I had planned on doing a post about abundance for several days - then yesterday I saw a You Tube video that just sickened me. It was from a very popular You Tuber - I usually don't watch - the title was what caught my eye. I was curious.
This person has gone from 'poor' to 'wealthy' (money wise). I was saddened by how they talked about people with little money. It was with condemnation and "hatred" - yes that word was used a few times in the video!!! This person supposedly has gained a good wealth - yet lives like a pauper! My questioning is why? I think the love of money has taken over any good sense. Just sad.
I think a lot of people were very offended as well. I check the comments a couple times and they were not favorable of the thoughts portrayed - and finally the comments were turned off!
I have come to my own opinion of this person over time - and in my opinion they are one of the 'poorest' people around. I think some of the wealthiest people on earth are truly 'poor'.
I do not see abundance as money! Sure you can have an abundance of that as well - but for me it is so much more.
Is it the person with the most money? NO
Is it the person with the biggest, newest house? NO
Is it the person with the newest and most expensive vehicle? NO
Is it the person with the most stuff? NO
To me - true abundance is not about net worth - but about SELF worth!!!!!!! How do you perceive yourself and others? Are you proud of yourself YET humble? Do you look at all people (no matter their financial situation) as worthy? I hope you say yes to both of those questions.
I think is comes from tuning in and learning. Abundance is a gift from the universe - not from the pocketbook. Looking at and loving all things of the world. Respecting other people.
It is about being grateful for what you DO have and not about how much you have.
I just feel that when we are grateful and thankful and focus on the positives in the world - things will flow our way! Work hard on getting out of the negative mindset - it serves no purpose.
Gratitude can open the door to many, many possibilities. When grateful, thankful, positive and happy - you give off an air that others can see. It is catching!!!!
Spread an abundance of love and positivity - not hate and negativity.
BE what you want to see in others!
I see my abundance as family, friends, bonus friends, health, home, contentment, and having ENOUGH!
I wish you all a beautiful day - full of wonder and joy!
Good Morning Cheryl. That person sounds very shallow and judgmental. I view abundance the same as you. I don't like a lot of 'stuff' and while yes, I am thankful to have money to pay my bills and have a cushion for needs/emergencies, I don't look at it is having abundance. People, experiences, peace of mind...that is abundance to me. One of the things I think of the most as a sign that life is good is a hot shower and a clean bed to sleep in at night. That is not something everyone has for one reason or another. Have a great Tuesday!!
ReplyDeleteI agree. The channel used to be decent back in the day - but has changed a lot - as has the person. Money - go figure!
DeleteSO many things make life wonderful and yes being able to pay the bills and have a fund set back is wonderful, but the other things mean more.
So true!!!!!
Have a nice day.
Cheryl, what I've (personally) seen, though, is folks who come from humble means who then get rich, with all of its trappings, but then lose it all for whatever reasons. Bad investments. Overspending. And it can become very hard to readjust to what once was "normal" when that happens. Not to be doom and gloom, but I see that coming down the pike. It's written all over the numbers in economic news. It could happen to that person on You Tube. --Elise
DeleteI remember my Mum saying of someone who kept upgrading and moving house "She will never be happy. Even if she moves into Buckingham Palace, it won't be good enough for her," and the older I get, the more I understand what she meant. Some people will never be contented, no matter how much they have and others are just happy with their lot. I know which one I strive to be!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tracy. I've known some people like that. I'm related to at least one of them. --Elise
DeleteBoy is that statement true!!!! There is no pleasing some folks at all. I will never begrudge someone for what they have - especially when they earned it. I just shake my head that those same people - condemn those who are where they used to be.
DeleteI know which one I strive for too!!!!
Abundance to me means contentment with what the Father has provided. The more you have the more you have to care for. I have known people who have purchased a McMansion but no money left to furnish it. My mindset is that I would rather live in a cozy little home and have it decorated to my liking than a monument to impress other people. Same way with cars. Why do folks want to drive their money? When I step into the shower in the evening I thank my Creator for caring for us. Many people do not have running water or a safe place to sleep. Abundance is being able to pay your bills and donate to charities.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned the thrift store in your area having a sign saying no donations. We were there several months ago and there was the same sign. A fellow came up, read the sign and then dumped his stuff on the sidewalk.
Cool today! I'm still working on closets ( it sounds like we have an overabundance of clothes) but one thing and another gets in the way. Unless we want to be cold and uncomfortable, I need to get'r'done. Wishing you an abundant day!
Donna, YES. Very simply, YES. --Elise
DeleteDonna - so very true. God makes sure I am well taken care of. I have what I need.
DeleteI am just grateful for what I do have - which is little to some and a huge amount to someone else. It is all perspective and valuing the simplicity of our lives.
I did a closet yesterday - boy a lot of things get crammed in them!
Have a good day
To me, abundance is all those things we too easily take for granted.
ReplyDeleteDo you have shelter?
Do you have food?
Do you have clean, running water?
Do you have necessary utilities?
Do you have clothing?
Do you have a bed to sleep in at night?
Are you able to stay warm in cold weather?
Are there people on this earth who love you?
Can you get to where you need to go?
More personally, my definition of abundance is influenced by my Pop (step-dad), who passed away in 2000: having enough to share generously. A builder all his life, very crusty on the outside, my Pop was one of the most generous people I've ever known. He never had a lot of money, but he had a HUGE heart. Pop once gave his last cash for the month to a young mother in need on the side of the road. He was the walking, breathing definition of 1 Samuel 16:7... "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (ESV)
Thank you for this thoughtful post today, Cheryl. May none of us ever take our abundance for granted or be stingy with it. --Elise
sounds like your Pop was a good man. I agree - I don't spend much on myself - but I love to be generous to others. I love to see the joy and happiness. Keeping for 'whatever' seems silly. Sure I want to have enough to cover my life - but I am not taking it with me - so I like to enjoy bringing pleasure to others.
DeleteSo true Elise, your Pop sounds like a wonderful Gift. Your stories of his giving spirit are beautiful. Wow, the last of his paycheck? That is really a beautiful thing and memory. My step dad was like that too, and my dad was too...I remember my dad buying a *lot* of fireworks for a very poor family of little toe-headed boys who had nothing for the Fourth of July. Many baby doll cribs were made too for the more poor churches' children.
DeleteIsn't it nice being able to even catch sales on food and such? And buy a little extra? When hubs and I were younger we could not do that like others.
So great your hubs saved the nails and bolts. Bravissimo! I think we would have too. It's silly not to isn't it?
We have a relative whose husband is an attorney in private practice and he makes a ton of money. They have a 7000 sq ft house on a lake, a house on a popular spring fed river, are building a beach house, have a yacht that they hire a captain and first mate to pilot when they take it out and they are building a new primary residence so they will have more land. But they are still the sweetest people and so generous with everyone that I have to be happy for them. I do think that the six kids will one day experience culture shock when they cannot live like they have grown up though.
ReplyDeleteIt's all in the attitude, Lana, don't you think?
DeleteThat is wonderful. I am glad that they have stayed kind and generous. I would not begrudge anyone of that kind of wealth. - I just want to see people be good humans along the way. Yes, their children will have some challenges one day - sadly. I hope they enjoy it all while they can,
DeleteAnother Thought/Examples: Abundance is also making the most of what you have, whether that's food, saving seeds from your garden for next year, or repurposing things.
ReplyDeleteLast year, Hubs built a block paver walkway, patio, and floor for the dog kennel. Tons of concrete pavers were bought, more tons of AB gravel, but also pressure treated wood to make frames for the areas. The guy who built out steps with landings for the front and side doors did an awful job. To stabilize everything before snow and ice loads, Hubs used leftover pressure treated boards yesterday to brace them; he had just enough leftover wood for the project. And he's saved every wood pallet from the pavers and wood pellet deliveries.
In that same vein, the dogs have been chewing up the wooden dog house (from a kit) in the kennel. This morning Hubs disassembled that, saving all the screws and bolts; those are surprisingly expensive now. Later, he'll disassemble the panels, saving all screws as well as all of the salvageable wood, which (to me) equals abundance.
We all do so in the kitchen. We do so in the garden. Most of us have cleaning cloths from old clothes, towels, etc. More abundance.
:-D --Elise
Being a good servant of all we have is not only smart but abundance in my book.
DeleteThat's right Elise and Cheryl.
DeleteSilly dogs, Elise! Maybe they need more fiber in their diet 😂.
DeleteSeriously, did you tell them that's dangerous?! Kids. They never listen.
Good health, Friends and Family are the most important to me. Material things are nice to have but only if you can enjoy them in good health with your friends and family. I'm with you- Let's count our blessings.
ReplyDeleteYes mam!!!!!! I agree totally. The stuff is nothing without the health and people.
DeleteBlessings abound if we just pay attention.
It seems to me the you-tuber influencer is overly invested in capitalism. He sees no benefit to his "wealth" except to hoard it (and accordingly keep it away from others". Like the corporate CEO's who take home 200-300X the average wage of a worker paying little more than a pittance to the source of the production.
ReplyDeleteI'm a firm believer that abundance should be shared. Whether that means our love, our time, our money, or even the produce from our gardens, sharing brings back more than the giving.
I do believe you are correct. It is such a shame - you would think one who come from the lower end of things would realize that and be more giving.
DeleteYes mam, it should be. Absolutely - giving of whatever just brings back abundance to ourselves - even if that abundance is just knowing that we did good!
Sooooooooo true, Cheryl. Once on the downtown streets, (my husband would go out with other guys from church to minister to homeless people) there was a man digging in the garbage for food. He said he prosperous in the Lord, for the good Lord gave him food when he needed it and covered his needs.
ReplyDeleteMy son in law who is suffering because of horrible corruption at his job was telling me how he and our daughter and little children were at a park and there was a homeless lady missing all of her teeth, she had two little children too, one in a stroller, they were young children probably tots. He said they were having the sweetest time playing patty-cake and waving at cars and such. He said he stopped complaining after he saw this precious probably single mom with two tots. (They tried to go back with food but they were not there). He and our daughter both tell me they learned so much by watching this little family and my son in law and daughter are not rich by any means, probably what you would say on an extremely tight budget but they also find such joy in small every day things!
And then there are some people who are all show and I think that is so so so pathetic. It makes me angry to be around them.
My Italian grandma and grandpa were so sweet, they lived very humbly and when I had my first baby my grandma got in her old El Camino truck and went to Sakowitz and bought me the most beautiful nightgowns. They were so generous, with the most loving hearts ever.
I know others who live in fancy houses and drive fancy cars all for show who are so stingy. smh That's not to say you can't have a nice home and car and be a kind, sweet person but everyone understands the drift I'm sure.
And allow me to say on these youtubers? Many of them (not all) think they are it on a stick with a bag of chips. It's awful. I've had some bad experiences with some of them. One middle aged homeschool mom, she was telling other moms how to homeschool and I cringed because she was a micro-manager, detailing things to death with records etc. it would have been very discouraging to me as a young mother. I am a veteran homeschooler who homeschooled all of our girls so I left a very kind compliment to her, and then sandwiched in kindly just a little bit of a different way of homeschooling that basically is easier. (Something like that) I think I've blocked it out of my mind the entire thing was so bad). She minimally thanked me for the compliment and then laid into me for leaving an opinion! Actually leaving an explanation mark saying "Opinions!" What does she think her youtube is but opinions and not good ones either? I couldn't believe this woman. She was probably younger than my eldest daughter. I've had some other arrogant ones too...It's a very unhealthy, narcissistic environment for many of the "actors" on youtube. There are some precious ones, like The Cottage Fairy etc. who never brag on their youtube plaques and such too. I could list more than several nice ones.
Anyhoo, I hear ya. And I agree on all accounts. Whoever it is sounds like a very ugly and mean person. A good person to stay away from.
I'm just so very weary of arrogant bloggers and youtubers. No, I would like to tell them, they aren't all that. My time is valuable and I don't have time to comment people and give them points when they have no thought for others.
I'm still not doing great but enjoy coming to fellowship here, just sticking my head in the door to say "hey". The vet's office sent another sweet card, and one of the techs even wrote that Coffee, Missy Christmas and Muffy are now playing together and were so blessed to have us as parents and she was praying. Many said they were praying including the vet, the normal one I was aggravated with who was very sweet to us that day and handled things beautifully the other day. Thank God he knew what he was doing...Oh thank God.
I agree with all you have said. I have the utmost generosity from people who have so very little - and some who have the world just walk away from others in disgust.
DeleteThe Tuber used to not be this way - it has been since money has come into their life. Funny - I have always said (and Glen always said) if I ever won the lottery big - I would not end up with any of it!!! I would give it away to so many worthy organizations and people. Now I have always said too - if you expected to get some from me - odds are you would not see a dime.
Your conversation reminds me much of your favorite movie! Even those who give generously and have little change the world. Without each of us - the world would be different.
You were prompted to keep that vet!!!!! I do believe the vet tech is right! Together again.
Take care.
Yes, maybe that is why it is my favorite movie...Neat observation. *a heart to you*. And what ya said on people expecting money etc.? The author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird', Harper Lee said something to the effect of: "I'll give you the shirt off of my back but ask first!"
DeleteAmelia, I'm also a fan of Paola, The Cottage Fairy. I find her channel very relaxing and I love how she makes her decor from natural things. And she's definitely an Animal Whisperer! Even the bunnies follow her!
DeleteOops, let me clarify... The vet who we were previously aggravated with, who has been sweet with Muffy in the past weeks and handled things beautifully last Friday. I think this particular young vet has learned some things. He's young, very handsome blue eyed guy who kind of looks like my dad with a ponytail, has a sweet looking wife with four little children who look sweet, so I guess it's like the Judy Collins song...I've looked at life from both sides now (at least at the vet's office). I'm kind of thinking this vet is looking at life from both sides now too...
ReplyDeleteGod worked on both of you. YEP!
DeleteYes, it was humbling, I could tell he was making sure and spending time with us and being sensitive to our feelings on things, making sure he used his experience to do things correctly with the least pain explaining things very, very well. We stayed with Muffie, I can't imagine not, also with Missy with the other newbie vet. This vet had taken care of Muffie too, summer before last when Muff had a heat stroke so he knew Muffie well and how I felt about little Muffie and our fur babies. He always got tickled with me because I always carried somewhat of a diaper type bag for little Muff. : ) Thanks for always allowing me to share...It helps me as I know you love your pets too. A hug, ~Amelia
DeleteI loved this post Cheryl. Abundance is having enough, mostly in my mind enough love and contentment with what one has. Having more is not always the best character builder.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thanks. Boy are you right. More isn't always a good thing. Without our character we have nothing. There are some very poor (pitiful) rich people in this world.
DeleteBlessings
I had a friend or a "friend" who told me how lucky she was to have more than I had. I finally had enough of her and just let her go. I did have real friends.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh - some 'friend'. That is just so shallow - it amazes me that people actually believe that.
DeleteI do believe you were the smart one!
So sad that they have lost touch with reality and completly forgotten who they were. Life is so much more than wealth.
ReplyDeleteThat is it! They have totally lost touch with reality. It may affect the Tuber I was speaking of too - as they make money off You Tube and I do believe they offended a huge amount of people! Some people have to learn the hard way and some just don't care.
DeleteLife is much more - you are so right.
I started a post yesterday morning and got about 3 words typed when the phone rang. Oh well. You guys hit on all the good things in abundance. I'm still working on having LESS abundance, both on my body and in my house!!
ReplyDeleteI think we truly know what we need and want. and yes, I think we can have extra abundance - that is why sharing is so lovely.
DeleteAbundance is definitely in the eye of the beholder. People with truckloads of $ continue to pursue more. People with no debt and can pay monthly bills are content. Like happiness, it is personal.
ReplyDeleteI agree. some people will always covet more and more. Others want less and less. Some just want to share. It is all relative to how you chose to live.
DeleteGratitude is truly a way to experience abundance in all seasons of life. Sadly, our society does not embrace this. Lynn Ewing
ReplyDeleteAmen!!! So true on both counts!!!!!
DeleteYou are so right, Cheryl. The Word says that Christ came to give us life, an abundant life, so everything we have is from Him. The world only sees wealth as money. We should see wealth as everything else the Lord has given us.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea who the YouTuber is that you're referring to, but I will say that when these "influencers" start making money and all of a sudden they change, that's when I stop watching.
Amen. God has gifted us with so much in our lives. The love of money seems sinful to me. There is so much in our lives that we need to be ever thankful for.
DeleteI didn't mention a name, as I didn't want to spread advertising them! Yes, it seems they do change. I basically have only one or two I do enjoy, as they just seem down to earth.
That is important to me.