Tadd Mencer

Posts Tagged ‘Array’

Let’s start by linking you to the official CNN report HERE.

Now, since most of you won’t go read what was said there, let me recap.

They really are sending out stimulus checks. Yes, I know – it sounds amazing.

And we can use the money! Bills don’t pay themselves!

However, my largest concern was that it would come out of our next year’s tax refund – or just be taxed to crap. HOwever, according to CNN author David Goldman we won’t.

Will I have to pay it back?

No. And here’s why.

Your stimulus payment is a one-time tax cut – an advance on a credit you’ll receive on your 2008 return. You will not owe tax on your payment when you file your 2008 tax return, and it will not increase the amount you owe or reduce your 2008 refund.

They go on with some weird reasoning that I can’t wrap my non-numbers brain around:

“If you were supposed to receive a larger payment than you did, you will get the extra money,” said Treasury spokesman Andrew DeSouza. “If you received more than what you should have gotten, you will not be penalized.”

So there you have it folks. ‘Free’ money. Of course expect to hear people grip about how much they got or how the government is spending too much and so on. I doubt this will really make any real difference on the economy, but I’m happy to have it.

Well, here is a new piece I created for my imaging class. I love dark art, and I think this piece is a nice .. happy .. dark piece of artwork. It really kind of strikes me … this is how I feel at times. Like dreams are something for children. Adults can only deal in reality.

Photoshop CS and a slew of textures and brushes. I’ll be turning this into a wallpaper later.

I’m a fan of Photoshop, and therefore I’m a great fan for tutorials! They’re an easy way to learn tricks that will help you transform your designs from ‘eh’ to ‘ah!’ in no time!

Smashing Magazine is probably a great place for me to find quality tutorials. Of course, you could always sift through Good Tutorials or Pixel2Life, but to be honest they’re more quantity than quality. You have a slew of tutorials – but well over half are rubbish.

So I’ll give you all a slew of tutorials .. and not a small slew .. but a SLEW SLEW!!

Read the rest of this entry »

I do a fair bit of reading. Nothing like some people would do – such as reading Biblical commentaries for recreation – but I do read a lot. I sift through articles on line, read ‘Daily Bread‘ (devotional from RBC Ministries) as well as random things from around the internet. I’ve also read some booklets that Bible Doctrines to Live By released, as well as some small booklets that people just GAVE us that I was allowed to take home.

The other day I read something from an author – who’s name escapes me. He mentioned his weakness when it comes to really doing the will of God. It’s an issue and idea that has plagued my mind and heart for years. Literally.

Am I really as serious about my walk with God as I claim to be?

I ask myself this question, and dig deep. If God really wanted me to go to … Zimbabwe … would I be willing to go? Would I be willing to be a paster? Would I be willing to be a traveling evangelist?

These are things I told myself I never wanted to do. However, do I have the right, as a Christian, to decide that I will or will not do XYZ? Am I willing to go anywhere and be anything God wants me to?

It really is amazing how you think you’re dedicated until you get down to it. I’ve been offered to be a pastor in the past, and didn’t want to do it. Was that a smart choice? Well, maybe. But was it a GODLY choice? That remains to be seen. The opportunity has passed.

After all God has done for me … what had I done for Him?

Getting a grip on God’s great and loving investment in us should motivate us to gladly consider making His sacrifice rich in dividends. How is that return on His investment measured? By living to bring glory to Him! Our eyes, hands, feet, thoughts, dreams, and desires have been purchased to reflect the wondrous glory of God’s will and wisdom. In other words, we are no longer our own.

Paul concluded (in I Corinthians 6:20), “Therefore glorify God in your body” (v.20). Living to reflect His glory is the return on investment that makes the Owner of our lives look good!  — Joe Stowell [LINK TO ARTICLE]