By the Glow of an iPod
Krister and his wife Tobin came to dinner at our house last Monday night. We had a great time talking and getting to know each other. None of us had met before and we only knew of each other through the blog world. It was very cool.
If you had a chance to opt out of paying Social Security would you do it? Ministers face that question because the government gives us a choice to be in the system if we want to or opt out of it. However, once you opt out you can't get back in, unless you get another job in the secular world. And needless to say if you opted out you wouldn't get any benefits of the program. So what would you do? What should you do?
Finally, just want to give major, major, major props to my wife. She pulled off an amazing fundraising event called "Night Of Hope" for Shiloh. It was awesome and reiterated for me, once again, how amazingly talented, calm, organized, and fun my beautiful wife is. Here's to you my love, great job!
4 comments:
wait a minute, i thought you weren't blogging until easter!
but since you are, matt and i are coming to new york in may and would also love to meet you and your family. isn't this blogging world crazy?
Sunday's you are free from your Lenten observance. So this post was constructed on Sunday, but only uploaded today. That's pretty close to the line I know, but oh well.
We would love to see you guys as well. When are you coming?
opt out if you can. i have no hope in social security. but only if you can afford to buy for yourself all of the coverage you might need. that was robert oglesby's advice to us in school. i think it's good advice. i'd talk to somekind of financial advisor first though.
Don't opt out. Pay it, pay it all (and ministers pay double, because your employer does not pay half -- so ministers can end up paying MORE taxes than their friends in so-called "secular" jobs). Two reasons to pay it:
1. Social Security is SOCIAL. It's not about me. It's my contribution to a society that needs all of its workers to help. Social Security helps the poor and vulnerable -- the old, the sick, the disabled, the children of the sick and disabled. It's a God thing, in the disguise of government -- those who are able help those who are not.
2. Someday, you will want the society to take care of you, too, when you can't work anymore. "Social Security" as we know it may not be exactly the same, but I do trust that my fellow human beings in the next generation or two will not let my generation languish in poverty or hunger after I'm no longer able to work. There will be some kind of societal safety net, and I'll use it, and I'll be happy to remember that I did the same for my neighbors-in-need when I could.
I used to volunteer in an urban after-school program and as I drove to the church where it was held, I would look at the dilapidated houses and think, "My money goes there... and there... and there." I knew kids in all those houses, living with their grandmothers, surviving on Social Security. Pay it with a smile on your face, thanking God that you can!
Jason, I mainly came to your blog today to say thanks to you and Alison for continuing to stand with Joe and Laura. They are just soaking in the most miserable circumstances and need as much love and kindness as anyone can give. Thanks for having their back.
Someday, when we get a chance to talk face to face, I'll fill you in on the youth minister saga I got into down here, supervising that guy you gave me advice about way back when as we sat together in the hospital. Your advice was sound, but it mattered not. Thanks anyway!
peace -- Katie Hays, Lawrenceville, Georgia
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