Last year was the first time I had full responsibility for this task, because Steve couldn't do it any more. He used to do a stellar job, carefully documenting the numbers from the forms and packets I would supply for him. Of course, I would gather and copy down the figures for my Mary Kay business. The only thing I ever knew him to leave out was our car registration fees for 2007. Our former tax man Mr. Massoud quickly caught it and I delivered the information the next day.
With Heidi getting married, we can definitely use our refund, so I am starting early with the documents I have. The form says we don't have to have every last piece of information on hand to make an appointment, so I set it for next Tuesday after Bible study. This way, I won't procrastinate. I keep myself on a short leash these days... I'll need to exercise that fruit of the Spirit, self control (Galatians 5:23), because there are way too many distractions, and I have many little hobbies and tasks each day that turn morning into afternoon before I know it!
I Peter 1:13 (NLT) tells us, "Think clearly and exercise self control."
For medical mileage, I went through the 2010 calendar for all of our doctor, audiologist, colonoscopy, neurologist, pharmacy and optometrist appointments. I included my appointments at the Brightstar eldercare agency, too. Steve had 11 appointments alone, to my one! Between his Alzheimers, his odd weight loss, hearing difficulties at times, sleep apnea tests and equipment fitting, I can answer the question, "Now that you're retired, what do you do all day?" pretty easily. (That's why I retired!) But God has provided the health coverage (tax deductible also) that makes this high level of care possible, so, with the Apostle Paul, let me say, "with food and clothing, let us be content" (I Timothy 6:8) Nothing to complain about here.
Volunteer miles came next, so I noted the ministry activities that happened separately from services and studies we would have attended anyway. Our women's helps team delivered meals to a bedridden sister for a few months, and we helped another family, too. Exciting Moms' Morning and Heart to Home planning meetings came into view on pages at the beginning of the year. Last October's annual Panhellenic Home Tour saw me greeting long-time Riverside patrons. December brought wonderful opportunities to host our church's ladies and their guests, and our widows as well.
Along with the deductible events and projects came the fun family times, like helping Kriss and Marisela move into their apartment, dinners with our oldest son and fiancee, and with Heather's in-laws. We gave Heidi and Pavel an engagement party; got all of the siblings together at Sean's; traveled to Fresno a couple of times to see Steven. Heidi's future father-in-law built a fence section for us after a random wind blew it down. (Hmmm...a deductible home repair expense that our insurance didn't cover!) Our August party was a real blowout--one of the biggest ever. Lots of family to visit and have over to our home come December, too. The San Diego Civic Youth Ballet's staging of "The Nutcracker" gave us the opportunity to applaud our great niece Cameron and visit with our nephews and niece. Kriss and his wife Marisela both got the jobs they applied for, as noted by the scribbles to pray on critical dates. And Steven's spiritual growth has been astounding at Fresno Pacific, as has his ministry at the People's Church, along with his physical development to bodybuilding competition shape. We really enjoyed his competition in May, where he took a respectable 5th place heavyweight in the state of California!
We had sad times in our family, too. Giving up our RV was hard, because we had enjoyed traveling around the country with our grandsons. But finances were not able to support the large payment. Little Cody, 4, our great nephew, was diagnosed with a cancerous lump that had to be removed, and he still gets treatment at CHOC. Steve's brother Larry went to be with the Lord in December. Heidi struggled to make ends meet as a pinkslipped substitute teacher until today, when she got a full time job at her favorite school beginning tomorrow!! She has been obedient to Psalm 37:4, her life verse: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Praise the Lord for the way He cares for us, even when we can tend to get discouraged. He's teaching and training us, every day!
Steve and I were abundantly blessed with friends and fellowship last year: an RV trip to Lake Havasu for a spectacular fireworks display; Sunday evening Home Fellowship and Thursday night couples' Bible study at Jeff and Monica's in Woodcrest. Praise the Lord! All of these believers have prayed us through a tough year, and we've done the same for them.
We'll be looking for tax summary reports from one of my pensions, our rental business in Wyoming, our own home mortgage, interest on the RV payments, our church's tithe receipt, and documentation from other charities we support. Student loan interest forms for both Steven and me are on their way, too. But it's not money or numbers that have made up the last year, it's the people, the experiences, the sights and sounds that make up: life.
And with the Lord, be the events sad or exhilarating, it's a wonderful life! I recalled my life verse, Philippians 1:6 just now:
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Lord!
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