Saturday, February 27, 2010

Now Maybe I Can Forget About Taxes

I have received email communications from the IRS and the state of Idaho. Both of my tax "returns" have been accepted. I hope this means accepted forever and no letters coming in two or three years saying I owe more.

I hope.

Yes, I hope accepted means to them what it means to me.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Here's How I Think

"I never said it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it." One of those ubiquitous sayings, the likes of which I can't like.

One young man stood up in church recently and credited Jesus with that very statement.

I squirmed, but I did not say, "Oh, really. Can you give me chapter and verse on that? Was that before or after he said 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light'? or 'And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me'? or any of a number of things actually attributed to Christ in the scriptures?"

No, I did not say it. But I thought someone should warn the young man--actually, he's a full-time missionary--that he needs to be aware that he may encounter some people who know Jesus did not say that thing. It's not part of his gospel, not doctrine. It's just one of this day's "feel good" bunches of words that probably came from some motivational speaker trying to sell his books and DVDs. And some people might like to be taught the truth.

And so on and so forth.

This week's Weight Watcher's meeting brought the saying to me again. "You know what we always say," said our meeting leader, "I never said it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it." This time I didn't squirm, but I did sigh. More tolerable in such a setting, and at least she didn't attribute it to Jesus. I suppose I can apply the saying to "dieting" and say, "Well, okay."

But, truthfully, I still hate it in any setting. I find its succinct trivialization of everything in our lives intolerable. Yes, I do.

Chapter and verse for my citations: Matthew 11:29-30; 10:38.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Tax-es

Done.
Hoping--and praying, truly I am--that they are done right.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Yes, Taxes

I'm working on them.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Just a Part of Life in the US

I do not look forward to it, but I have to get at it. Taxes. What a burden.

It would be a different matter if I were getting money back. But no.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Swell

Those folks now charged with child abduction in Haiti--they're putting Idaho on the map, so to speak. Make you proud?

Read about Ms Silsby here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world/americas/05idaho.html