Oh What's the Use...

Let's try this again. (My browser crashed and lost the whole entry.)

Just for grins I decided to try to figure out how much Uncle Sam and Uncle Arnold will be taking out of my paycheck. What I found was a nearly impenetrable web of forms and instructions. In order to get enough information for an accurate estimate, I had seven browser windows going: 3 tax rate tables, 2 for the tax forms (US1040 & CA540), and 2 for the tax form instructions.

I spent a good hour flip-flopping among those windows. At last, defeated and demoralized, I gave up and just guessed that taxes will consume about a third of my income. I reached the conclusion that it is impossible to do your taxes "for fun". Maybe you have to be a tax accountant to get your jollies off that kind of thing. I did learn one thing though, in order to minimize the masochism of the tax process, it will be absolutely essential to keep my receipts organized by EXPENSE. Heretofore I've maintained them in chronological order for my own records. But since deductions are made based on your expenses, aside from knowing the year, order is not important.

Anyway, having estimated my net income, I divided it up into monthly net salary. After figuring in tithe, rent, car, insurance, school loans, utilities, phone, internet, and food, I should have about minus $200 of spending cash each month! Well, so much for paying $1000 on student loans like I'd hoped. And if I eat nothing but top ramen and oranges it'll cut down on food. And I bought this car, but I don't have to drive it, so that will save on gas. And I guess I don't NEED a cell phone. And I'll have internet access at work. Maybe then I can afford a pack of gum or something, if it's not taxed too heavily.

Cynicism aside, I'm probably making a lot of needless worries for myself by doing this. If I trust that God will meet all my earthly needs, I can save myself a lot of unnecessary headaches and anguished fits of frustration. Besides, the Lord dares us to trust him with our money, and Jesus spoke more about it than any other worldly thing. It will be a step of faith, though, to take Him up on His dare. But then...what do I really have to lose? You can't hold on to this world very tightly, I'm learning. In fact, you can't hold onto it at all, because in a flash any or all of it could be gone. I can only hope that God will give me the fortitude to turn it over to Him when He asks...

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