Friday, September 16, 2016

A scintillating post about social security...

Aaaahhhh! Well, I bit the bullet and made that dreaded call to the social security office to discuss applying for widow's benefits. My brain is not the sort that likes to think upon this type of thing, so it quickly began to spin in circles as I tried to take notes. In a nutshell, I found out that if I want to receive a check for November (the month of my birth) I need to cut my hours at work so that I'm grossing less than $1310/mth. If my math is correct (let me know if it's not, please!), at my current wage of $12/hr I would need to work less than 27 hours per week.

Now that I've theoretically cut my hours back (and that's actually only a few hours less than I'm working now because fall has arrived and we always get cut back) I will get my November check...the fourth Wednesday of DECEMBER, based on the fact that Bob's birthday was the 25th of the month. Feels like a leap of faith! But, it must be done, and hopefully all will be smooth sailing afterwards as long as I don't go over that monthly gross income level. Right? If there's anyone out there with experience in this, please just let me know if I've got my facts straight. Now I just need to let my boss know to cut me back and I have to make an appointment to fill out the application at the social security office before November 30. Whew.

It feels like a huge thing, so I'll have to take it one step at a time. I'm sure it's do-able. I'm already thinking of job options, one being to work at the local school in the kitchen. As much as I'd like to get out of food service, it may be the best option. No nights or weekends! It will depend on whether they'll take someone on part-time. There are other possibilities, but I may start with this one.

In other news, I may start posting entries from my "Pink Journal" so they will be recorded here for my kids if they should want to look at them later. Mostly these will be thoughts of a spiritual nature that I want to leave with them. Who knows if blogger will even exist by the time I wander off to heaven! But, maybe someone will find them of interest in the meantime. :)

And here we go! (You'll probably have to click on them to enlarge so you don't hurt your peepers...)



Well, that's a start. I won't bore you with the whole journal right now. ;)
 
On the lighter side, I'm falling behind on my ATC pics. Lucky you!
These red birds are for the Faith Art RAK (Random Act of Kindness), and they will be given out to people in need of some cheer and support. I send them off to a friend of mine in Kentucky, and she and her husband, a minister,  use them in their ministry.
 This is for a monthly 5x7 canvas board swap. I mailed this off to one of the gals  from my ATC site and she will be sending me one in return. This is a rip-off of one of Van Gogh's paintings called "Willows at Sunset". (I made a smaller version on an ATC earlier, if it looks familiar.)
 The next four cards were made for a swap called Finish It Up. The host sent each of us an envelope containing some paper items. We were to design some cards using the items she sent. The items were...
...a vitamin label...
 ...a superhero word (Zap and the little explosion thingy)...
 ...a cat dressed up as a person...
 ...and another cat  dressed up as a person as a gift card for the host.
 THEN there was the ever-popular Ballpoint Pen Swap...



 Lastly, for the moment, these two are for the Halloween Pumpkin Swap.

Sweet son, Jordan and his friend Brooke. I think they're an item! I pray that she will be as faithful, true-blue and fun loving as Jordan. He's waited a long time!
 Adele...super-hero!
 Her little brother, Sully/Sly (not sure which will stick yet). He's already looking around to see what kind of mischief he can get into. :)
If you've read this far...you are a true friend! Ha ha! Thanks for dropping by, y'all!
Shalom on you and yours!

10 comments:

  1. Wow! Lots of art, Lisa!
    (applause!)
    Aw! Sully is super cute!
    I hope you get some excellent advice concerning your Social Security benefits.

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  2. I love all your art pieces. The pictures of family are nice. Super baby so sweet. Good luck honey with your pension. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  3. Congratulation! Creative and special like always! The Van-Gogh-Lisa is authentic Lisa - amazing! The jumping lamb and the bird are my friends, the Halloweens make me smile :)
    Blessed baby and blessed-blessing Lisa-Grandma, artist with a big heart! Greetings from Dori from the Bavarian Forest

    I have some problems to translate the long text at the beginning, but I think you have good and important thoughts written on paper for many!

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  4. I sure can understand how stressful applying for the benefits is for you. I hope all goes smoothly and you used the right pen. ( No kidding. My daughter once filled in an entire form and when she took it up to the counter she was told she used the wrong colour ink. So she had to redo it. I was there with her and she was not impressed).
    I love your "Pink Journal". I have for many years gathered writings that I found especially inspiring/helpful and either wrote them in or if I could cut the article out I'd glue it on to the right hand page of a pretty journal. Since I am no artist, I found pretty pictures for the left page. I love to look through these journals and hope my kids will also treasure them one day when I'm gone.
    Sorry. This comment is almost as long as a post!!

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  5. read your pink journal notes; yes. I've heard hell not being where God is not, but that those in hell have rejected God so much that even His love they only experience as pain/burning. But much beyond my scope. I trust in His mercy. It is a very good point that hell is where others are so self-absorbed that they have no room for God or others, so yes, no love, no joy...

    God have mercy on us and help us to LOVE and have JOY in Him!

    Hope you get good advice on social security! I hope that it goes smoothly; nice that you can work a little less, God willing!!!

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  6. I think it is great that you are getting organized in the journal department. Your children will someday no doubt fight over the original notebooks. :-)

    And your postcards are so interesting, as usual. I do love your Van Gogh inspired design.

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  7. You've been busy with pen and paints. Love all you do. I'm partial to the Van Gogh too. I like the idea of giving art away as ministry. You are doing good things, Lisa. That baby Sully is a cutie pie.

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  8. Such beautiful people and such beautiful thoughts. I adore the red birds idea, and yes to the pink journal! Good luck with the paperwork. I'm a bury her head in the sand person on admin, and that has not served me well...

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    1. Me too, Mags! I always left everything to Bob, and now that he's not here I have a steep learning curve. But the Lord has brought me through a lot already. It will be okay! :)

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  9. Love your art (especially the cat) and the message you are leaving your children. The green pen was hard to read, but then I have old eyes with a macular problem and a cataract in one eye. About SS my dh and I both took it at the same time before 65. I was working but he had retired. I did have to cut back on my income from work. I was director of homebound at a church so I just asked them to pay me less; I worked the same amount of time. It worked out OK although the people at the SSA office were a bit snippy. Can you ask someone at your church to advise you?

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Thanks for dropping by! I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)