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| Every year, I meet folks determined to cheat the system. Every year, I patiently explain to them that they are breaking the law and how they can work in compliance with the law.
But this year... this year, it's worse. This year, I've had folks who seem to be the nicest people in the world look me straight in the eye and lie. Not just lie, but when I catch them in the lie, they ask me to lie for them.
Because after all, everyone lies on their taxes. Or that's what they try to tell you.
Sorry, but no. That's a lie.
Everyone does not lie on their taxes.
Yes, it is a tough economy. Yes, I do know what it's like to not know how you're going to make it to the end of the month.
But I also know that there are a lot of decent, hardworking folks who do not lie on their taxes to get additional tax breaks. They don't tell me to fudge the numbers because no one will ever know the difference. And they struggle. They count on getting a refund because it's the difference between getting evicted and staying on for a little while longer until hopefully they find another job. They are brutally honest about the sad state of affairs. For some, it would be so easy to lie. So easy to fudge a number or two. But they don't.
What is the price of integrity? A few hundred dollars? A few thousand dollars? I don't know. But somehow, people think that they are so entitled to the government's money that they will lie to get it. Funny thing is, it's not really the government's money. It's our money. It's your money. It's the money belonging to the folks who are out there, struggling to make ends meet.
When you lie on your taxes, you are not just getting yourself a better deal. You are not just taking a deduction that you think you're entitled to that the government isn't smart enough to recognize. You are stealing from your friends and neighbors. Some of whom are stealing from you. But a lot of them- even the ones impacted by the same rough economy, the same job losses, the same fear of losing their homes- are sitting back and taking the hit.
I know, it's tempting to fudge a number or two, to "deduct" something you think should be a deduction even though it's not. But it's still a lie. Legally, it's fraud. I'm starting to get really angry at the folks who think I wouldn't mind committing a crime and facing stiff legal penalties to help perpetuate their lies. And when I'm not mad, I'm really sad. Because these same people actually believe there's nothing wrong with what they're doing. Maybe I've got the wrong version of the Bible, but mine doesn't say Thou shalt not lie, except to the IRS. Mine says something about paying Caesar what's Caesar's.
So could you please do me a favor? When you're doing your taxes, could you just be honest? Please don't lie to me and think that I don't know the difference. Trust me, I do. And please don't ask me, or anyone else for that matter, to lie for you. Just like you, the person preparing your taxes is signing under penalty of perjury. That's fancy speak for saying, "I didn't lie or know about any lies involved in this mess."
And that, my friends, is the truth.
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| Since I didn't do anything for him for V Day (didn't remember it was VDay til now, I'm a romance writer, go figure), I'll bite..
1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is he watching?
Really? Must I admit to this? I'm traumatized. Some sort of Dune buggy race thing. Seriously. Do people really DO this? Obviously they must... but really... must it be on TV? (Okay, we do watch Chuck and CSI together, but everything else he watches is weird man junk that scares me.)
2.You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Vinegar. No oil. Just vinegar.
3. What's one food he doesn't like?
Scallops
4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
Cherry Iced Tea. If you're reading it with a strange look, it's iced tea with grenadine.
5.Where did he go to high school?
Kennedy
6. What size shoe does he wear?
7 and trust me, it's really tough to find that in men's.
7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
*laughs hysterically* The real question is: what doesn't he collect?
8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Roast beef
9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
Dead cow. Lots of dead. Lots of cow. Actually, not so much on the lots of dead. I cook it more than he likes.
10. What is his favorite cereal?
Is it cheating if I ask him? I think it's Captain Crunch, but I'm morally opposed to sugary breakfast cereal, so I don't buy it.
(He was reading over my shoulder and wanted to know why I was laughing so hard. He says his favorite cereal is Frosted Mini Wheats. For the record, in the eleven years of being together, I have never seen him eat Frosted Mini Wheats.)
11. What would he never wear?
A thong.
12. What is his favorite sports team?
The Colorado Comets. Honk if you've heard of them.
13. Who did he vote for?
McCain-Palin
14. Who is his best friend?
Me, but he's also got Luke and Joel.
15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
Nothing because he thinks I'm perfect.
16. What is his heritage?
Slovenian. With a little Mc in there (So I can be Chip MacGregor's Scottish cousin)
17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Cheesecake. (He just told me that after 11 years of knocking myself out to get him cherry, that he prefers plain. Oh, sorry. 10. I apparently missed last year. Yoiks. The things these quizzes do to make a perfectly fine marriage rocky. See why I never do these quiz thingys?)
18. Did he play sports in high school?
Yes. Soccer and Diving. I even have pictures of him in a Speedo to prove it. Not that I'll let anyone see pictures of MY husband in a Speedo. And really, that's gross. I'm traumatized again. Speedos are just a bad idea in general.
19. What could he spend hours doing?
Messing around on the computer, touring historical places.
20. What is one unique talent he has??
That's a secret I'll take to the grave. (He says it's because I can't think of anything. He's right. But that's not really the point, now is it?) | | |
| It's 4:22 a.m., I have a bad cold, can't sleep, so sorry, I could not come up with a better title. :)
Friday night That Man and I went to see a Chris Tomlin concert here in Denver. We had a great night.
I admit, I was torn between excited, apprehensive, and sad at the whole thing. Excited because I really enjoy Chris's music, and his latest album, Hello Love, is one I particularly enjoy. However, I was apprehensive because one thing I've learned with all the Christian shows I've been to, the bigger the name, the bigger the "show." And I don't mean that in a complementary way. As many of you know, I've been to a number of Todd Agnew concerts. I love him. Love his heart. Love how he isn't afraid to be real on stage. Frankly, he's spoiled me in terms of what my expectations are for a Christian show. I expect to worship. I expect to encounter the Lord. I expect that the person on stage will be full of God and not full of themselves.
Truthfully, I was afraid that I'd go to the Chris Tomlin concert and walk away disappointed that the guy on stage was not the guy singing the songs. There's a number of artists I can't listen to any more because they've come across as too fake when I see them in concert. Chris's music has blessed me so much that I didn't want to have that same creepy feeling in my stomach.
And then, I was sad because it so happened that the same night, Todd had a show in Arizona that a couple of my friends were going to see and they invited me to join them. There was no way I could get the time off work. Plus, I'd already gotten the Tomlin tickets and hubby was semi excited (read: as excited as That Man gets) about going.
So we went.
I was pleasantly surprised at the show. The first thing I noticed was the wide background of folks there. On one side of us sat an upper middle class white couple. On the other side, a group of Asian teens. In front of us was a group of African Americans, and I'm pretty sure they were all from the same church... maybe they all got tickets together or something. Behind us sat a group of older folks. As I scanned the room, I couldn't help but think that Heaven must look something like this. People of all ages, ethnicity, socio-economic standing, and yet, we were all there to worship. How cool is that? I have honestly never seen such a diverse mix of people so well blended.
As far as my fears of Chris appearing fake... um, far from it. He seemed like a down to earth guy who genuinely reveled in not only worshiping the Lord, but in watching the audience worship as well. He didn't talk about how great he was, which is something I really appreciated. Of course, he didn't pull a Todd and start chatting about the Lord (which I LOVE), but I guess there's only one Todd Agnew.
I still missed the easy camaraderie of being at the show with my friends. And yes, I missed the requisite hugs that go with hanging out with my buds at an Agnew show. I definitely missed worshiping with friends who challenge and inspire me on my journey. As I put it to one of my friends, I had a good time, but Tomlin's not family the way my other friends are. But that's okay. A couple of times, I stole a glance at That Man, and he was actually smiling. If you've ever met my expressionless husband, you know that's a miracle.
So we had a good time. I worshiped. I encountered the Lord. And I did not find that the person on stage was too full of himself to be full of God. Today, as I was driving home from WFTJ in a cold induced daze (so sorry for going sick... I had no idea I was that sick until I got home!), one of Chris's songs that he did at the concert came on the radio, and I remembered the blessings of that night. No sick feeling in my stomach. Just the joy of being able to sing with gladness even though my throat burned.
One of the many themes that came up today at WFTJ was how refreshing it is to be among friends who can be real about their lives and their journeys. Even when we feel like putting a wrestling move on someone and body slamming them for annoying us. :) To me, that is such an integral part of worship. Being real, not body slamming people. Although I definitely vote in favor of the body slam... sorry, digressing... cold meds, you know.
The being real thing why I always have, and always will, appreciate the brand of worship Todd Agnew shares. And now, I can add someone else to my list: Chris Tomlin. I probably won't follow him around the country and make it a point to get a few of his shows each year on my calendar, but I will make a point of buying tickets whenever he's in town.
Real worship. Real folks. Love it when I get that taste of heaven.
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| I. Am. Exhausted.
It's Tuesday night, and I already have 27 hours in for the tax job this week. And that's JUST the tax job. I'm still writing, still doing my online job, and still trying to do the mom thing.
I'm also really overwhelmed. I know, smart move to be blogging instead of actually doing something about the things overwhelming me. But I'm really at the point of having so much to do that I don't even know where to take the first bite of the elephant called my life.
Today, I went to lunch after WFTJ, which I usually do, but of course, I felt guilty because of all the things I have to do. And then, I said, "too bad!" I need to do nice things for me once and a while, particularly when I'm working more hours than sane people should. Then again, I don't claim to be sane. So there ya go.
So what do you do? When you have so many things to do that you don't know where to even start, you're exhausted, and you have absolutely no room in your schedule?
One thing is for sure... I am going on strike in the cooking department. I tried to be organized. Planned menus for the week so everyone would have dinner. Left a very short to-do list for the fam to help me out. Asked for them to clean out the crock pot. They chose not to. I've decided not to cook until it's done. Is that mean of me?
And that, my friends, is what's going on in my life. Anything exciting in yours? | | |
| Over the past few months, we've been dealing with my four year old having really bad eczema. She was referred to a specialist, but they couldn't get her in until today. The specialist walked in, took one look at her, said he knew exactly what was wrong, and promised me a new child within a week. And after his thorough exam and explanation, I believe him.
But that's not the point of my story.
As he examined her, he asked me questions like, "Does she have more behavioral issues than usual?" YES! "Is she grouchy?" YES!
He looked at me and said, "Your daughter is exhausted. She's not getting any sleep because she tosses and turns all night scratching."
Makes sense.
And then he says to me the beautiful words...
"You need to sedate your daughter."
Yes, my friends. FINALLY. Someone who understands my problem. She. Does. Not. Stop. Ever. And this sweet, lovely doctor, looks me in the eye and tells me that the crazy child who drives me nuts really does need to be sedated.
YES!!!
Okay, I know, I should probably not be so excited. But seriously, I never imagined that as the doctor questioned me about my daughter's behavior, and told him about how she drove me nuts, that his answer would be to sedate her. How many times do you wish that were the answer to your problems? And before I get concerned messages or folks sending me to social services, you should know that she's on a very strict medical regimen. And the "sedative" is actually a medication she needs for multiple purposes, and one of the side effects of said medication is that it's a sedative.
However it is such a relief to know that I don't have a horrible child. A lot of the things she's been doing and driving me nuts are, as the doctor put it, because she feels terrible and doesn't have a clue what's going on in her little body. And yes, it is pretty darn funny that part of the solution is to sedate her.
Just let me enjoy my moment. | | |
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