Monday, December 3, 2012

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."



How about that Powerball, $587 million dollars!  Billy and I were joking around about the whole Powerball thing.  He blamed me for not buying a ticket, we could be rich you know.  I told him that I’m content with my life and what I have.  To have that much money is a big responsibility.  But, if we were blessed with that much money; I like to think that we would share it with those in need.  Then we started talking about what we do if we had won that money.  We’d like a plane, so that we could go to see our families on a whim; but we would only buy shares in a plane because that is much more frugal.  We’d move to a house on the Intracoastal.  We’d travel and travel in style.  We’d help our family members out.  Billy loves his job so he says that he would keep it, but that salary wouldn’t matter.  I told him he could buy the team (I don’t believe that Florida Panthers are actually for sale at this time), and then he’d really have job security.  Before you know it, we’ve spent our money and didn’t help a soul other than our own family.  Man, we are way more selfish than I am comfortable admitting! 

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Luke 12:15
 
Do you know that 90% of lottery winners go through their winnings in less than 5 years?  Check out this story of The Unlucky Lottery Winners.  Money and things don’t necessarily buy happiness or security.

When Billy played hockey, he made a lot of money, but we there was still so much uncertainty in our lives.  At the beginning and at the end of his career he was fighting for a spot, so there was no security there. He could get traded, so we never knew where we would be living; we lived in a hotel room for the last four years of Billy’s NHL career.  It was hard to put down roots and very unsettling.  When we moved to Germany for hockey I had become a Christian, and my way of thinking had changed. Instead of dwelling on the uncertainty in our lives, I was able to focus on how super cool our lives actually were (are), and I became much more content.

Now that Billy has changed careers, he makes less money, and we are very content in our lives and our situation.

…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.  Philippians 4:11

Even now, the NHL is locked out. Since Billy isn’t able to broadcast the games, he is working at a reduced salary which admittedly was a shock at first; but we got over it quickly and are grateful to be able to pay our bills and feed our bellies.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ.  Philippians 4:19

I've had lots of money, and I've had little money.
I've had contentment, and I've had misery.
It wasn't having money, or the lack of money that determined my contentment; but what I focused on and what I treasured.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”  Matthew 6:21

This is what I’ve learned so far in my life:
I am too selfish to do much good with the lottery jackpot. 
When I focus on what I don’t have or what could be, I am a miserable person.
When I trust that God has and always will give me enough, I am content.

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