I see them as a call to dig in. During COVID-19, I refused to shutter my family’s business despite orders—chips fall where they may. When churches closed, we opened our home for 18 months of in-person Christian fellowship: worship, sermons, meals, all of it.

Imagine taking orders from liars, thieves, pedophiles, psychopaths, and murderers while claiming moral superiority over resisters. My wife and I, “pure bloods,” rejected what we saw as poison shots, choosing discernment over obedience. When the government tried to kill my business, I worked harder. When they shut down churches, I defied them, hosting Sunday gatherings while many pastors caved. The shepherds scattered—undeniable. Find your courage, folks.

I strengthened myself in the Lord through prayer and a hunger for truth.

Years ago, I read Nathaniel Greene’s words: “America must raise an empire of permanent duration, supported upon the grand pillars of Truth, Freedom, and Religion, encouraged by the smiles of Justice and defended by her own patriotic sons.” I vowed then to be that patriotic son, upholding truth, freedom, and faith in all I do. In these (Ugly × Ugly) times, I dug in by reading—thirsting for knowledge, guided by prayer. From May 2020 to January 2021, I devoured these books:

1. The Normal Christian Life (Watchman Nee)
2. Changed to His Likeness (Watchman Nee)
3. Love Not the World (Watchman Nee)
4. Art of the Deal (Donald Trump)
5. Unfreedom of the Press (Mark Levin)
6. 1984 (George Orwell)
7. Bait of Satan (John Bevere)
8. A More Perfect Union (Ben Carson)
9. Unlimited Partnership: God and the Businessman (Bob Yandian)
10. Liberty and Tyranny (Mark Levin)
11. Crippled America (Donald Trump)
12. God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy (Mike Huckabee)
13. Rediscovering America (Mark Levin)
14. Triggered (Donald Trump Jr.)

After A More Perfect Union, my wife Kristyn and I studied the U.S. Constitution via Hillsdale College’s online courses:

• Introduction to the Constitution
• Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution
• Constitution 201: The Progressive Rejection of the Founding and the Rise of Bureaucratic Despotism

The Bible verses—Proverbs 2:6, 1:7, 18:15, 15:14, 2:1-2, Psalms 119:66, Proverbs 1:29, and 20:15—tie this together. They teach that God grants wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to those who fear Him and seek diligently. Fools reject it; the wise treasure it like a jewel. These “ugly” times demand we root ourselves in these truths. I urge you: to dig in, seek wisdom, and pray.

• Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
• Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
• Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools’ feeds on foolishness.
• Proverbs 2:1,2 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding.
• Psalms 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.
• Proverbs 1:29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
• Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
• Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.