An open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Dear Mr Osborne,

Although I make no claim to be an economist, I think that I have now grasped the main points of your latest Budget, as they pertain to me - a teetotal pensioner with a very modest occupational pension, who does not play Bingo.

 

I am delighted to know that I am now able to deposit £15,000 in my ISA.  Unfortunately, the £50+ that it currently holds is about as much as it is going to have for the foreseeable future.   With that £50, I am probably still better off than many of my fellow senior citizens!  Even if I did have the level of savings that you appear to consider to be quite normal, the interest rate on the ISA that I do have is so low as to make it little better than placing my £15k in a sock, and hiding it under the mattress!

 

You have also ensured that I have greater freedom with regard to my 'pension pot'.  Regretfully, along with many others, my bed is already well made, and I must sleep thereon.

It was interesting to see that you have raised the personal tax allowance.  However, as far as I can see, you have not raised it for those of us who are receiving a state pension.  I am still awaiting the documentation from my occupational pension provider, but I suspect that the very small increase in my state pension will be, effectively, swallowed up by the fact that I will have to pay more tax on my occupational one.

 

All in all, I regret to have to say that I was not, at a personal level, the least bit impressed by your Budget.  Perhaps I missed something - and, if so, I trust that someone will enlighten me - but my personal verdict is a great 'thumbs down'.  This is one 'grey vote' that you will not have!

 

Kind regards.

 

[Now all that I need is for someone to direct Mr Osborne to my blog!!!!]

Commitment (2)

Back to the gym, today, after almost three weeks without a proper workout!  Enjoyed the shower afterwards!!

While in the changing room, getting dressed, I was speaking with one of my officers whom I have got to know particularly well.  He informed me that, having cycled to work yesterday (a distance of almost 10 miles) he had gone on, after his shift, to play in the Divisional Football Championship Final.  He then realised that his bicycle was still at the Police Station so, getting home some other way (that he didn't mention, or that I have forgotten!), he walked in this morning, and was about to cycle home for his tea, before going out to play football (soccer) again!

I was impressed.  His actions displayed a level of commitment to fitness that I found to be highly commendable.  And it made me think!  If I, and many others who dare to call ourselves disciples of Jesus, were to show the same level of commitment to our Saviour as my officer friend does to his fitness, cycling, and football, what a difference it would make in the world!

The early disciples of Jesus gained the reputation of being "... men who have turned the world upside down ..." (Acts 17:6).  They took seriously the last words of Jesus before He ascended to the Father: "...  you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8).

As I receive information from many different parts of the world, I am aware that there are places where the same level of commitment is shown today - and where, as a direct result, the church of Jesus is growing, often in circumstances that are more difficult that most of those who might read this post could even begin to imagine.  The number of Muslims in North Africa and the Middle East, who are coming to realise that the prophet Isa (Jesus) is, indeed, God incarnate, and who are turning to Him for salvation, is growing at an exponential rate.  Many are able to meet, only in secret; some are so isolated that they have no-one but God the Holy Spirit to teach and encourage them.

Of course, that is no bad thing!  Paul, writing to the Galatian Churches, tells them that after his conversion, "... I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia;" (Gal.1:16-17) where, he clearly implies, he was taught by God the Holy Spirit.

Now I know that it isn't easy to share with workmates, or neighbours, or (especially!!) family members, what God has done for us, in Christ.  But let us never forget that, before telling those first disciples - and, by extension, His disciples in every age - that they would be witnesses, Jesus also said "... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;" Acts 1:8).  That power (Greek: dunamis > dynamite!) is available to all who ask for it - even today!