hair

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The CRA Has Me Tearing Out My Hair

I realize this is a little late in terms of writing about the CRA and taxes, but recently I was helping someone secure some tax forms. 

The CRA has me tearing out my hair

When dealing with CRA (Canada Revenue Agency), it’s much like dealing with someone who is a brand new employee in a department store. 

When you ask a seasoned employee at, say, Canadian Tire, “Where would I find 4 stroke engine oil for my lawnmower?”, he or she will be able to tell you. “Oh that’s in Automotive, aisle 34, about half way down on the right side.”

That’s helpful. That’s information that will get me right to the product I’m looking for. 

When asking the same question to a brand new employee, you might get, “Oh, that’s over in Hardware, by the lawnmowers.”

The new employee can only give you a general area and, even then, he or she sends you to the wrong part of the store. 

That’s like CRA. 

You can phone in, ask a question and get a different answer every time. And every time the answer will prove to be unhelpful.

Even their websites are not helpful. I tried two or three different websites to get the documents I needed and each URL had the same incomplete documents.

What I was trying to do is get a paper copy of the income tax package. Remember those things? You got a booklet that contained all the instructions. Included were two copies of the actual return form in case you made a mistake on one of them. 

And, of course, you got an envelope in which to mail your return.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen them, hasn’t it? The reason it’s been a long time is because no place has them anymore. You used to be able to pick them up at the post office. Well, now you can’t even get them from Service Canada. 

What you can do is order a tax package from a CRA website. It takes about ten days to arrive. … I think when they receive an order they must send an office boy out to a print shop to have one printed. 

The CRA website had a link to where you could “download and print” the complete tax package … which made sense to me. I mean, why not make it downloadable for people to print off at home, on the spot, rather than ordering it online and having to wait 10 days for it to arrive by mail. 

But when you click the link to the downloadable tax package, the first thing they tell you is you can fill it out online. If I wanted to fill the form out online I wouldn’t be looking for the downloadable print version!! 

With the link, you can only print the 8 page tax form. If you want schedules and guides, each one has to be downloaded individually.

I wasted hours searching and in the end my friend will have to wait another 10 days before she can get her hands on a paper copy of the tax forms. 

Here’s the thing: Would it be great to have one place where you can find the help you need for what you are facing in life? Well, we do have a single source to go to and it’s God. You can reach Him by prayer and by His Word, the Bible. God does have the help we need for what we are facing.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What is it that you need help with right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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The Debate About My Face Is Heating Up

We have a bit of a debate going on in our family that is centred on the condition of my face.

the debate about my face is heating up

Something small should not be the centre of attention but in reality the small things often are. When you have a hang nail, it’s such a small thing but it really does take a lot of your attention. A sore baby toe can cause you to limp like you have a broken leg. 

Of course your face is front and centre. It’s the feature that most people see right away. Your face naturally draws attention to it. 

And I guess that is why we have this debate going on. 

But still, I don’t tell Lily how to apply makeup or what kind of makeup she should put on. She determines what kind of hairstyle she will wear and, for that matter, when and where she will get her hair styled.

That’s why I’m surprised that my face is up for debate right now. After all, I’m just growing a little hair on it. 

About a week ago, I was sick and while I was sick I didn’t shave for a few days. Normally I don’t go more than two days in a row without shaving. But the way things worked out, I didn’t shave for three days. 

When I looked in the mirror that fourth day, I took a good long look and thought maybe I should grow this a little longer. I had a couple more days when I wouldn’t be facing anyone so I thought there was no harm in seeing how things would go.

It’s been a very long time since I’ve had facial hair. 

Out of college I had a moustache that I didn’t shave off for 30 years. In 1998 I add a goatee and kept that for 16 years. My kids were in their twenties and had never seen me without facial hair. 

Then, about 8 years ago, I shaved it all off. Other than a long adjustment period of wondering who the guy in the mirror was every morning, I haven’t thought about having facial hair since. 

… Well, that was until this past week. 

Now I’m interested in how it is coming in. My hair colour is more of a sandy blonde so it’s coming in very light. Some people say it’s coming in white or silver, but we will just call it “blonde”. 

The problem is my wife, Lily, is dead set against it. She wants it gone. I want to see how it’s going to turn out. 

She says she might go on strike. I’m not sure if that means I won’t be getting any meals or if I won’t be getting any kisses. … Maybe she means both. 

All I know is that my facial hair seems to be coming in really nice and I’m liking what I see. 

Besides it’s about -20 degrees outside and I could use a little face covering. 

Here’s the thing: We often think that we are independent and can determine what we do and how we live. But in reality, our lives are really dependent. Others do have a say and ultimately God determines our eternity. It makes sense to have a right relationship with someone our life depends on. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What in your life is dependent on someone else? Leave your comments and questions below. 

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Haircut – Who needs a Haircut Right Now?

The time is getting close to when I can finally get a haircut, but should I do it?

haircut - Who needs a haircut right now?

I haven’t had a haircut since the last week in March. I haven’t gone this long without cutting my hair since 1975, when three months with no haircut was normal and maybe not long enough.

But that was then.

Things are much different now than back at the end of high school. Styles changed and I got older. My hair got shorter … though I still had a bit of a mullet when I got married in 1985. 

My hair has also gone through some changes over the years. I now have a balding spot at the back of my head and my hair is getting thinner. 

The texture of my hair has also changed. It used to be thicker and more wiry. I could not get a regular comb through my hair. When I did comb it, my hair stayed in place. Even if the wind was strong and blew it a little, one stroke with my hands and it all went back into place. 

Now my hair is more straight and limp. I basically need a mirror if it hits the wind. My hair will be all over the place. 

When I used to wash my hair, it was never a big deal. Now every time I wash it, I feel like “I can’t do anything with my hair”. … That was a line from a commercial back in the sixties and seventies. Now I finally understand what they were talking about. 

I played golf with my son last week and when I put my head down to putt, my hair fell down all over my face.

Based on the fact that my hair is getting longer, it’s a no brainer to get it cut, right?

Right! 

Well, that’s what I thought. But I have people telling me they like my flow. It’s driving me crazy, but they like it. It’s not just random people saying this to me, it’s people who are close to me – people whose opinions matter to me: my wife, my kids, my friends. 

So I’m having second thoughts about getting my hair cut as soon as my hair guy has a space free in his chair. 

But when I go out in the wind, I’m reminded how much I really do need a haircut. 

In a couple of days I will be able to say goodbye to being creative with how I take care of my hair. It won’t have to be something that is on my mind throughout the day. 

But will I? When I long for something, sometimes when it comes about I’m not as eager to jump at it. Sometimes I will see how much longer I can go without it. 

I just may do that with my hair. We will have to see what happens.

Here’s the thing: Some people think they have lots of time to decide to follow Jesus. Right now you may like your life and not want to submit to Christ just yet. But when will that time be? And when that time does come, will you think about waiting a little longer to make that change? Perhaps even wait too long? Now is the time to choose Christ as your Saviour. You will have lots of life to enjoy with Him in the lead. 

That’s Life! 

Paul

Question: What are you delaying that you know you should move on right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Don’t Take All Comments At Face Value

You really need to process comments that are made to you and not just take them at face value.

carnival mirror

Sometimes people can make comments that are well-intentioned, but they kind of sting when you hear them. People’s comments can also seem out in left field, but actually have some substance to them.

I just got back from vacation and my second day back in the office someone came in and, as soon as they saw me, said, “Hey, looks like you gained some weight.”

I immediately thought they had read my blog the day before where I wrote about eating too much candy and not exercising enough on my vacation (you can read that one here).

But when I referred to my blog, he had a blank look on his face. I quickly realized the comment was just something he was observing about me.

That stung! – I really did look like I had gained some weight. I had to process the fact that it wasn’t only me who noticed the few extra pounds; everyone else could see it too.

That off-the-cuff comment got me thinking about making plans to take those extra pounds off over the next few weeks. It gave me a little motivation.

The next day, someone else saw me for the first time since I’ve been back, took a very quick look at me and said, “Hey, are you growing your hair a little longer?”

Now this was a wild comment because I had literally just walked in the door after getting my hair cut.

My first thought was that this person was not very observant, but later I reflected on why he might have thought my hair was longer.

Lately I’ve been combing my hair slightly differently and I figured that’s what he noticed. He noticed something was different; he just didn’t know what it was so he assumed it was longer.

Two days after my vacation, people’s perceptions of me have changed: now I’m fat and I’ve got long hair.

They didn’t say that, but some people might think that if those comments had been said to them.

That’s why you need to process the comments you receive from others. You also need to understand the person making the comment.

I know that the person who made the comment about my weight would himself like to put on a little weight. His comment probably was the result of looking at the contrast between what he’s trying to do and what I had accomplished.

I was the fulfillment of his goal … I only wish that could be true.

Sometimes we get all bent out of shape because of what someone says to us. We hold onto it and stew over it and build it up into a huge judgement on us.

It’s better to take the comment and process it so you don’t find yourself in front of one of those carnival mirrors that make you look short and wide … or fat and with long hair!

Here’s the thing: Our own words to ourselves can hinder us. We need to process what we say and think about ourselves. The best resource for that processing is the Bible, because in there you will find what God really thinks of you: He loves you and has a plan for you … and that’s all that matters.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What recent comment do you need to process rather than just believe at face value? Leave your comments below.

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Bald People Don’t Have Issues With Hats

I wouldn’t say this often, but there are times it’s better to be bald … like when you need to cover your head with a hat.

bald head

It sounds kind of strange, but I’m having a bad hair day today and the only thing that is going to help it right now is a hat.

I know that some people struggle with their hair every day but I don’t usually have issues with mine. I have the kind of hair that pretty much stays where I put it in the morning. And for most of the time, that’s a good thing.

In the last ten years, I’ve noticed my hair has thinned out a bit, but it still performs the way I want it to … most of the time.

The good thing about hair like mine is that I don’t have to comb it throughout the day to keep it in place. My hair knows where it’s to go and it remains there all day.

When I was a youth pastor, the students in my group found this curious at times. They would come and mess up my hair just to test it. All I would do is give my hair a few quick flicks of my fingers and it was back in place.

If I went out into a wind storm, same thing. I would just run my fingers through my hair and I was good to go.

The downside with this type of hair is its strength: my hair stays put.

When I put on a hat, my hair forms to the hat and when I take it off, it stays that way.

After a night of sleep, often my hair needs a little coaxing to get into place. But if I’m just going out to play hockey, I will slip on a ball cap and go.

After hockey and a shower, I usually don’t put my hat back on. But today I did. My hair was a little damp; I threw on the hat and went home. At home I didn’t need the hat so I took it off.

That’s when the comments started arriving fast and furiously.

“Dad, your hair is wild today,” my daughter said with a laugh. She was home for a quick visit and after her vicious comments, I was glad it was a quick visit.

Lily chimed in and said, “She’s right, dear. Your hair is something else today!” and chuckled.

I had hat hair and I really didn’t care about it that much. I just wished my family was a little more supportive.

Later in the day, I was stepping out to pick up some wings for dinner. My son was home at the time, and as I went to the door he simply said, “Uh, Dad, you better wear a hat”, with a smirk on his face.

Lily just laughed. I slapped the cap on and headed out the door.

I just wonder how it would have gone if I had have made those comments to Lily about her hair.

Here’s the thing: Our minds and hearts perform much like my hair does. My hair forms to where I put it or what I put on it. Your mind and heart form to what you put in it. So if you want a mind and a heart that is forming to God, feed your mind the things of God: read his Word and spend time with Him in prayer.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What kinds of things do you put in your mind to form it? Leave your comments below.

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Anybody Else Have Hair Issues?

This morning I looked in the mirror and realized I can’t keep up with the hair on my body. If you’re under 40 and reading this, right now you’re thinking, “That’s gross!” – maybe you even said it out loud. If you’re over 40, you probably just thought to yourself, “Ya, so what?”

freddie_jones_thufir

At the time I made this discovery, I was using my handy, battery-powered shaver for hair that grows on one’s ears (yes, they make something for that). And, as much as my son chuckles at all the hair I have on my body, there was a time when it wasn’t like that.

In my teens, I focussed growing hair on my head – and I did a pretty good job of it. I’d show you a picture, but for some reason I don’t have any pictures of myself when I was a teen. It’s too bad because I had some pretty good outfits back then to go with my hair!

My hair grew long and thick and people who cut my hair would say, “You’ll never go bald” … but I’m not so sure of that now.

You see, I’m still growing hair – and it grows long – but it’s not focussed on my head any more.  That part is thinning out. But I can grow some great patches of hair on my ears and back. I’m thinking of buying a mini lawnmower just to keep the hair on my back neatly trimmed.

Then there is the nose hair. I know that if I just left that to itself, I’d have a jungle in there. Even my eyebrows – I can grow some funky, long curly hairs there too.

What happened to me? One day you’re smirking at the gorilla guy on the beach, and the next day you ARE the gorilla guy on the beach!

I realize that people who read this and see me on a regular basis will start checking me out a little more closely. I’ll just warn you now, you’ll see some wild hair, because I’ve lost control of it.

One of the differences between men and women is that women have been plucking and pruning all their lives. But for guys to start doing that in their 40’s or 50’s, it’s too late to put that into our regular grooming routine. It just gets away on us sometimes.

You know when you see your lawn and think, “I should really cut the grass today”, but you’re so tired, you don’t?  And then it rains for the next three days and you have meetings in the evening for the next two after that.

By the time you cut your grass, it’s twice as long as it was when you originally noticed that it needed cutting.

That same scenario applies to trimming the hair on your body.

This morning I threw my hands up in defeat, and said, “I give up”.  I couldn’t even get myself to shave my face. Fortunately, it’s Saturday. I have work to do around the house, so no one’s going to see me anyway.

I’ll worry about getting all my hairs cut tomorrow . . .  I hope it doesn’t rain.

Here’s the thing: You can’t control how your hair grows as you get older, but you can control how your relationship with God grows. The tendency can be to coast and not take care of it. But don’t settle for that. Keep growing as you get older. Your relationship with the Lord doesn’t have to get old as you age. It can be fresh, exciting and new if you will tend to it.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What ways do you fight getting older? Leave your comment below.