Rich in Blessings

The other day I was going to the metropolis south of our town. I was waiting for a minivan as I was getting ready to pull out onto the highway. As the minivan passed, I noticed something was written on the back window. What I read brought a smile to my face...it said, "$Rich in Family$."

Part of the reason I smiled was because of the message. But mostly I smiled because it brought back a memory from my childhood that still manifests itself today.
I remember being a little girl and asking my mom if we were rich. Her response was always the same... "We are rich in blessings."

I think it kind of comforted my little girl self even though I probably didn't get the entirety of what she was saying. When we are little we don't fully grasp the concept of money. I think little kids need to know that they're going to be taken care of. They need to know that their needs are going to be met.

At the same time, my mom didn't want to lie to me... because in the monetary sense we weren't rich.

It's after we get a little older and have more experience with the world that we start to understand money and what it entails. We have more experience with "having" and "not having," and comparing it to others.

As I got older, during the teenage and early adult years, I remember laughing and joking about my mom's answer with my brothers and sister. We knew darn well we weren't rich.

I focused on the financial aspect. I think I was young, and had grand visions of making a better and different life for myself and my family. A life where there were lots of "things." Because "things" would make it different and better. Maybe "things" would make me different and better.
Now that I'm in my thirties, and have had a little bit more experience, I see things a little more clearly. I'm not naive, and I know I have a lot more to learn, but I try to put the priority on people more than money or things. I'm beginning to understand the real meaning behind being "rich in blessings."
Our life is extremely rich. We have all of our needs met, and a lot of our wants. We have many wonderful relationships with people that enrich our lives every day. Specifically the relationships we have with family. They truly are treasures. Real treasure.

It's funny, because now I have my own kids, they ask me that same question, "Are we rich, mom?" I answer them the same way my mom did: "Yes, we are. We are rich in blessings."

Here's how my grandma told me to bottle cherries:

Put 1/2 cup sugar in the bottom of a quart jar :: Fill the jar about a quarter way full with warm water :: Mix with the sugar to make a syrup :: Add washed and stemmed cherries whole, to the jar :: Pack them in as good as you can, leaving an inch of head space (This is usually to the bottom of the neck of the jar.) :: Wash around the neck of the bottle to remove any syrup :: Put a new lid on and tighten :: Place in a cold pack canner :: Bring to a boil :: Process for 25 to 30 minutes :: Remove the jars from the canner and let cool.

Note: the pits are left in the cherries and taken out when you use them after bottling. The top few pictures are of plum jelly. Rich indeed.