When I was just a little girl, my teacher read us a story  about a little girl who was very, very poor.  The little girl always told her teacher about her 100 dresses that she had.  Naturally, no one in her class believed her because the little girl wore the same old faded dress to school each day.  The child continued to claim that she owned 100 dresses.  One day the teacher came to visit the child’s home.  She was ushered into  a very clean, but bare home.   The mother of the girl greeted the teacher with fond courtesy and even served her a small repast.  The little girl was overjoyed at having her teacher visit her home, and without hesitation took her into her bedroom where she showed her the 100 dresses — all neatly drawn on pieces of paper and lined up in her closet.  You see, the child, though poor, was actually rich with her imagination.  Her paper wardrobe included dresses of all colors, styles and appeals.  The next day the teacher returned to class and informed the children there that she had seen the 100 dresses, and from then on no one disputed the little girl’s word. 

Many of us are poor.  When I say poor, I mean, we are able to live perhaps from paycheck to paycheck.  Some of us who are in debt also will consider ourselves poor until those debts are fully paid.  But all of us can be rich in something.  We can be rich in doing the things we truly love.  I know of a friend.  She has epilepsy, but she is rich in her ability to make gorgeous hand crocheted blankets.  If you saw her blankets, you would want to pay at least $100.00 to own one.  She loves making them for anyone.  Just choose your colors and she will make one in a few weeks.  I consider her rich.  Because she cannot work in the public or private sector, she contents herself at home doing what she does best– crocheting. 

Consider yourself rich when you can do anything well.  Do as much as you can afford to do, and do it as long as you like.  I believe everyone has something that simply flows out of them–to bless themselves and others.  Do you know of natural comedians? You can sit there listening to them for hours as humor just exudes from their lips.  Your only limitation is that your sides are bursting and you are about to fall on the floor.  They are rich with humor, and they make you rich with smiles and laughs. 

I once heard Oprah Winfrey say she took her talents and made a fortune as a talk-show hosts.  That is what she did best.  She has become wealthy as a result of using that part of her that was abundant to bless herself and others.  She is a classic example of being rich.

You may love gardening– a green thumb that can’t be beat.  You are therefore rich.  Your flowers and plants bless yourself and others.  You may love to sing,  write,  teach, preach, or impart.  You may be a natural born counselor and people come to you to get advice without a price.  And there are those who can paint, sculpt, play a musical instrument, bake goodies, decorate a home tastefully, sew, build a house, landscape, repair broken items,  prepare tasty mouth-watering meals,and are able to clean a house immaculately.    You may nurture sick animals, promote worthwhile projects in your community, be supportive of children and youth groups,  love to volunteer at the soup kitchen , help in arranging parades and other hometown events, beautify your neighborhood, use recycled products to make useful items, help keep your community safe,  comfort others, or just be a good friend or neighbor.  These, among others,   are, in my estimation, truly rich. 

Ask yourself if you are a rich poor person.  If so, be happy for the richness you have loaned   to bless others. Your contributions count so much  So even though you may consider yourself once poor, rethink today– the fact that you are now rich.    Praise God for your abilities and talents and use them each and every day to make your life sweeter and other lives fuller and blessed.