Dena and I were lying in bed last night and just chatting like we usually do. Dena had recorded a show she likes and we watched earlier that evening. The premise was about a guy that had won $100,000,000.00 in the lottery. So I asked Dena, "What if we won the lottery? Tell me what you would do with the money?" It was fun to dream a little. We talked about traveling, and charity. We talked about small things like getting new cars (our cars have anywhere from 180,000 miles to 250,000 plus miles on them), and buying new clothes. We decided we would give our family members a certain lump sum of money each. It could certainly be life-changing.
But the reality of winning the lottery is that it is not really a dream. For many, winning the lottery has been a nightmare. For example, William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security. "I wish it never happened. It was totally a nightmare," says Post.
A former girlfriend successfully sued him for a share of his winnings. It wasn't his only lawsuit. A brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him, hoping to inherit a share of the winnings. Other siblings pestered him until he agreed to invest in a car business and a restaurant in Sarasota, Fla., -- two ventures that brought no money back and further strained his relationship with his siblings. Post even spent time in jail for firing a gun over the head of a bill collector. Within a year, he was $1 million in debt. Post admitted he was both careless and foolish, trying to please his family. He eventually declared bankruptcy. Now he lives quietly on $450 a month and food stamps. Poor people won't cease to be poor until they learn to think differently and change their habits.
Most people think winning the lottery is a gift. In fact, the real gift is being able to work and provide a living for our family. Although my current position has many obstacles and presents some emotional hardship from time to time, I am thankful everyday for the talents God has given me to provide an above-average income for my family and for the opportunity I have been given to do so.
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