How Much to Give

Hello, At church today, we had a talk about giving. I decided to learn how much we make per month so we could have some idea about the percentage we are giving. It was easier to figure this amount after taxes have been taken out as that goes in our checking account. Now I am wondering should one figure all this pre or post tax extraction? Ultimately it does not really matter unless you want to brag about the percentage you give. We also give money to several organizations so does that count in a tithe? Does that matter? The church organization is hoping for a raise in giving. But we are not planning to do that since we kept it the same this year because I was not earning from work. Next year, Leroy is planning to retire in May so he also will not earn as much money to contribute to the total. It seems hard to think about raising the amount with those circumstances. Where does calculation end and generosity start? With a lot of thought, giving can be a complicated affair. At least Leroy and I mostly agree about how much to give and to what organization. Nice to have some unity. We also think it is important to donate time. One of the joys of life is that we have enough money to live comfortably and take part in some luxuries. Besides having money to share with causes we believe in. Paula