What would you do with a few million?

Probably rush right out and spend it, just as the statistics say most people do. But isn’t it fun to dream just a bit? It is tax time again. For many years it was almost like Christmas for us. With five children and me not working during those years, every spring was a chance to get everything caught up. I remember many years ago, a friend had commented on that time of year not being so wonderful for them because they no longer had any children at home, and they usually had to pay every spring.  That reality has become more clear to us.

So, what would I do with a few million? As I get older, it isn’t as much about all the ‘things’ I would purchase as it is about being comfortable and helping others. I would certainly make sure we were debt free…no house payments, car payments or credit cards to worry about. We would have a house that was comfortable and met our needs without being over the top. A huge criteria would be land, for lots of room. A couple vehicles in good running order would be great. And then the rest would be to help others, our children first in line.

A view like this one would be great, add some water in the form of a river or lake and I would be all set!

As a parent, you hate to see your children struggle in life. You want to think that they will never have to experience all the rough times that you did. In reality, they probably will…and they will have a whole set of tests that you did not go through. So, what can we do as a parent, or grandparent? Just throw them a few thousand and say “Good Luck, life’s a bummer, but you’ll survive?” Because basically, that is true.

What we can do is, live by example. Teach them to survive difficult times by watching you and the way you handle your own trying tests. Stay patient and calm…and believe me, I’m preaching to myself here! Stay focused on God and His Word. The problems probably won’t go away, but you will get through them. The goal is to come out on the other side with more insight, to have learned a lesson, and become more mature and strong.

Am I there yet? Well, of course not! Any one of my family and friends would say I have a long way to go. But that is life…the journey God has set before us. He does not want us to take the easy way out…hand out the millions. He wants us to survive on the lesser and train our children to do the same. If you have abundance, be thankful for it and use it wisely. Be a testimony to your children and others around you. Nothing we have on this earth is really ‘ours’. We have it for a time…our lifetime, and then it is gone…and it really doesn’t matter anymore. It has been the same before us, and it will be after us. That is a 100% guarantee!  None of us will leave this earth driving our new Ferrari, or our U-Haul packed with our new 70 inch TV, leather couch and vacation home in the Hamptons. It will be just us…leaving the same as we arrived.