I Grew Up Rich

I grew up rich.
Don't let the tattered hand-me-downs,
Or rusted out floorboards
In the sputtering Chevy fool you.
Where the best, if any, meat on the table
Was a deer or rabbit
Or maybe a squirrel caught in
The sight of Daddy's rifle.
The thin, cold sheets on the squeaky, shared beds,
Pinto beans and cornbread suppers -
Again -
Don't give the secret away.
For we were wealthy beyond measure.
Not just a Mama and Daddy
Who loved us, corrected us, taught us,
Modeled character and
Prayed for us each day and night.
But more relatives and friends
Than gold bars in Fort Knox.
Grandparents, cousins, Uncles and Aunts,
Even Great Uncles who teased us
And Great Aunts who made blue-ribbon jams
If the weather was good enough
To be blessed with berries.
Days spent laughing and running,
Hours spent in church and praying for others,
Minutes spent to purchase sweet memories,
Lessons of life that last beyond life,
Still usable and spendable after others are gone.
Passed on by will and choice
To the next generation.
Love from our Eternal Father,
Priceless gift of His salvation
And blessing of His Lordship,
Lived out in love by others,
The greatest treasure.
I grew up rich.