Lucas @ 27

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 10:16:46 -0700

I love this photo of Luke. Do you see the “joy” in his eyes as he checks out the new kicks? We loved having him and Annie home during the Christmas holiday. They are now back in Seattle, Washington while Lucas continues his dental studies.
Today Luke celebrates birthday #27. Wish we could be with him in person, but this cyber shout out will have to suffice. We love you Luke.

Mitt Romney and the Law of Tithing

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:56:09 -0700

This Tuesday Mitt Romney released to the public his 2010 tax return. The voters in South Carolina apparently didn’t like his plan to release them in April. (Or was it his LDS faith they didn’t like?) In either event, they let him know their dislike in the voting booth.

It has been well publicized that Mitt and Ann Romney make a lot of money. Now we know exactly how much. In 2010, the Romneys declared an adjusted gross income of $21,646,507 from almost entirely passive income. On that income, the Romneys paid $3,009,766 in taxes. That translates into about a 13.9% tax rate. A lot has been written about the rich benefitting from lower tax rates on their passive income. Interesting arguments on both sides of that debate, but that’s not what I found insightful in the tax return.

Mitt Romney is currently the most recognized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka LDS/Mormons) in the United States if not in the world. Not only is he a member of the Church, but he is also an endowed member. For those not familiar with the LDS faith, let me elaborate on what that means in the context of one’s income and the law of tithing.

When Mitt was baptized (presumably at age 8) he made a covenant with God that, among other things, he would live the law of tithing. Tithing means one tenth of one’s increase is given to God (the Church). Since everything we receive is a blessing from God, LDS view tithing as returning to God one tenth of those blessings. Charitable giving beyond the ten percent is encouraged in the form of offerings. Tithing has been around since Old Testament times when the one tenth was often given “in-kind” (ie. one lamb out of ten; one bushel of wheat out of ten, etc) rather than money. The prophet Malachi chastised the children of Israel for their failings in this area when he declared, “Will a man rob God?”

Jesus Christ warned us not to be boastful in our observance of the law of tithing for “every one that exalteth himself shall be abased.” The LDS practice of the law of tithing is very private. No collection plate is ever passed to the congregation. Instead, each member privately pays his/her tithing to the Bishop. Only the member, the Bishop, and some clerical help know how much tithing was contributed.

Once a year, the member meets with the Bishop in tithing settlement. During that very brief meeting, the Bishop asks the member whether the tithing donation is a full or partial tithe. Only the member and God know the answer to that question. The member is not required nor even asked to provide proof of earnings. Instead, the member is left to his own conscience when answering.

In order to qualify to enter an LDS temple and be endowed, a member must be a full tithe payer. Again, because of the way tithing is handled, no one but the member and God know whether a full tithing was paid. For Mitt and Ann Romney, that very private matter has now been laid open for public scrutiny. As a testament to their integrity and faith, the Romneys’ 2010 tax return shows a “charitable contribution” to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an amount consistent with a full tithing. In addition, the Romneys made substantial offerings to other charities.

At a time when faith and integrity in our political leaders seems almost non-existent, it is refreshing to have a presidential candidate who walks the walk. Mitt Romney can truthfully respond to the ancient prophet Malachi’s question thusly, “No. I will not rob God.”

Tatum @ 26

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 08:25:15 -0700

Today is Tatum’s birthday. She joined our family in November 2008. It has been fun to get to know her. She is extremely competitive in anything sports related. Not unexpectedly, she and Chase won our family version of the Amazing Race.
What some may not know about Tatum is her skills in hair and make up. She is a graduate of Kohler Academy. She has a constant stream of clients that she helps make look amazing (wish I had hair for her to cut!).
What I’m most grateful for is the love and support she gives to my son, Chase. It’s fun to see two people who are really in love.
Happy birthday Tatum.

First Car

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:53:38 -0700

One of the best things about grandparenthood is the license to spoil. My folks spoiled our kids with a battery powered Jeep Wrangler they could drive when they visited them in Idaho. The kids still talk about how fun it was to drive that toy vehicle. So we decided to continue the toy vehicle tradition with this awesome Mini Cooper. Elliott tells the whole story on his face.

Christmas Song #8

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 22:06:09 -0700

David Archuleta came to the attention of many during his American Idol days. David’s voice is velvet. Charice has an amazing voice also and an incredible story. Here they are singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” as my song choice #8.

Mickey Mouse meets Brent & Elliott

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 21:21:31 -0700

Our grandson, Elliott, recently met Mickey Mouse for the first time at Disneyland. Seems like Mickey Mouse is always a favorite of the young kids. I know he was a favorite of our son Brent (Elliott’s father) back in 1985.

Christmas Song #7

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 22:57:18 -0700

“Carol of the Bells” sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Another classic. According to Wikipedia, It was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its concert tour of Europe and the Americas, where it premiered in the United States on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall.

Greg @ 63

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 21:53:50 -0700

A birthday shout out to my brother Greg. He is officially 63 years old. I’m pretty sure the only present he wants this year is a healthy wife. We are praying for Aunt Vic’s quick recovery from surgery. Greg and Vic have become one in the best sense of the word. I know that they are looking forward to serving the Lord as full-time missionaries.
One of Greg’s gifts is his singing voice. He has sung all his life at various functions. Fortunately, Nancy Ellen captured his performance at our parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. Happy Birthday Greg.