While taking care of a email setting problem for an instructional assistant in a 3rd grade classroom today, I overheard an interesting discussion.  The class, seated on the floor in a circle, was discussing a book about a caveman who had a dinosaur as a pet. The teacher, emphasizing the fictional nature of the story, asked, "Did caveman really have dinosaurs as pets?" A resounding "No!" arose from the class.  "Were dinosaurs around when cavemen were on the earth?" Another strong chorus of "No's".

I bit my tongue and shook my head a little, heart saddened some. I am probably imaging it, but perhaps there was a little disappointment hiding underneath that 2nd third grade "No". What if they were able to hear or read about true dinosaur stories?  "True stories", you may ask?  Yes, true stories like God creating the land-based dinosaurs on the fifth day, the same day as man, stories of Adam giving different dinosaurs their names, stories of Noah finding room in his huge ark for them, stories of Job's knowledge of dinosaurs, and speculative stories of a new Earth were dinosaurs may once again roam the earth along side of grown-up third graders.

Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like an ox.
Behold now, his strength in his loins and his power in the muscles of his belly.
He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are like bars of iron.
He is the first of the ways of God; Let his maker bring near his sword.
Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the beasts of the field play there.
Under the lotus plants he lies down, In the covert of the reeds and the marsh.
The lotus plants cover him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him.
If a river rages, he is not alarmed; He is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth.
Can anyone capture him when he is on watch, With barbs can anyone pierce his nose
-Job 40:15-24

I just finished the filing my Federal and State taxes, as well as paying my first installment of our property taxes. In Sunday School, we just finished studying about how the slaves in Egypt paid 20% of their produce as a tax to Pharaoh through Joseph. The slaves had a good deal. We pay a total of about 27% in taxes -- and I'm sure I missed some. I am not complaining... much. We live in a great country. It's just that people sometimes forget that if the government does something, we have to pay for it.

• 10% Effective Federal Income Tax (after deductions and such)
  
• 3% State Income Tax
• 9% State & County Sales Tax (don't forget utility, gasoline, and phone taxes)
• 5% Property Tax  (property tax compared to our annual income)