Winning the Lotto....Special?

                                  

   Not since Leona Helmsley uttered those infamous words, "We don't pay taxes, only the little people pay taxes." has anyone been so completely unlikable.  Until today.  May I introduce you to Paul Horner.  Until he won one third of Maryland's Mega Millions Jackpot, he was the second wealthiest man in Maryland.  Now, however, that has changed and it looks like he's inched his way up to the top wealth spot in the state.  

So what him so unlikable?  Here's how he responded to questions about his new mega million good fortune.

     "This will help me fix up one of my estates in the Cayman Islands that I've kind of let go in recent years. I've also been thinking about buying a couple more Gulfstream G550 jets, so I think I'll go ahead and do that now." Paul goes on to say, "I'm actually kind of bummed about winning because I know there is really no way around paying the full amount of taxes that I'll owe on this. I guess for a moment or so I'll have to join the 'regulars' and pay my fair share. Maybe when I'm done paying all those taxes I'll go down to a local bar and have a domestic beer with the common folk there, just to get a quick taste of what that's like," Horner laughs. "To be honest, most of this money will probably end up going to campaign contributions for Rick Santorum."

Apparently, not concerned with winning over the "regulars", he further went on to detail how he chose his winning numbers.

"When I played before I let the riffraff behind the counter pick the numbers for me, but this time I went with numbers that have a special place close to my heart. I currently own two Bugatti's. I have four mansions. I own twenty-three different multinational corporations. I spent thirty-eight million dollars on my last yacht. I own real estate in forty-six different countries and my girlfriend is twenty-three."

Real nice guy, eh?  But what's even more interesting is what lottery official, Tim Perkins, said concerning Horner's win....

 "I'm kind of sad that this thing is finally over. That money was growing into something really amazing. With all of that money you could feed most of the world's starving children, or provide clean drinking water in a third world country. I'm pretty sure there is no god when a guy like Paul Horner becomes the winner of something this special."

To be honest, this statement hurts my heart more than Horner's inflated ego, diarrhea of the mouth meandering.  I'm certainly not faulting Mr. Perkins for feelings.  I mean, it does seem a bit cosmically out of whack, for a multimillionaire to win the lottery (now, WHY was he even playing?).  But the lottery, nor any sum of money, really isn't something "special".  It doesn't even come close to merit that term.  At the end of the day, it's just money.  Contrary to what we sometimes are tempted to believe, money is not the cure for the earth's ills.  I would imagine that none of the lottery winners were planning to provide clean drinking water to other countries or feed starving children.  I WISH that were the case, but the sad reality is that it probably isn't.  

Money is the LEAST of the blessings God gives us.  I have no clue why Paul Horner won the lottery.  But in doing so, all he won was cash.  That's it.  Money's not love.  Money's not happiness.  Money's not joy.  Money doesn't buy immortality.  And most of all, money's NOT eternal.  In fact, it's fleeting.  And even  if Mr. Horner dies a very wealthy man, if he's never experienced God's love, he hasn't even TOUCHED on an abundant life.  

 God IS real.  He is loving.  And He DOES care for us more deeply and more completely than we can possibly imagine.  He even loves, cares for, and died for Paul Horner.  It's a fortunate lot we all are that God's love isn't a personality contest!  Now THAT'S "special"!

Dionne Warwick helps me sing to God!

Another song that I was listening to in the car and immediately thought, "I could sing this to God!"  Is it sacrilegious to imagine that Jesus loves to dance to this song?  I don't think so!   I could get absolutely fat off the musical candy bars from God!


Here are the lyrics:


Then Came You by The Spinners and Dionne Warwick


Ever since I meet ya, seems I can't forget ya.
The thought of you keeps running through,
the back of my mind.
Everytime I'm near ya.
I get that urge to feel ya.
Just touching you and loving you, makes everything right.

(tell me how you feel baby)

I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you.
I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you. You!

Now that I have found ya. How did I live without you?
(I don't know baby)

It's plain to see, you're all I need, to satisfy me.
I'm so darn proud of you. I want to sing about ya.
(sing it, sing it, sing it baby)

You're all I know, You made love grow, by touching my hand.
I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you.
I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you. 
Hey, then came you.

Oh-Oh I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you.
I've never knew love before, then came you, you. then came you.

(with your loving touch).

You know that I never knew love before, then came you, then came you.
I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you. 

(I've got to hand it to you baby, you got the power of love, got the power of love Baby)

I've never knew love before, then came you, then came you.  


And here's the song:

Aretha's Natural Woman....A gospel song?

As I'm sitting here at Starbucks, getting frustrated with html and pictures, Aretha Franklin's strong soulful voice comes over the speakers. Natural Woman is her classic ode to a wonderful man, who's come into her life and turned her upside down life, right side up.  As I'm listening to the words, I start thinking, "Wait a minute.  This is what God has done for me!"  If He'll forgive me for calling Him "Baby"; I could sing this song to my God.  Take a look at the lyrics and see what I mean.....

Lyrics

Looking out on the morning rain
I used to feel uninspired
And when I knew I'd have face another day.
Lord, it made me feel so tired.
Before the day I met you
Life was so unkind.
Your love was the key to my peace of mind (WOW!  Life really was unkind.  And my peace of mind comes from no one, but my Savior, my Father, my Friend)
'Cause you make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural woman.(It's God Who made me a woman and it's His presence that makes me thrill to show the world this nature of Him)
When my soul was in the lost and found(HELLO!!!  Ever feel this way?)
You came along to claim it.(Yes He did!!!!  And really, He's the ONLY one Who can!)
I didn't know just what was wrong with me(Okay, I still feel this sometimes, but in the most "I think I may be NUTS" way!  But truly, what was wrong was that I was looking for my worth in THINGS and PEOPLE.  A never ending disappointment to my self worth)
Till your kiss helped me name it.
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm livin' for,(No!  There's no doubt!  Because what else is there?  WHO else is there that has the words of life?) 
'Cause if I make you happy I don't need to do more.(The key words there for me is "I don't need to do more".  Really?  I really don't NEED to do more?  Oh. My. Gosh!!  Truly, what sweet freedom!  God DOES delight in me!!  He IS happy with me!  I can rest in His unconditional love.  No vying for His attention.  No trying so hard to follow a set of rules.  And NO feeling daily like He's displeased with me!  I just love this verse of the song!!)
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural woman.

Oh, baby, what you've done to me(Made me His own!)
(What you've done to me')
You make me feel so good inside(Yes He does!)
(Good inside.)
And I just want to be 
(Want to be)
Close to you. (To just draw up so close to the Source of all LOVE, who or what else can give me that kind of joy?)
You make me feel so alive!(Absolutely!)
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural, natural woman.
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural natural woman
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural natural woman

Fear

"It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate, than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen."  


~Herodotus

No security....

Security is mostly a superstition.  It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.  Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

~Helen Keller

Make me smile

This little statue of twin boys was given to me by my mom right after I had Roman and AG.  Always makes me think of becoming a mom for the first time.

A really small ceramic wall hanging that belonged to my mom.  Makes me think of cherubs and love!

This is over 25 years old and an original piece of artwork by a New Mexican artist that my mother and I knew in Albuquerque.  There's such strength in the profile and I love the colors of the desert in it.

A cairn made from rocks Bennie and I found out hiking at different trails.  Cairns are made by travelers to leave small monument to leave their mark.  I've got this on the bar which leads from the kitchen to the dining room.  This cairn brings hiking with my sweet best friend, my wonderful husband, to mind.

I love faces!  I would have my walls covered in different portraits or paintings of faces if I could.   This is one of my favorite things to put up when I move......let's me know I'm home!

My twin sons are such gifted artists!  Here's a painting that they did over a year ago.  Roman took a print out of this frame and replaced it with this painting of his right before we moved to Raleigh.  I fell in love with it and now it's the first thing you'll see when you come in the front door of our home.

Just a few of the "candy bars" I have around my home that just make me happy to look at!  

Why so proud?

As I was driving this morning and naming off things to God that I'm thankful for, I also began apologizing for what I see in society (and that DEFINITELY includes me).  It's so natural for us to put ourselves first; our needs and wants above someone else's needs and wants.  Sure, we can be generous with our children or close family members, but I'm talking about on a day to day basis.  How often do I yield to someone else, just because?


That lead me to thinking WHY is it so UNnatural to not be self focused?  Why is it so difficult for me to just LET someone cut in front of me without getting angry or annoyed?  What is it in me that says, "That TICKS me off! They can't do that to me!"  or "You don't talk to ME like that!"  I think that is what is called PRIDE.  Pride goes hand in hand with DESERVE.  I've found myself thinking at times, "Well I deserve this...I've worked hard for it".  But others have worked twice as hard and gotten much less.


We take pride in our education.....but how much did we really have to do with that?  We went to the college  our parents sent us to or one we could afford.  Maybe we got a scholarship?  But how much do we have to do with our own intelligence?  We worked hard and took advantage of opportunities.  But who put those opportunities in our path and who gave us the wisdom to recognize those opportunities?


We take pride in our appearance.....but did we have anything to do with the genetics that gave us the face and body we have?  If I'm told my eyes are pretty, what do I have to be proud of?  I had nothing to do with the color, shape or appearance of my eyes.  Thankful for the compliment?  Absolutely!  Proud?  Of what? We could take pride in our athletic accomplishments, but again, who gave us a body with that athletic ability?  Sure, we train, practice and are disciplined....but ultimately, do we REALLY have anything to do with our muscle make up, physical ability, or athleticism?


We take pride in our talents.....but who gave us those talents?  Some can sing beautifully and that could be a great source of pride.  But who gives voice to sing?  Again, one could argue, "Well, I took a lot of lessons and worked really hard."  But how many others with beautiful voices have no money for lessons?  Drawing, writing, sewing?  All of those talents are God given, not earned, but given and EVERYONE has been given talents with no one's being more important than anyone else's.


We take pride in our country....but did we choose where we were born?  Let's be honest.  If I were born in Norway, I'd probably be PROUD to be Norwegian.  We were born where we were born to a citizenship not of our choosing (most of us).  And while there are many who CHOSE to come to the US and become a citizen, who gave them opportunity to even consider such a thing?  Is any person's citizenship a greater source of pride than another's?  I'm no different than a woman in a remote Brazilian tribe.  Neither of us CHOSE where we were born.


We take pride in our kids.  Ahhh...now THERE'S something we can take pride in right?  I mean, WE raised them.  They make straight As, we can stick out our chests and say, "Yup!  That's my kid!"  But how much of  their intelligence can we really take credit for?  How many kids are born in horrendous conditions and go on to achieve great things?  So can THEY take credit for overcoming their dysfunctional upbringing?  Again, who gave them their intellect?  Who gave them opportunities to have a life that offers more than poverty?


We take pride in our possessions.  Our big homes. Our nice cars.  Our designer purses.  Our jewelry.  Our toys.  But AGAIN....why are we even able to have those things?  If we lived in any third world country and worked twice as hard as we do now, we probably wouldn't even come close to having a fraction of our possessions.  So what is there to be proud of?  


And maybe sometimes we take pride in our charity, how much we give to others.  How much we DO for others.  But where did the resources come from with which to give to others?  


So why are we so proud?  Why am I so proud?  Hopefully, the next time I want to hold my head up in pride over something that I've accomplished or have, I'll just say, "Thank you Jesus!" instead!  Because, I guess I'm coming to realize that gratitude is everything and pride is foolish.   And there's really nothing for me to be PROUD about.  Thankful for?  Well that's a different story!  How much time have we got?!

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