When Taxes are a Blessing.

For years now, my husband and I have coordinated efforts to get taxes done.

I compile the numbers. He plugs them into the right spot on the forms.

Taxes done.

This week was my spring break. I used the time to get some things done that are difficult to accomplish while school is in session. I caught up on grading, arranged emissions tests and car repairs, had coffee with a new friend, attended four meetings about Oaks Ministries…and prepared taxes.

 

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I saved taxes until last, but finally had to sit down to prepare an accurate financial accounting of 2014. My style is deliberate. I touch each piece of paper in each folder in my desk — Auto. Banking. Benefits. Credit. Home Care. Investments. Medical. Taxes. Utilities. Vet.

 

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While doing so, I purge what we don’t need, organize what is left, then calculate the numbers we need for tax forms. All in all, it takes 15 hours to compile both personal and business information.

The TAX FOLDER began in typical drudgery style organizing W-2’s first, but then I perked up when I made our charitable giving list. All of the precious people we got to help through Compassion International, Campus Crusade for Christ, Adventures in Missions, Atlanta Mission and more…and our local church and national charity organizations.

Wow. How could I have forgotten?

Thank you Lord for each of the special people, churches and organizations we got to support. Multiply every dollar for Your purposes.

Thank you, Lord, for our jobs. They are not guaranteed to any of us and are a gift each year we have them.

The HOME FILE conjured up memories of the spring on our garage door breaking, the leak in our kitchen ceiling…and all of the “emergencies” God saw us through.

Wow. How could I have forgotten?

Thank you, Lord, for our home. Thank you for seeing us through each repair in order to preserve this space for Your purposes. May I not forget to thank you every time I enter the driveway.

The MEDICAL FILE almost made me cry.

The stitches sewn into our sweet son’s beautiful face. The treatment for my nine-month bout with jaw pain and the kind and proficient doctor through which healing came. The difficult surgery for one daughter who suffered a soccer injury.

The medical stack ran high for each of us this year. None of us were spared.

Wow. How could I have forgotten?

Thank you, Lord for seeing us through each of these injuries, surgeries, illnesses, and for paying each bill. Thank you for every day we have good health and healthcare. Neither are guaranteed.

At some point yesterday, preparing taxes switched from being an accounting of finances to becoming an accounting of blessings instead.

Memories.

Gifts from God.

Challenges faced.

Provision.

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While doing taxes, 2014 switched from being a difficult year for our family to being a year in which we experienced God’s faithfulness in our trials. My file drawer created a giant thank you note back to God for all of the events, problems, bills, and situations that He saw us through.

Each and every one.

I never thought I would say this, but…

Thank you God for the

opportunity to count my BLESSINGS

while doing TAXES.

Thank you for 2014.

Love, Laurie

P.S. – For those of you that read my blog past week about lessons learned from assembling a jigsaw puzzle, I finished Tuesday afternoon.

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For those of you that celebrate being Irish like our family,

Happy St. Patrick Day from our house to yours!

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© 2015 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.

3 Responses

  1. I’m glad that God was able to turn a tedious and grueling process into one of reflection and thanks. He paid every bill… He saved us from every injury… He protected our family from tragedy… He got us through another year. He is FAITHFUL and forever will be. Let our family not doubt the faithfulness and goodness of God when the checkbook is right, when relationships get hard or when tragedy (someday) strikes – Because God doesn’t change and will always remain a faithful, trustworthy and loving God, even through the tough years ahead.

    I love you, mom!

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I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes growth.

1 Corinthians 3:6

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