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Quest for the Golden Mean

The quest of gold has inspired many a man to expend his entire life looking and searching. Cliff has had the insatiable quest to find gold too, and has found a vein of gold that has inspired him to a very creative life. The Golden mean was brought to his attention by an article in The Signs of the Times that his wife gave him. "That is the most precious gift that she has ever given to me!" remarks Cliff. But it wasn't until he loaned the Signs of the Times to his neighbor did he realize just how much it meant to him.

When he asked his neighbor if he was finished reading the article, there were a string of evasive answers, and when Cliff moved away, he began to miss that gift from his wife more and more.

He mentioned that to his Planned giving Consultant, Ted Calkins, and then a miracle transformed before the both of them that same day! The very next visit Calkins made was to a home in which the man of the house had returned from the Angwin Community Services Center. Calkins asked if they had any copies of the Signs of the Times bound volumes and was told that he didn't think so. But his wife said, "I remember that Elder Mazat used to send us bound volumes of the Signs after he visited overnight in our home. '"Let me see if I still have them on the bottom shelf." She arrived with three volumes in her hand. Calkins picked up the first volume, and it was the right year. He then took the time and looked through the entire year of the Signs but didn't find anything about the Golden Mean that Cliff had mentioned.

Cliff shows two coaches he crafted from plans from Fisher Body Company in his workshop

After the visit, Calkins made his was up to the Pacific Union College Library and with the use of the index tried to find the article about the Golden Mean, but with no success. However, research librarian Gary Shearer had located some information about the Golden Mean on the internet and said, "Ted, I see that there is such a thing as the Golden Mean." Then Calkins went again page by page through the entire year, and after seeing a picture of God's Handiwork, read that article, and there it was hidden, like precious GOLD, the Golden Mean. He then made a copy of the article at the Library.

Now Cliff was very happy, because the Calkins had assisted Cliff in his move from his home in Lucerne to the Napa Valley in an Independent Living Facility. Cliff had donated funds to set up a Charitable Gift Annuity with the majority of the proceeds from the sale of his home, and the amount he needed each month for his room and board were covered by the payment from his annuity. Cliff was delighted that he still had his entire income that he was used to live on available to him. In fact cliff's health is much better-he no longer needs his oxygen at night and gets along so much better. When he first visited his "new home" he had to view it from a wheel chair. Now Cliff is able to get around without cane, walker or wheel chair, and his mental outlook has vastly changed for the better.

Then the fun began as Calkins came to visit Cliff. "Is this the article your wife gave to you?" as he was handed a copy of the article on the Golden Mean? Cliff with bright eyes looked it over and said, "That is exactly the article. I am so happy with this I could give you a crisp $100 bill for this!" Calkins refused the offer, but countered with, "Now Cliff, what about this, and handed him the book with the entire year's articles that contained the original magazine in full color illustrations." Cliff was overjoyed! With tears in his eyes he said, "I don't know how to thank you. You have made me so happy!" Calkins replied, I believe that the Lord guided in the affairs of today, and kept that volume for just the right time to give you encouragement and strength as you share with others what the Lord has done for you."

I am so happy with the plan that NCCA has worked out for me with my Charitable Gift Annuity providing for my stay here. I would recommend this to anyone selling their home and going into independent living. I still have my regular income to live on, and the annuity pays my rent, and I even had some left to put into savings too. Truly this is the Golden Means for my Golden Years!"

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