10 - Ships

Have you ever sat and pondered what you would do if you won the lottery or the sweepstakes or just suddenly came into a substantial amount of money? Well, I have.

It would be a dream come true. After writing the biggest check in my tithing history, I would:

- Buy houses/pay off the mortgages for my family (and me)
- Buy a big cabin on Hebgen Lake
- Set up a charitable organization doing something great for children where the now mortgage-free family could spend their time
- Buy a car for any of the family who needed it (and four new cars for me – Black Convertible Boxster, Big Jeep, Super Big Truck, and a CRV like the one I have now only black and with a few extras)
- Undoubtedly go to the spa once a week and spend a few weeks buying a ridiculous amount of clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses, luggage, and organizing bins, etc.
- Fly first class to Australia and spend two weeks driving down the Great Ocean Road
- And best of all, I would buy whatever gifts I wanted for family, friends, coworkers…whomever

Can you imagine? Not being constrained by a budget when purchasing gifts for people? THIS would be nirvana for me. I absolutely LOVE giving gifts. It is not because I am a wonderful philanthropist or benefactress (what a cool word!)…I just really get a kick out of seeking out and giving gifts that are special for people I love. I am sure it has more to do with loving shopping than anything else. OH….and, think of the stuffed animal lions I could get for me and my nieces and nephews. Life-sized. What fun!

The thing is, I can’t wait for my pirate ship (with Orlando Bloom captaining it) to come in. Albert Einstein said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” So – I am going to have to be worthwhile now. I am pretty sure the Budget Master would frown on increasing the 2011 amount budgeted for gifts, so- people who I love: get ready for non-monetary gifts….whatever that is. Oh Mr. Pirate...where are you?

#10 on my list of Favorite Things is GIVING GIFTS (which I prefer to call PRIZES).