What Makes Your Life Rich?

photo from: http://www.123rf.com/photo_10797075_vintage-treasure-chest-with-some-jewels-inside.html


"Do you think I'm poor or something?"
I looked at Bridget, her lips curled into a smirky smile. Countless times I've heard her say interesting things about money.
"Elly don't expect gymnastic lessons, it costs A LOT of money....Don't worry Danielle, if you save your money up, maybe eventually you can go to Disney....Danielle playing an intsrument and taking lessons cost a lot of money, you might want Elly do something else."
I find it to be rather entertaining her bits of wisdom for me. But I've never viewed myself as poor, AT ALL! I often wonder why Bridget views us as "po folk". Was it because we didn't have cable? Is it our lack of fancy cars, or the obvious old worn furniture and painted kitchen cabinets ? I was baffled, and so when another:
"yeah, skiing is probably to expensive for you"
comment flew out of her mouth, I asked. The answer was eye opening.
"Well I wouldn't say your poor. You don't have as much as we do. I mean your house is really old. And your couches are falling apart. I think we are rich, well at least sort of."
I proceeded to request a list of what made her family "rich", opposed to her skewed view of "poor".

Bridget's definition of wealth
-Giant flat screen tv in loft
-a tv on every floor
-four floor levels in her home
-a newer home-a lovely town home yes-but with virtually no yard
-the Wii
- fancier and newer furniture
-lots of computers
-vacations to Disney and vermont
-3 bathrooms

I told her these were wonderfly luxuriuous things. Things that most people would appreciate and enjoy. But just because I did not have or do these things I was not at all poor, I just had a different Definition of "rich".

My Definition of Wealth
-I have a Savior who loves me and died for my sins!!  There is hope, happiness, peace from this!!
-Hello?!? I'm a SAHM- what a blessing to watch my girls grow and be a HUGE part of their lives.
-A couch that doesn't need to be stressed over when the kids spill their drinks on it, and they often do.
-A nice sized back yard with a swing set, trampoline and fort. The kids love roaming the yard and pretending to princesses in towers and crawl through caves and mush their barefeet into the soft green grass.
-Season passes to dorney park-our local amusement park. This makes the summer feel like going on vacation every week.
-Camping trips, and learning the art of setting up tents, roasting marshmallows and story telling.
-Family Time: collecting an hour each night read the scriptures and the Little House Series. Side note: we are reading Farmer Boy right now-love it!
After listing many of the "rich" factors of my life I realized "Wow am I sooo very blessed"
What makes your life rich?

Linking UP With:
http://thankful-homemaker.blogspot.com/
http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/




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Comments

Andrea said…
Danielle, I love this post!! And I thought Happy Valley was the only place where you had a to have a flat screen to be "rich";) LOL.
February 19, 2012 at 7:18 PM
Robin Kramer said…
So much wealth can't be measured in money. Nice post!
February 19, 2012 at 7:29 PM
Danielle said…
Thanks guys! That funny little conversation really opened my eyes to what truly matters in life and that my life is as rich as it gets.
February 20, 2012 at 5:34 AM
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