prayer for giving and receiving

Heavenly Father,
     You are the giver of all things.  You own a thousand cattle on a thousand hills.  The earth is yours, and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.  You hold the heart of the king in your hand.  Father, you are awesome and mighty in all your ways.  You are kind and compassionate.  You know what we have need of before we know it.  Lord help us to be as faithful and kind as you are.  Help us oh Lord to be able to give without thought of repaymnent, knowing that you will honor your word.  Remind us, oh Lord, that the financial blessings that we receive come from You.  You release them into our hands in many different ways, but they are, in the end, from you.  Help us to be joyful givers so that we may also receive with joy.  Help us so that we are not afraid to release blessing into the hands of those who are in such desperate need of a blessing.  Teach us, Lord not to give our garbage, but to give our best.  Help us so that we can give what we would lie to receive.  Remind us, oh Lord, that we should not be upset to receive garbage, if garbage is what we give.  Please remove the fear and doubt Lord, so that we may walk a closer walk with you. Help us to trust you with our finances.  Remind us that it is man who gives too little and takes too much,. Teach us the secrets of giving and blessing so that we may represent you well here on earth.  Teach us to give much and then prepare us to receive much.  May the people know that we are Christians by our generosity and by our love. In Jesus name.  Amen. 

Give, and it shall be given unto you...

The bible says, 'Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom".  The principal of giving works.  It works very well even in our day and time.  As all the public sector workers (I'm included in that number) face September with paycuts  compliments of our governor and NJ legislature, let us remember that there is a principal of giving that transcends what the world considers normal.  The principal of giving is simple.  It just says that if you give to God, He will return it to you multiplied.  We can either be afraid and panicked about our reductions in pay due to increases in pension and healthcare, or we can get involved in the principle of giving.  I began to notice that the principle works when I was much younger, and though I strayed away from it, I have returned to find that te principle is as solid now as it ever was.  For example, I used to wonder why we always had so many clothes in my family.  Yes, I do love to shop, well, I did at one time, but  that couldn't cover the amount of clothing that we seemed to have in our closets.  Then I remembered "the principle".  I have always made it a habit to give to others who were less fortunate than we are.  Even in times when we felt that what we had was little, I still gave.  I make sure to give from my own home and my own budget; clothing, furniture, toys, food, school supplies etc. to shelters and families who are struggling.  Soon other people would discover that I was giving, and they would give things to me to be distributed.   I'm sure if they check, they will find that same principle at work in their lives.  Anyway, the more I gave from my own home, the more our closets would become full to overflowing (not with the donated clothes. those belong to God).  I would always run into a sale with a two-fer, or I'd get a discount coupon for something I really wanted.  It would be from a place that I had never received anything before.  Sometimes my friends or family members would say, " I bought too many, or the wrong color, so just give these jeans, sweaters, etc. to your children.  The items would still have store tags on them.  After a while there were so many that I had to ask if they could be donated.  "Give, and it shall be given..." 
     The same thing would happen with food, and all the other things that I would first give from my own house and pocket.  I would, quite by accident, stumble into great deals, or be the receiver of gifts.  One year I helped a homeless family to live in a temporary dwelling and have food to eat every day.  I did it because it was necessary. I did it because God commands us to help the helpless.  I did it knowing that even though I was using my summer savings, my God was watching, and would cover me.  (As a teacher, I get no paycheck in the summer months so I have to work an extra job and save the money.)  I didn't know how I would pay the summer bills, but God knew.  He covered them.  I received checks from companies that said I had over paid, and they had just gone over their books.  I got a summer job at a place where it is almost impossible to get one.  My insurance co. gave me a big check for being a good customer with no accidents.   (No, I wasn't cancelled).  It's just the principle of giving.  My dogs had puppies, to my surprise, and people offered to pay for them.  Well, they are pure bred and registered with papers, so I know they are worth money, I just didn't know we were going to have the little additions this summer.  In any case.  God is awesome.  His word is faithful. 
     I tithe from anything that I receive.  I tithe to my church.  When my dog has puppies, sometimes I am able to pay the tithes on their sale in advance.  I just wait expectantly for God to be faithful.  I have never been disappointed.  He is one bank that has interest and never fails.  You may not get the return right away, but you always get it, and it's always right on time.  God is faithful.  The principle of giving works.  "Give, and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom."  Generosity pays.

There is a time for everything

Now is the time for all strong people to stand up beside their union.
We are in the situation that has befallen us because there were those among us who turned their backs against their union brothers and sisters.
We must stand together and vote together now.
I have been told by some of our legislators that the next thing we will lose is our seniority and our tenure.  The governor will continue to win whatever he presents to the legislator because he has divided the democrats and now has enough votes in the senate and the assembly to win each time.  several of our Essex County legislators have turned against us.  We can still count on Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, Senator Ronald Rice, and Assemblyman Caputo among a few.  Lets lend our support to those who stand for us.  In the next blog I will have the names of the Democrats who promised to stand with us and then fell to support the enemy as we lost our bargaining rights.  We now stand to lose thousands from our paychecks.  Many of us already have more than one job out of necessity.  Our ability to support ourselves comfortably has been compromised.  Each year we will have to find other ways to supplement our income. 
     - Now is the time for all good members to come to the aid of their union -

Internet sources for info

Some of the posts that you have read on teacher to teachernj are copied and pasted from online news sources.  Most are not my research, but that of the reporters and journalists on line.  That makes it easy for you to look up again if you should ever desire to do so.  A few of you have asked where to find the information.  I try to make sure the title and source are showing.  If not, just leave the commenton this blog, or send the question to laurensotrucoop@aol.com.  Stay informed!! I'm glad you are enjoying the info.

And our bargaining....and pension....???

4 41. (New section) a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any
5 other law to the contrary, public employees, as specified herein, of a
6 local board of education shall contribute, through the withholding
7 of the contribution from the pay, salary, or other compensation,
8 toward the cost of health care benefits coverage for the employee
9 and any dependent provided pursuant to P.L.1979, c.391
10 (C.18A:16-12 et seq.), unless the provisions of subsection b. of this
11 section apply, in an amount that shall be determined in accordance
12 with section 39 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the
13 Legislature as this bill), except that, employees employed on the
14 date on which the contribution commences, as specified in
15 subsection c. of this section, shall pay:
16 during the first year in which the contribution is effective, one17
fourth of the amount of contribution;
18 during the second year in which the contribution is effective,
19 one-half of the amount of contribution; and
20 during the third year in which the contribution is effective, three21
fourths of the amount of contribution,
22 as that amount is calculated in accordance with section 39 of
23 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
24 The amount payable by any employee under this subsection shall
25 not under any circumstance be less than the 1.5 percent of base
26 salary that is provided for in subsection b. of section 6 of P.L.1979,
27 c.391 (C.18A:16-17). An employee who pays the contribution
28 required under this subsection shall not also be required to pay the
29 contribution of 1.5 percent of base salary under subsection b. of
30 section 6 of P.L.1979, c.391 (C.18A:16-17).
31 This section shall apply to employees for whom the employer
32 has assumed a health care benefits payment obligation pursuant to
33 section 6 of P.L.1979, c.391 (C.18A:16-17), to require that such
34 employees pay at a minimum the amount of contribution specified
35 in this section for health care benefits coverage.
36 b. A board of education may enter into a contract or contracts
37 to provide health care benefits including prescription drug benefits
38 and other health care benefits, as may be required to implement a
39 duly executed collective negotiations agreement, and may provide
40 through such agreement for an amount of employee contribution as
41 a cost share or premium share that is other than the percentage
42 required under subsection a. of this section, if the total aggregate
43 savings during the term of the agreement from employee
44 contributions or plan design, or both, from that agreement as
45 applied to employees covered by that agreement, and to employees
46 not covered by that agreement but to whom the agreement has been
47 applied by the employer, if any, equals or exceeds the annual
48 savings that would have resulted had those employees made the
A

employees of a local school district....

A4133 GREENWALD, O'SCANLON
25
employees of a local school district, 1 regional school district,
2 county vocational school district, county special services school
3 district, jointure commission, educational services commission,
4 State-operated school district, charter school, county college, any
5 officer, board, or commission under the authority of the
6 Commissioner of Education or of the State Board of Education, and
7 any other public entity which is established pursuant to authority
8 provided by Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes; or
9 employees of a State public institution of higher education, other
10 than employees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
11 Jersey shall contribute 5.5% of compensation to the system, and all
12 such members described above enrolled in the system prior to July
13 1, 2007 shall contribute 5.5% of compensation to the system
14 effective with the payroll period for which the beginning date is
15 closest to July 1, 2007.
16 Members enrolled in the retirement system on or after July 1,
17 2008, other than those described in the paragraph above, shall
18 contribute 5.5% of compensation to the system. Members enrolled
19 in the system prior to July 1, 2008, other than those described in the
20 paragraph above, shall contribute 5.5% of compensation to the
21 system effective with the payroll period that begins immediately
22 after July 1, 2008.
23 (3) Members of the retirement system shall contribute 6.5% of
24 compensation to the system on and after the effective date of P.L. ,
25 c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), with an additional
26 contribution of 1% to be phased-in in equal increments over a
27 period of seven years commencing with the first year following that
28 effective date.
29 c. The retirement system shall certify to each State department
30 or subdivision thereof, and to each branch of the State service not
31 included in a State department, and to every other employer, the
32 proportion of each member's compensation to be deducted and to
33 facilitate the making of deductions the retirement system may
34 modify the deduction required by a member by such an amount as
35 shall not exceed 1/10 of 1% of the compensation upon the basis of
36 which the deduction is to be made.
37 If payment in full, representing the monthly or biweekly
38 transmittal and report of salary deductions, is not made within 15
39 days of the due date established by the retirement system, interest at
40 the rate of 6% per annum shall commence to run against the total
41 transmittal of salary deductions for the period on the first day after
42 such fifteenth day.
43 d. Every employee to whom this act applies shall be deemed to
44 consent and agree to any deduction from his compensation required
45 by this act and to all other provisions of this act. Notwithstanding
46 any other law, rule or regulation affecting the salary, pay,
47 compensation, other perquisites, or tenure of a person to whom this
48 act applies, or shall apply, and notwithstanding that the minimum
A4133

It's happening to judges, too...know one?

1 the payroll of each new member
2 initially enrolled on or after January 1, 1996, in the retirement
3 system, 3% of the salary for the judicial position held by the
4 member. There shall be deducted from the payroll of each member
5 of the system on and after the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending
6 before the Legislature as this bill) an additional 9% of the salary for
7 the judicial position held by the member phased-in in equal
8 increments over a period of seven years.
9 Every judge of the several courts to whom this amendatory and
10 supplementary act applies shall be deemed to consent and agree to
11 any deduction from his compensation required by this act and to all
12 other provisions of this act. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or
13 regulation affecting the salary, pay, compensation, other
14 perquisites, or tenure of person to whom this amendatory and
15 supplementary act applies, or shall apply, and notwithstanding that
16 the minimum salary, pay, or compensation or other perquisites
17 provided by law for him shall be reduced thereby, payment, less
18 such deductions, shall be a full and complete discharge and
19 acquittance of all claims and demands for service rendered by him
20 during the period covered by such payment

Your paycheck is shrinking - Sept. 1, 2011

8. N.J.S.18A:66-29 is amended to read as follows:
6 18A:66-29. Members enrolled in the retirement system on or
7 after July 1, 1994 shall contribute 5% of compensation to the
8 system. Members enrolled in the system prior to July 1, 1994 shall
9 contribute 5% of compensation to the system effective with the
10 payroll period for which the beginning date is closest to July 1,
11 1995, provided, however, that any member enrolled before July 1,
12 1994, whose full contribution rate under the system prior to the
13 revisions by this act was less than 6%, shall pay 4% of
14 compensation to the system effective with the payroll period for
15 which the beginning date is closest to July 1, 1995, and 5% of
16 compensation to the system effective with the payroll period for
17 which the beginning date is closest to July 1, 1996.
18 Members enrolled in the retirement system on or after July 1,
19 2007 shall contribute 5.5% of compensation to the system.
20 Members enrolled in the system prior to July 1, 2007 shall
21 contribute 5.5% of compensation to the system effective with the
22 payroll period for which the beginning date is closest to July 1,
23 2007.
24 Members of the retirement system shall contribute 6.5% of
25 compensation to the system on and after the effective date of P.L. ,
26 c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), with an additional
27 contribution of 1% to be phased-in in equal increments over a
28 period of seven years commencing with the first year following that
29 effective date.
30 (cf: P.L.2007, c.103, s.1)
31
32 9. Section 26 of P.L.1981, c.470 (C.43:6A-34.1) is amended to
33 read as follows:
34 26. a. The annuity savings fund shall be the fund to which shall
35 be credited aggregate contributions made by members or on their
36 behalf to provide for their allowances. The aggregate contributions
37 of a member withdrawn by him or paid to his estate or his
38 designated beneficiary in the event of death as provided by this
39 amendatory and supplementary act shall be paid from the annuity
40 savings fund. Upon the retirement of a member where the aggregate
41 contributions of the member are to be provided in the form of an
42 annuity, the aggregate contributions of the member shall be
43 transferred from the annuity savings fund to the retirement reserve
44 fund.
45 b. There shall be deducted from the payroll of each member of
46 the system 3% of the amount of any difference between the salary
47 on or after January 19, 1982 for any judicial position held by the
48 member and the salary for that position on January 18, 1982, except