Friday, February 18, 2011

How Rich Am I?

The global economy has America flustered and frustrated.  Every day the media bombs us with new explosions of unemployment, rising food prices, and how people owe more on their homes than the homes are worth.  Budget cuts, job cuts, foreclosures, and increasing costs of education are the big battlefronts for most young families.  Health insurance premiums are taking the middle-class down deeper every year.

How about we take a few minutes to regroup and look at ways we can be rich without even the mention of money.
  • Rich in friends--if we cultivate and nurture friendships, and if we're fun to be around, we can acquire a large circle of friends.  The longer we have a friend, the dearer they become to us.
  • Rich in health--If we eat in moderation, if we keep moving, and if we avoid the things that cause us stress, we can be physically and mentally healthy.  My daddy used to say that good health was the only real wealth in the world.
  • Rich in strength--If we face life's adversities head-on, we will build up a spiritual strength to deal with what comes into our lives and those we love.  A shared burden is always lighter. 
  • Rich in family--If we devote time to our spouses, children, parents, brothers and sisters, we will be richly blessed with a loving family, ready to stand beside us.  When a family member shoves us to the lions, the shove hurts far more than the lion's bite. 
  • Rich in knowledge--If we continue to read and study, we will become rich in knowledge.  There is no Knowledge Tax, and we can continue to learn throughout life and acquire a huge bank account of knowledge.  It cannot be stolen or taken away from us.  It can be said that perhaps knowledge is the one thing we might be able to take with us to Heaven.
  • Rich in skill--Whatever we practice doing on a daily basis (a skill, a sport, whatever), we will excel in that area.  We all feel good when we are good at something.   
  • Rich in character--If we work hard at being honest and truthful with everyone, we will become rich in character and everyone will trust us. Without that trust, what is there?   
It's healthy, once in a while, to weigh over our core assets.  One way to do this is to ask ourselves how we would feel if they were suddenly taken away from us.