On November 13, 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes”.
I’ll return to that thought below after my Van Life updates.
I’ve made it to Los Alamos, and other than a brief hospitalization for minor pneumonia my friends here are healthy, and happy for some simple company – me. Their property sits on the edge of a pine canyon with copious wildlife staging regular visits. My friends have taken to setting up trail cams and have captured a wide array of highly entertaining fauna frolicking. The backyard apple tree is a central attraction for deer, elk, climbing black bear and cubs, fox, racoon, skunk and other critters less interested in apples like mountain lion, bobcat, weasel, ringtail, and coyote. It’s a zoo! It’s innocent nature up close and makes me think of Eden, honestly.
It was a cool temperate and scenic drive getting here, just as I had planned. I followed back roads along the Utah/Arizona border to Monument Valley, Four Corners, then southeast into the north end of the Santa Fe Mountains and around the eastern rim of Valles Caldera to Los Alamos. More than a few memories emerged once in town. I worked here on and off for years with LANL and NTS contractors. Many friends (most gone) but the memories remain. Looking forward to walking around town as it warms up.
While here, I’ll clean up the rig, add a few small items, and there’s something up with the water pump – something to tinker with, tinkering being a normal part of van life.
But now it’s Tax Day as I make this post, and I certainly paid my share – with much hesitation given all the fraud that’s been recently uncovered. I pray for more loopholes and a return to the gold standard. I’d choose tariffs over taxes any day.
And my thoughts wander again to a future, where righteousness dwells … there will be no national taxes in the Kingdom to come. We there, will freely bring gifts to a trustworthy Ruler. Imagine lauding a modern leader with gifts from sincere gratitude and praise, not gonna happen in the present timeline. Some things are only for the next life.
But, to get there, death or rapture are necessary and as Ben put it “certain”. The Kingdom-come is not accepting this old flesh and blood with its inherited failures but rather a resurrected frame so full of life and logic and love – literally. I can’t (but I will) wait for His soon call home and a new day.
You can read all about that fresh start waiting for believers in Christ by at least reading the first book in my Draw Me Away! series – Hear The Song.