Psalm 49:16-20

"So don't be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune. 

They can't take it with them; fame and fortune all get left behind. 

Just when they think they've arrived and folks praise them 
because they've made good, 

they enter the family burial plot 
where they'll never see sunshine again. 

We aren't immortal. We don't last long. 

Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die." 

Psalm 49:16-20 (The Message)

Ahhhh... being rich and famous. Who doesn't dream of that when they are young children? Who doesn't long for it when they're young adults struggling to pay their bills for the first time? And then, we grow up and reality smacks us in the face.

Rich and famous? For most of us, that's a pipe dream. And can I just say how thankful I am that it's not a dream that came true for me? My husband and I have always had more than enough. We never really wanted for much and were able to get pretty much what we wanted. Then, the economy dropped. My husband took a massive pay cut and suddenly, I'm finding myself cutting coupons and trying to save every penny I can. At first I thought it stunk, but now... I think I like this way of life better.

I see people around me struggling to keep up with the "Joneses" and yes... on the outside it looks quite desirable. They have a big house (that isn't falling apart at the seams.) They have nice cars (That don't have over 100,000 miles on them - or close to it). They might have a boat (that actually works!) and/or a huge RV (with a hot water tank that doesn't leak all over the place). They might get to take fancy vacations and parents might get to go away for weekends alone as much as they want. It sounds dreamy, doesn't it?

But, I wonder... how many of those people aren't in debt up to their ears? Did they buy those nice things with cash? Or put it all on credit? Are they now, in this economy, struggling to figure out how they're going to pay for all these things? Are they actually enjoying their fancy vacations or are they so stressed that they can't even stop to really enjoy where they are? Are their kids getting to spend enough time with their parents?

Sure, maybe some of them are and I'm not saying that if you have a lot of money, you're a horrible person. I'm talking to those of us who covet what our neighbor has. We have a boat. It doesn't run right now, but it's paid for. I see our neighbors boat and I get a twinge of jealousy. We have a small camper. It has no hot water heater for the shower or to wash dishes, but it's paid for. I see these brand-spankin' new RVs and think how awesome it would be to have something that's big and has hot water to boot! We have three vehicles. One that is our "fancy" vehicle and is costing us half of our mortgage every month. And two that are paid off, although, even "I" admit I'm a bit embarrassed to drive around in one of them due to the color of it. (Can't we just paint it, already?!?!?! LOL) I see families with normal colored vans and think how nice it would be to have one of those. Or to have their "fancy" vehicle that doesn't have two smashed bumpers in the back.

And then I read this verse and realize, as my dear friend so eloquently stated as we watched Madonna perform during the Super Bowl, "They're having their heaven on earth." They can't take this stuff with them when they die. It ALL has to get left behind. We ARE immortal. In the grand scheme of things, we DON'T last long. We age. We weaken. And eventually we will die. So who really cares if my house isn't perfect? Who really cares if my cars aren't perfect? Who really cares if my RV isn't shiny and huge?

We are building relationships with our children with our little camper. With our scratched up "fancy" vehicle - because we use it for what it was built for - a 4-wheel drive. With our boat - when we can get it running. Those memories will last so much longer than anything else. We make memories with our kids by going camping - for free! Playing every Uno game known to man at home. Going hiking in the woods. I wouldn't give those times up for the fanciest European vacation! I do get some mini-vacations with my husband, but the best vacation I had with him was last year. We went to a bed & breakfast for a night, just the two of us, to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. The next day, while I was still sleeping, my husband went back to our home, got our kids, came back and moved us into a cozy cabin for the rest of the weekend. It was wonderful!!!! The memories we made with them that weekend was worth more to me than anything else!

I have a happy marriage. I have amazing kids. I have a house that keeps me warm. I have a car that gets me where I need to go. The rest is all extras, that I can live without. I am aging. I am weakening. I am going to die. Before that happens, I plan to be happy with what I have. So, if you ever hear me saying, "I wish I had..." please, just smack me and direct me back to this blog post. :-)