All About the Benjamin’s???

    I’m sitting here looking at last week’s pay stub, primarily the deductions.  All and all about 25% of my pay was taken before I even had a chance to see it. It seems everyone had their hand in it taking their fair share. The federal government, the state, the county, union dues (extortion… pay or don’t work).  They all made sure they got paid first.  It would be nice to point at something of value and say I helped pay for that with the 25 % of my pay that’s being taken out each week but I just don’t see it.  Then later on when I stop off at the gas station they’ll have their hands out again, when I go to the store to pick-up the odd and ends of everyday life once more someone’s going to have their hand out.  What percent of the week’s paycheck is gone now?  Then the property taxes and motor vehicle taxes, it just keeps adding up.  I’ll be honest with you, as far as I can tell someone’s just tossing the cash into a fireplace somewhere.  What do they care, they didn’t work for it and they’ll just take more next week.  Remember the GSA Party Folks? Guess I could point at that and say I helped pay for that... I'm just not real happy about it.

    On the other hand, I try to give at least 10% to my church.  I see the value; I see the improvements every week.  Sometimes I’m not able to give as much cash as I’d like but I found out it’s not all about the “Benjamin’s”.  I’m able to make an impact with skills I have.  A few months back I was told by my wife the Sunday school class was looking into getting a dry wipe board but they were kind of expensive. She asked if I could do anything.  I told her I could get something together but it would take a bit of time, thinking to myself “This is one of the things I do best, Scrounge!”

    I had picked up a stack of oak boards that had been tossed out for being warped, chipped or split. I cut the bad sections out then glued them together for the sizes I needed.  I got lucky on the dry wipe board.  I found one that was larger than I needed, it had been dropped and the corner was broken off. I told the guy what I needed it for so he gave it to me. After cutting it down to size it looked good as new.  I had plenty of hardware screws handles and such but one thing was missing, hinges.  I got those at Home Depot for $15 (ya can’t scrounge everything).  It took me a little while to get it all put together, not that I didn’t have the time but woodworking is kind of an art thing to me I have to be in the right frame of mind or I’ll rush and mess it up.  A couple of weeks ago I delivered the new dry wipe board to the church, they seemed to be happy with it.  Not bad for $15 out of pocket…

    Yes the Fed and State may be taking their deductions out of my paycheck.  The union may be grabbing a bit of cash (for the time being)…  I’ll tell you a secret, they aren’t getting the best I have to offer, my best is going to my community.  My time, my skills.  Because it’s not all about the Benjamin’sJ

Sorry no pictures... I've been trying to upload them for a couple of days but then I get an error msg. and the post will not print.

It’s your turn…  Get out there and make something better.

The TOMCAT