The Tax Man

Quite possibly the most exciting time of the year is fast approaching. I can smell it in the air. Yesterday and today we had the almost yearly preview of spring, with temperatures reaching into the 70s and sunny blue skies (prompting the new colors for my blog!! WOOO HOOO). It's getting close to that time of year...but we're not there yet. There are still cold days to be endured before we start the warm up, and new life begins to appear on the tress. Spring has a special quality about it....a feeling of newness....rebirth.....second chances....it's good. It's not here yet.....but it is close I can feel it.

Along with the weather, March has now dawned, which means at least one other thing.....March Madness! That's right.....basketball will soon be at the forefront. I used to get a lot more excited about the tournament and all, but now I seem to take a bit more interest in football...in part because Karen will watch that with me. I haven't been able to coax her into being a basketball fan. However, when we get to the Sweet 16 I think I shall be able to sneak in a few games! Pretty pumped about that.

However, with all of the good things that spring brings, there is one inevitable and unavoidable spring task that we all must face.....and it is not fun. That task......TAXES! Oh man.....taxes kill me. I realize that they are a part of life, they make the government run, and (cringe) stimulate the economy (so some say....I don't know....). But I gotta be honest, if I could actually take the money I earn and actually keep it to use as I see fit....well I gotta be honest, I'd probably do that. I'm saying that if paying taxes was an option, I'd probably choose not to pay them.....nope.....I know I wouldn't pay them. But, alas, no option is given....you either pay them willingly, or the government takes them willingly. And in my situation, at least for now, there is no refund to be had. Honestly I am ok with that...we get all excited about a refund...but a refund means that we must have paid something to begin with...and obviously we must have paid to much.

So I spent most of the day Saturday doing my taxes....and listen I have had some fun in my life....lots of fun I'd like to think....and taxes are the exact opposite of fun....in fact....I think numbers and the addition, subtraction, or general calculation of numbers is the antithesis of fun! Fun runs away from numbers. Fun must have gotten beat up at an early age by numbers and now fears the worst from them, and so chooses to stay as far away as possible. Fun trembles at the thought of numbers, and faints when faced with taxes. Fun is like the average person, and numbers are like Chuck Norris. Fun sees numbers and quite literally wets his pants, cries like a little girl, and runs home to mom.........getting the picture? So you can imagine how little fun was had on Saturday. The best part is that I do my own taxes with the helpful application called TurboTax.....however I still find the filing of taxes so incredibly confusing that it takes me two, count them TWO full times of filling out the files just to ensure that I did everything correctly. I can only imagine in my worst nightmares how UNFUN it would be to have to go through an audit. If numbers beat fun up at an early age....the an audit did even more unspeakable acts to fun at an even earlier age, such that fun cannot shake the memory of an audit and thus must be hospitalized every time it hears even the mere mention of the word audit.

I say all that about taxes (and the lack of fun) to say this....after trying to file my taxes, may mood was....how shall I put this.....not good?....no that won't do.....bad?.....hmmm...getting there......terrible?.....closer......rotten...yes yes...rotten...that sums it up...my mood was rotten. I always feel as though I've been robbed, as I am sure that most every American who pays feels. But after a day of feeling sorry for myself and angry about my situation, I came to my senses and realized how dreadfully silly it is to get all worked up about something that is uncontrollable and inevitable (well let me clarify..the way in which taxes are paid compared to my situation could be better...but that is another discussion for....never). I realized that I have to pay taxes, and that furthermore if something like this in my life is what gets me all worked up, then woe be unto me if and when true tragedy really did strike. I mean even my current biggest problem is so stinking insignificant when compared to people all over the world who are suffering from hunger, the destruction of war and oppresion, disease, etc. If I would allow myself to just sit back (which I did as best I could) and really assess my life.....blessing, protection, provision, love, grace, mercy and a host of other indescribable good things abound. I am in want for nothing much less need.....I have food, a roof over my head, a wonderful family, the most amazing wife, an entertaining (yet sometimes only bearable) cat, reliable transportation, good health, solid job, decent education.....I mean....could I really ask for more.....and furthermore could I really allow some miniscule little problem (though that isn't even accurate...because it's worthy of the word problem...it's more like a prob...)to crawl all over me??!?!??! What a slap in the face for me to cry foul when one thing doesn't go my way!! What a denial of blessings that would be!!!

I realize that one day Karen and I will have to deal with real hardship.....perhaps a trajedy....not that I wish for that....but I just half expect it....life is that way....why should I think myself exempt? And so when that comes along, I like Job want to approach those situations with unwaivering trust, faith, thankfulness (yes thankfulness) and ultimately obedience. In the end, this life is a vapor, and as Solomon so accurately describes it, vainity in many reguards. And we have a God who not only knows us, but cares deeply for us! That alone is something to celebrate!

Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds, becaus you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

1 comments:

from the looks of your site I'd say you must be feeling pretty blue. Ha! I got a million of 'em.

I feel you, man. The IRS is the devil.

March 4, 2008 at 2:41 PM  

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