Category: Uncategorized
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The Q Means Quagmire
The Individual Retirement Account (IRA) falls under the IRS category of “qualified plans.” The qualification is special income tax treatment. We get to invest money and reduce our income tax. The advantage to the IRA is that the investments grow tax-deferred, and you can begin penalty free withdrawals as early as age 59 ½. A
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Of Yarmulkes & Masks
Our Jewish friends wear a kippah – commonly known as a yarmulke, to remind them that God is above them. Covering their head is a visible sign of their reverence for God. Were I Jewish, placing a kippah on my head would be a voluntary act, and an intentional act of faith. In wearing my
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What Would the Whos be Doing This Year?
“…the whos down in Whoville standing together in a circle holding hands and singing Christmas songs…“ In “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” the Grinch removed everything out of Whoville believing that would stop them from celebrating Christmas. However, as the story continues we see, that in spite of this unfortunate setback, the Whos down in
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An Advent Reflection from Behind the Walls
As I have stated in the past I am involved in prison ministry. This year has been particularly hard on the men behind the walls as all volunteers have been banned since February, and much of that time was without family visits as well. Bethany House Ministries is one of the not-for-profits that supports the
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Of Thanksgiving & Humility
Humility is the soil from which the spiritual disciplines grow. Jesus told us to be humble in our practices of alms giving, fasting, and prayer. Without humility we are just making noise to draw attention to our self-centered egos. Only through humility can I understand that all that I have is from God. My ego
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The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month
The war to end all wars ended on 11/11/1918. With its end, Veteran’s Day was established. In response to the sacrifice of millions lost in the war, the Paris Peace Conference was convened in 1920 and the League of Nations was born. The League of Nations remained in place for 26 years. After yet another
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The Theology of Sanitizer
Before the Covid 19 virus I rarely used hand sanitizer. I am not much of a germ-a-phobic, but months of spraying my hands after grocery shopping is creating a new habit for me. And, from what I’ve observed, I am not the only one. I can just imagine two years from now passing the peace
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A New Lease on Life
I think we all have either heard or used the idiom, “a new lease on life.” I heard it the other day when a person described surviving the Covid virus. People in twelve step programs regularly use the phrase with gratitude. Sometimes a new job or a financial windfall will feel like a new lease
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Dovetailing Gift & Estate Planning
In carpentry the dovetail joint is the strongest methods of joining different pieces of wood together without using nails or screws. The interlocking “tails” require precise measuring and cutting. Done correctly, the dovetail joints are not only functional, they are beautiful. I like to use the image of the dovetail to explain the process of
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The Art of Gift Planning: Charity
An often overlooked discussion in the estate and financial plan is charitable gift planning. It is true that there are many financial and tax benefits associated with charitable gifts, however, rarely are these benefits the motivating force in making a gift. In Scripture the word charity is synonymous with love. St. Paul tells us that