Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, October 2, 2021

Mountain View News Saturday, October 2, 2021 12 Mountain View News Saturday, October 2, 2021 
OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

I DON'T BELIEVE IN KARMA 


Some people believe in kar


ma, but I don’t. Some peo


ple believe what you do will 
come back on you some way or the other.
I do believe that everything you do does 
have consequences. Sometimes those consequences 
are small and insignificant and 
sometimes rather large and unbearing. 

Recently, my truck was in the garage for 
about six weeks getting a new engine because 
the old engine had died. That was the longest 
time I’ve been separated from my truck in, I 
don’t know how many years. It was either get 
a new engine or a new truck. The engine was 
a lot cheaper. 

While my truck was in the shop, I used the 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage’s van. 
Believe me when I say it was a challenge to 
drive that little van. It was difficult for me 
to get in and out, and once I was in, it was 
hard for me to move about. I had no choice. 
Either borrow my wife’s van or walk. 

I don’t mind walking as long as it’s to the refrigerator 
and back to my easy chair. But to 
walk a couple of miles to the church office 
was not on my schedule of todoes. 

Our schedules are pretty much the opposite, 
so when she needed to use her van, I was 
comfortable with that, and when I needed to 
use her van, she was comfortable with that. 
Then, of course, there were those times we 
had to travel together. When that happened, 
I always allowed her to take the wheel. 

How in the world anybody ever was able 
to make a van so small is beyond my imagination. 
It isn’t what a “real man” delights 
in driving. I put up with it and managed to 
drive to my appointments, to my office, and 
so forth. But I wasn’t a happy driver in that 
regard. I couldn’t wait for my truck to get 
finished. 
Then the day came when my truck was finished 
and ready to pick up. Oh boy, was I 
excited? 

My wife drove me to the shop, and I was able 
to pick up my good old truck. Driving home 
was a very wonderful experience that I long 
shall cherish. I pray that this will never happen 
again. 

I did make one little blunder. I talked to 
someone about my experience driving my 
wife’s van, and not knowing she was within 
earshot, I described her van as a “Sissy Van.” 
I explained that that van was only for sissies.
I should realize by now that my wife, like 
every other wife, has ears that can hear 
everything. My wife can hear what I’m 
saying three days before I’m thinking it. How 
that happens, I have no idea, and believe me, 
I’m not going to try to find out.
“Did you just refer to my van,” my wife said 
to me rather sternly with both hands on her 
hips, “as a sissy van?” 

I never challenge what my wife hears, only 
explain by saying, “That’s not exactly what I 
meant.” 
“All right,” she said very seriously, “just remember 
that what you do always comes 
back on you.” 
I smiled and shrugged the comment off. I 
simply don’t believe in karma. 

Almost four weeks to the day, things began 
to happen. 

I was driving my truck and on a Friday I drove 
to church to do some work at the office. 
Everything seemed to be going fine. 

When done, I went to my truck to go home. 
I turned the key, and the engine did not start. 
Oh boy, I said to myself, what is wrong here. 
I did everything I could think of to get the 
truck started. It was at 4:15 in the afternoon, 
and the repair shop where I take my truck 
closes at 2 o’clock on Friday afternoons. So I 
was stuck until Monday. 

The hardest thing I had to do was call the 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and tell 
her I was stuck, the truck wouldn’t start, and 
could you come and pick me up? 

She came to pick me up and drove me home. 
She was relatively silent on the way home, 
but I knew exactly what she was thinking.
That Sunday, as I was setting up the sound 
system to record the Sunday service, I could 
not get it working. None of the microphones 
worked, and there wasn’t anything I could 
do to change it.
I had to get it fixed by Wednesday because 
that’s when I record our weekly radio program. 
So if I don’t get it fixed by then, I’m in 
trouble. 

That was Sunday. Then Monday came tiptoeing 
along, and somebody had hacked into 
my email, and I could not open up my email. 
I worked very hard to get it open and set a 
new password, but nothing worked. So finally, 
the email service locked me out for 24 
hours because I had done it too many times.
It took several days to unlock my account, so 
I could use my email. 

I still don’t believe in karma, but sometimes 
things come back on you because of some of 
your ac-tions. 

I read in the Scriptures that evening, “Be not 
deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever 
a man soweth, that shall he also reap” 
(Galatians 6:7). 

I need to learn how to be careful in what I 
sow because that is exactly what I will reap. 

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family 
of God Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34472, where 
he lives with his wife. Call him at 352-2163025 
or e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.com. 
The church web site is www.whatafellowship.
com. 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …October Birthdays* 

Janda Ferris, Darlene Traxler, Margit Johnson, Sole Krieg, George Maurer, Dick 
Anderson, Eva Poet, Mary Jane Baker, Dixie Coutant, Jill Franks, Cathleen Cremins, 
Adie Marshall, Darlene Crook, Susan Gallagher, Maggie Ellis, Gloria Giersbach, Elva 
Johnson, Ellen O’Leary, Jenny Piangenti, Gail Ann Skiles, Anita Thompson, Linda 
Boehm and Angela Stella

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. 
YEAR of birth not required 
SENIOR ACTIVITIES IN SIERRA MADRE 

THE HART PARK HOUSE SENIOR CENTER IS OPEN!!!! 

IN HOUSE LUNCH DINING SERVICE WILL NOT RESUME AT THIS TIME. 
ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER/CLASSROOM IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE. 

All Classes and programs will maintain a distance of 6 ft between participants. All equipment 
used will be sanitized after each use before it is stored. Each participant is responsible for providing 
their own water, masks and additionally needed supplies for each class. 

Please call the Community Services Department at 355-7394 with any questions or concerns. 


SENIOR CINEMA – 2ND AND 4TH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH 


FRANKENSTEIN (1931) – Wednesday, 10/13 at 2:00 pmIn James Whale's timeless adaptation of Mary Shelley's masterpiece 
novel, Boris Karloff stars as the screen's most tragic and memorable 
horror giant, when Dr. Frankenstein dares to tamper with life and 
death by piecing together salvaged body parts to create a human 
monster. 

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES – 

Wednesday, 10/27 at 2:00 pm


Can two young boys overcome the worst the devil himself can deal out? Wishes are 
granted, but twisted as only the esteemed Mr. Dark can make them. Based on the Ray Bradbury novel. 

CHAIR YOGA – Monday and Wednesday each week, 10-10:45 amPlease join us for some gentle stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxation with Paul. 
Classes are ongoing and held in the Memorial Park Covered Pavilion. 

TEA AND TALK, SENIOR BOOK CLUB 2nd and 4th Wednesday, 9:00 am

Staff has launched a new book club series, Tea and Talk, which meets twice a month to discuss the 
fun, suspense, intrigue, love and so much more that each selection will have in store! 

FIBER FRIENDS – Tuesday, 10/12 & 10/26 AT 10:00 AM

If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or cross stitch then 
we have a group for you! Bring your current project, sit and chat with like-minded fiber friends. We 
meet in the Hart Park House. 

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE – Friday, 10-10:45 amBring a lei, your flower skirt or just your desire to dance! Hula in the Park is back and waiting for you 
to join in on all the fun! Memorial Park Pavilion. 

TEA AT THREE WITH CHIEF BARTLETT AND THE SMFD Friday, October 8th, 3:00-5:00 pm

Stop by for some bingo, tea and conversations with Sierra Madre Fire Chief Bartlett and crew. Reserve 
your spot with Lawren. 

DOMINOES TRAIN GAME AT 11:00 AM ON 10/6

The object of the game is for a player to play all the tiles from their hand onto one or more trains, 
emanating from a central hub or “station”. Call Lawren with questions that you may have. 

BINGO -Tuesday, 10/12, 1:00 pm Hart Park House 

Hart Park House Senior Bingo is back by popular demand! Come on down to enjoy this time honored 
game with some old and new friends. We are trying a new spin on your BINGO fun so please 
bring your good luck charms and BINGO markers! 

SKELETON WREATH – Tuesday, 10/19, 10:00 amWhat would Halloween be without a skeleton or a wreath? I invite you to join me in combining the 
two for a whimsical and fun door greeting. Space is limited to six participants so please call Lawren 
to reserve your spot. 

METRO MICRO— TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION 

Micro is Metro’s new on-demand rideshare service, offering trips within several zones in LA County. 
The new service is for short local trips and uses small vehicles (seating up to 10 passengers). Micro 
is part of Metro’s family of services and has been designed hand-in-hand with Metro’s NextGen Bus 
Plan. The service is meant to be a fast, safe and convenient option for quick trips around town, Monday-
Sunday, 5:30 am-9:30 pm. At this time, a promotional fare of $1 will run six months from the 
date of service launch. The $1 will not include a transfer to Metro bus and rail. Customers can pay using 
their TAP Card/account (stored value only) or with a credit card (no cash). Metro staff will return 
to the Board at the end of the six-moth introductory period to consider potential fare adjustments. 

Service hours of operation are: Monday—Sunday between 5:30 am-9:30 pm. 
Download the Metro Micro App: visit: book.metro-micro.netor 
Call 323-GO-METRO (323) 446-3876 

HOW DOES SOCIAL SECURITY WORK WHEN A SPOUSE OR 

EX-SPOUSE DIES? 

Dear Savvy Senior:
Who qualifies for Social Security survivor benefits? 
My ex-husband died last year, so I would like 
to find out if me or my 17-year-old daughter are 
eligible for anything? Divorced Survivor 

Dear Divorced: 
If your ex-husband worked and paid Social 
Security taxes and you and/or your daughter 
meet the eligibility requirements, you may very 
well be eligible for survivor benefits, but you 
should act quickly because benefits are generally 
retroactive only up to six months. Here’s what 
you should know. 

Under Social Security law, when a person who 
has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, 
certain members of that person’s family may be 
eligible for survivor benefits including spouses, 
former spouses and dependents. Here’s a 
breakdown of who qualifies. 

Widow(er)’s and divorced widow(er)’s: Surviving 
spouses that were married at least nine 
months are eligible to collect a monthly survivor 
benefit as early as age 60 (50 if disabled). 
Divorced surviving spouses are also eligible at 
this same age, if you were married at least 10 
years and did not remarry before age 60 (50 if 
disabled), unless the marriage ends. 

How much you’ll receive will depend on how 
much money (earnings that were subject to 
Social Security taxes) your spouse or ex-spouse 
made over their lifetime, and the age in which 
you apply for survivor benefits. 

If you wait until your full retirement age (which 
is 66 for people born in 1945-1954 and will 
gradually increase to age 67 for people born in 
1960 or later), you’ll receive 100 of your deceased 
spouses or ex-spouses benefit amount. But 
if you apply between age 60 and your full retirement 
age, your benefit will be somewhere 
between 71.5 – 99 percent of their benefit. 

There is, however, one exception. Surviving 
spouses and ex-spouses that are caring for a 
child (or children) of the deceased worker, and 
they are under age 16 or disabled, are eligible 
to receive 75 percent of the worker’s benefit 
amount at any age. 

Unmarried children: Surviving unmarried 
children under age 18, or up to age 19 if they’re 
still attending high school, are eligible for survivor 
benefits too. Benefits can also be paid to 
children at any age if they were disabled before 


age 22 and remain disabled. Both biological and 
adoptive children are eligible, as well as kids 
born out of wedlock. Dependent stepchildren 
and grandchildren may also qualify. Children’s 
benefits are 75 percent of the worker’s benefit. 

You should also know that in addition to survivor 
benefits, a surviving spouse or child may 
also be eligible to receive a special lump-sum 
death payment of $255. 

Dependent parents: Benefits can also be paid 
to dependent parents who are age 62 and older. 
For parents to qualify as dependents, the deceased 
worker would have had to provide at least 
one-half of the parent’s financial support. 

But be aware that Social Security has limits on 
how much a family can receive in monthly survivors’ 
benefits – usually 150 to 180 percent of 
the worker’s benefit. 

Switching Strategies 

Social Security also provides surviving spouses 
and ex-spouses some nice strategies that 
can help boost your benefits. For example, if 
you’ve worked you could take a reduced survivor 
benefit at age 60 and switch to your own 
retirement benefit based on your earnings history 
– between 62 and 70 – if it offers a higher 
payment. 

Or, if you’re already receiving retirement benefits 
on your work record, you could switch to 
survivors benefits if it offers a higher payment. 
You cannot, however, receive both benefits. 

You also need to know that if you collect a survivor 
benefit while working, and are under full 
retirement age, your benefits may be reduced 
depending on your earnings – see SSA.gov/
pubs/EN-05-10069.pdf. 

For more information on survivor benefits, visit 
SSA.gov/benefits/survivors. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, 

P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit 
SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to 
the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy 
Senior” book. 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com