Day 37: Down With Taxes!

Down with taxes! That was our motto today as we set out for a day of shopping for school supplies, shoes and a spiffy new computer for me. Three of the states in our area have a back to school "tax free holiday" for back to school items. Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee all have their own version of this, but all basically the same - whatever you're going to need for back to school, you will not pay sales tax on. I think that is very kind of them and would like it very much if my home state of Kentucky would join in too.


I've decided to add a few extra pictures through here and tell about our day. The first here is not of Allan, take a look over his right shoulder. The man in the background looked just like a grown up version of Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. We had lunch at the always yummy Golden Corral in Clarksville. I should add that they are getting a little bit expensive for their buffets, so we may not partake of their delicacies much longer when visiting other places.

The next picture here is of a car that was parked in front of us when we were leaving Target. Doesn't it look like it is smiling at you? Kind of weird and creepy at the same time. Made me think of a horror movie I watched back in the 80s. But it is nice to have a vehicle smile at you from time to time.

Next is the "almost gotcha" $.98 price drop. We were shoe shopping and Forrest and Allan had a laugh that they would mark a pair of shoes down less than a dollar and then draw attention to it with a bright little sign. Granted, I will not throw away a dollar, but it's not going to be a deciding factor in purchasing a pair of shoes either. Nice Try Shoe Rack (or whatever the name of the store was).

Then it was a quick stop in Old Navy. Not one of my favorite stores, but Chandra seems to like to go in and look around. I did find a 2010 4th of July shirt marked down to $2.00, which will make a good work shirt. This one will join the ranks of the others that I have from 2008, 2009 and the St. Patrick's Day shirt from 2007 I wear to work too. The line was semi-long, but the wait did not last any time at all. They had it down to a science with one worker directing traffic to the available cashiers. The cashiers were pumping out the customers faster than you can say "Hey tax man, give me a break."

The final picture is the one at the top of the story. It is of a very beautiful sunset that the Lord allowed us to cap the day off with. The colors burst through the sky and I had to say "nanner, nanner, nanner" to all of the eye doctors and mothers that have ever said "Do not look directly at the sun or you'll go blind". I looked at the falling sun the whole drive back, until it came to rest behind the tree line.

What a wonderful day God gave us. We praised Him through the whole day for His provisions and for allowing us to be fortunate enough to be able to purchase the things we did. That's what it's all about while here on Earth, acknowledging God for all He does for us, all He has ever done for us and all He will ever do. Just as 1 Cor. 10:31 says that in everything give glory to God, we get selfish sometimes and like to pat ourselves on the back. But it is days like today, and an amazing God like we have that brings the meaning of life to a perspective I would like to always maintain. I am not perfect in my praise to God, but I praise Him that He has shown me I lack, for it is another reason to seek Him and His righteousness.