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Post by Paws on Oct 13, 2010 3:13:09 GMT 12.75
Well my boy is put to rest. His grave is beside Wiggles whom was his friend. Near thm is a growth of the tiniest Daisies I have ever seen. They are no larger than Baby's Breath. I'm going to try to cultivate them as long as I am here as they are so unusual and beautiful. God, I'm not angry with You; but I sure am confused, a bit heart broken, and terribly disappointed.
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Post by Lt Colonel Bruce Reynolds on Oct 14, 2010 2:06:51 GMT 12.75
to hear that Phil.
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Post by brittonfaith on Dec 16, 2010 18:51:36 GMT 12.75
If you loose power during or after tonights big snow, I don't want to be hearing stories from others about you trying to cook a church dinner over a box of birthday candles. You got all that outdoor cooking stuff and probably a couple kerosene heaters too. Use them!! If I can make a red velvet cake on the kerosene heater, I know you can at least fry you up some clucker.
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Post by Paws on Dec 17, 2010 2:25:28 GMT 12.75
I do apple crisp and pineapple upside down cake in the park BBQ Grills. I'm good. Got back up systems for my back up systems. Learned from NASA. Unfortunately they wouldn't learn from us when we told them their security was a sieve!
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Post by Paws on Feb 17, 2011 5:25:59 GMT 12.75
Hey, did anybody notice I started using Toby's and Two Tales' "spell check"?
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Post by brittonfaith on Feb 17, 2011 9:13:27 GMT 12.75
It's ok. We understand.
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Post by Paws on Feb 25, 2011 4:27:29 GMT 12.75
Well you know it's going to be a bad day when the mailbox has notices from IRS, OPM and AMEX! The worse was OPM advising me that beginning next month they will reduce my monthly annuity by $697.00 a month since I turned 62 and am "eligible" to apply for social security benefits. If I qualify, I'll get about $450.00 a month. And this following a $12.00 increase in my health insurance and a $60.00 increase in my IRS withholdings. I do not know where this will end up. I just filed my social security application and need to find my DD-214 to send them a copy. I suspect though there will be some belt tightening around here. For now, forget the apron project, Grandparent Teddy Bears are on suspension, re-enactment trips are history (no pun intended), and I'll not be attending any GTs.
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Post by Snake Eyes on Feb 25, 2011 6:37:34 GMT 12.75
Paws, Wow,Bud, all that sucks big time!!!!!As far as the GTG let me know if I can help. John
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Post by Jerry on Feb 26, 2011 2:12:16 GMT 12.75
to hear this Phil. I know exactly how you feel. Had to retire earlier than I wanted to and will not be able to get Social Security until July. We will do the best we can.
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Post by Paws on Feb 26, 2011 2:23:22 GMT 12.75
to hear this Phil. I know exactly how you feel. Had to retire earlier than I wanted to and will not be able to get Social Security until July. We will do the best we can. Jerry, any idea why SSA is so interested in whether or not we had militry service prior to 1968?
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Post by Snake Eyes on Feb 26, 2011 23:57:02 GMT 12.75
Of course there is no way I could or want to know everyones situation.But,I do have a question? When you and myself started paying into SS,myself nearly 50 years ago,did we expect to be able to retire,strictly on SS payments. For whatever reason I never did,nor do I expect it now. I will take from SS what I can at 65...I will continue to work to supplement my SS till I am unable to.... I don't like it,but that is the way it is! Besides as long as I am able to work,why not! I have done it my whole life, and to be honest I have nothing to retire to.Too old to hunt,too old for a lot of other things.But, I am still very,very productive at my job. Honestly, at my age very well paid for what I do IMO John
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Post by Jerry on Feb 27, 2011 2:02:25 GMT 12.75
Let me address several issues here.
Even though I paid into the sytem for years, I never gave SS a thought until recent years. I certainly never intended to retire strictly on my military retirement or SS. Combined, they provide our needs, but, separately they would be considered inadequate to retire on.
I am "retiring" because my church is being sold and I cannot find another one at this time. I can make it on SS and my military retirement but would have preferred to continue to serve so long as I was physically able. I do not receive SS until July. By the way, if I had some current skills, I would find work outside the ministry. I have been a full-time pastor since 1991 so any prior skills are largely outdated.
So far as military service prior to 1968. All vaterans receive some additional credit for their service. From 1968, the credit is supposedly built-in. However, prior to 1968, the credit has to be manually added. So, do provide the DD 214 because you will recieve some type of credit and a little more in your check.
Wishing all of you the best.
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Post by Paws on Feb 27, 2011 2:34:33 GMT 12.75
Thanks Jerry. Appreciate the info. If I were looking for a little additional income through employment with your background I might focus on things like billing medical cients, boiler room maiings, maybe some light accounting, possibly looking into temp services for office managers, clerks, maybe even consider substitute teaching. Hey, is there such a thing as a substitute Minister? I mean if a Pastor is to go on vacation or must be away for a while, why not??
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Post by Paws on Feb 27, 2011 4:13:28 GMT 12.75
Of course there is no way I could or want to know everyones situation.But,I do have a question? When you and myself started paying into SS,myself nearly 50 years ago,did we expect to be able to retire,strictly on SS payments. For whatever reason I never did,nor do I expect it now. I will take from SS what I can at 65...I will continue to work to supplement my SS till I am unable to.... I don't like it,but that is the way it is! Besides as long as I am able to work,why not! I have done it my whole life, and to be honest I have nothing to retire to.Too old to hunt,too old for a lot of other things.But, I am still very,very productive at my job. Honestly, at my age very well paid for what I do IMO John Well sir I fully intended to make a career of the military. I planned to finish college and take a commission, do my thing and settle down back in Ohio at 38 years old and maybe teach at OU, take the Physical Plant Directorship which was offered to me or go civil service after retirement. Strategic Air Command fingured I belonged at SAC HQ just as I was ending my last semester and screwing it up. I talked them into an early release there at RAFB so I could finish up school. I went into civil service, ANG, USAFRES, and CAP. Over time I decided to do the civil service thing and took an early retirement in 93 with a 25K bonus and about 25 K per year retirement. Had I remained to age 55 I would have got about 80K retirement per year. My last year with civil service I earned 68K and my first year as an independant contractor I took home 108K and worked less than four months total. Then I met Sue and quit taking all but maybe three contracts after we got together. She made good money and with my annuity we were well off without me working. Now my total income is about 24K per year; however she pays the mortgage and property taxes worth about another 15K per year to me. Depending on which way the "Judge" eventually rules, I think this set back can be overcome. I just got to quit feeling sorry for myself, get off my ass and do something positive Seems like my friend JRs words have been right on target and aimed straight at me the past few days. Today he posted: Hayward Lawson How often have we sighed, "I just don't have time." We live in a "hurry up" world. We have deadlines to meet, appointments to keep, and even every sport is played against the clock. Our days are divided into segments of time: time to wor...k, time to play, time to rest. And then there is the matter of timing our decisions. The right time makes the difference between success and failure sometimes life and death. Why do we come up short on time? God has given to each of us enough time to do the things we should do. Our crowded, ulcer producing schedules are the result of pressure we place upon ourselves or allow others to place on us. Instead of really living, we settle for an unhappy existence. We are not fulfilled because we feel we never quite have the time to do our best. Our family is discontented because seemingly we do not want to spend time with them. Have you ever considered that we are accountable for our use of time? It’s true, the way we invest our time determines our happiness and success in life. Our time in this world is our life. We can either spend it foolishly and fruitlessly, or we can invest it wisely. The Scriptures warn us that we will give an account to God, the giver of life, for the way we use our time. "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12) A wise investment of time is a wise investment of life. Such an investment requires careful management of our time. Without planning and priorities our lives can slip away quickly. If we do not govern our time, other people and circumstances will. Manage your time and you will manage your life. People view time in different ways. There are those who spend all their time planning and making lists of things to do. They are so busy improving their lists and updating their plans that they never seem to achieve their goals. Then there are those who are so busy doing that they never have time to assess the value of how they are spending their time. We are all familiar with people who are so conscious of not wasting time that they make everyone else around them nervous as they hurry about to save another ten seconds. Neither extreme is healthy or necessary. God intends that we enjoy life. That includes our work, our families, our friends, and even our play time. Is that possible in this rushing, time conscious world? Yes! And God has given us the key to wisely investing our time in every aspect of life. I hope that you will consider investing some of your time with God. Do you realize that God made us for Himself and He has provided the necessary time for us to achieve in life what He has planned for us? The key to the wise investment of our lives is the time we invest with Him. I discovered long ago that the most effective way to save time is to spend time in prayer and meditation before the Lord. Time is also defined as a dimension in which things change. In quiet meditation there is change. We are quieted on the inside. There is no longer the desire to rush. That hurried feeling is replaced by a restful confidence that the work will be completed on time. Stress fades from the emotional scene in the presence of faith. Look at what Joshua 1:8-9 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”” WOW! That is awesome, if we will meditate upon God's promise and do according to what His Word says, His servants will “prosper and have good success. And without leading you to a thought, how about you reading and meditating on those two verses and see what God also reveals to your heart… God’s Word says our life on earth is like a vapor; it appears for a little while and then vanishes away. That is not to imply that it no longer exists, but rather that time leaps into eternity. Eternity is time without end. Where will you spend eternity? I'm praying that you will be with our Lord in Heaven. God Bless! JR
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Post by Snake Eyes on Feb 27, 2011 21:51:26 GMT 12.75
Phil, Not quite sure why I was quoted here,but if I offended you or anyone else with my comments I sincerely apologize John
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Post by Paws on Feb 28, 2011 2:40:54 GMT 12.75
Phil, Not quite sure why I was quoted here,but if I offended you or anyone else with my comments I sincerely apologize John I quoted you cause I didn't want to lose continuity with the subject inside a generic thread. Nobody offended here. Appreciate the candor.
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Post by Jerry on Feb 28, 2011 5:40:03 GMT 12.75
Actually there is temporary pastoring. It is called interim (temporary at one location for a set time-frame, usually 6-months average). Also there is fill-in or pulpit-supply. I have my name out there to fill those positions but no bites yet. I have done some of that in the past and have enjoyed it. Hope something opens up.
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Post by Paws on Feb 28, 2011 16:29:05 GMT 12.75
Actually there is temporary pastoring. It is called interim (temporary at one location for a set time-frame, usually 6-months average). Also there is fill-in or pulpit-supply. I have my name out there to fill those positions but no bites yet. I have done some of that in the past and have enjoyed it. Hope something opens up.
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Post by brittonfaith on Feb 28, 2011 17:03:21 GMT 12.75
Heard this on the way home this evening and immediately thought of you.
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Post by Snake Eyes on Mar 1, 2011 1:25:46 GMT 12.75
Faith, Where in the world did you hear that at.You had to search for it. ;D
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