poor

When I was a kid we were poor.  My dad had trouble holding a job and we moved a lot.  My parents had cars that did not run all the time.  There was no such thing as a vacation.  There was food on the table, but it was pretty basic and we ate what mom cooked for days, until it was gone.  Nothing was wasted.  Nothing thrown away.  When I was a kid, I thought we were poor.

When  my mom was a kid, they were poor.  They lived in a small house in Kirkwood, MO.  Her parents raised 6 kids on the intermittent income from work as a mechanic.  Mom's parents spoke German.  If a rabbit came into the yard, it was dinner.  Mom was routinely sent into the yard to dig dandelion greens for their vegetable.  I heard stories of my mother's upbringing and I thought they were poor.

Then I went to Nicaragua.  My mother was never poor.  I was never poor.  We have so much.  We always had clean water.  We always had a flush toilet.  We always had warm showers.  There was always food on the table.

I should never allow myself to feel that in some way, I had it rough.  I know nothing about being impoverished.

May we all feel grateful for what we have, and do all that we can to help those who do not have the same blessings. But for the grace of God go I.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.