Mega-Millions

I was noticing on Facebook a lot of posts about people buying tickets for tonight's extremely large lottery.  I didn't purchase a ticket but it still got me thinking about what I would do with the money.  That is a whole lot of money and could totally transform your life forever if you wanted it to.

I wouldn't want it to.  I enjoy living a simple life.  Growing up, I had no idea (and still have very little understanding of) how much money my parents made.  I knew we had everything we needed and occasionally we got what we wanted.  It was a wonderful way to grow up.  It taught discipline and responsibility and the value of a dollar.  We weren't given an allowance for chores done around the house, getting good grades or watching the kids when mom and dad went out.  Instead, when I wanted to go to the Friday night high school football game or a movie with friends my dad would hand me a twenty dollar bill and say bring me the change and there was always change.

I babysat a lot.  My first gig was a few times a week over the summer when I was only 9.  I can remember thinking I would make $100 that summer and that was a big thing.  As a teenager, it seemed either Friday or Saturday was spent babysitting.  I loved to play with the kids and have a good time.  The money was a bonus.  I saved it.  I have never been a spender.  I have always thought about the future and that there might be something "more" worth it down the road.

I am still a saver.  We live comfortably within our means.  We don't dress in designer fashions or drive brand new cars.  We have some nice pieces of furniture that we happened to get very lucky to buy at a deep discount from the local furniture manufacturer's annual sale, but most of our furnishings are second hand, rather worn or an accumulation of college and post college single life.  So there could be a long list of things that we could buy with several hundred million dollars, but there won't be.

If I won the jackpot, I would continue to do exactly what I do now.  That's the sign of a truly happy, fulfilled person right? 

I would continue to be Leron's wife, Nalley and Felicity's mother and a resident of Batesville.  We may farm a few more acres with some better equipment but we wouldn't get those acres by out bidding those who have farmed them for years and the equipment probably wouldn't be brand new.  I would give a lot away to charity and the church.  I would set up scholarship funds for a variety of interests I think are awesome like music, art, foreign language and travel.  I would still grow a garden, cook my own food and clean my own house (at least most of the time).  I might trade in my camry for a minivan.  We would probably have more parties, but we are going to do that once we have more space anyway so that doesn't change anything.  I would make sure that my parents and in-laws could retire comfortably although I am not sure they would want to.  I would make sure my kids could go to college and have a little fun money but I still think it is good for them to work for it.

Nothing is going to change.  I didn't buy a lottery ticket.  So I cannot win, but I am going to wake up tomorrow morning smiling as if I just won anyway.  I learned at a very early age that money does not make you happy nor can it buy happiness.  Money is so much less valuable than we have made it seem.  There are so many more important things to have ahead of money.  I am blessed to say I have many of those things.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Eat a pretzel as a reminder that Catholics used to fast from milk, butter, eggs, cheese, cream and meat.
Rosary Special Intention: For who ever does win the lottery

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife