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Thursday, December 11, 2008

25 Million Dollars

Tonight my friend Melissa asked me what I would do if I had $25 million dollars every year for the rest of my life. What would I do with it? Though I couldn't tell her right that second what I would do, now that I've had time to think about it, I know a few things I would do with it:
1) I would first make sure to put my home and family in order. I would build the house of our dreams, a modest one that would be sufficient for our needs and have a few extras. I would never want my children to know from the way we lived that we had a ton of money. I would also figure out a budget for our costs of living and set aside in savings the amount of money we would need to live without income or the ability to buy food, etc. for two years. This would include an amazing food storage, 72-hour kits for the number of children we want to have, money for missions, education, etc. It would also include plans for/money for my childrens' extracurricular interests, talents, and hobbies. I don't want to spoil them -- they'll have to work for things and learn that life's decisions (daily decisions) have consequences, but I also want them to have opportunities to develop themselves and share what they have to offer the world in the best way possible.

2) I would buy my mom and dad homes on land that they could do whatever they wanted with and would never have to worry again about rent or being homeless or not being able to live freely. I would also make sure all of their medical expenses were taken care of. The rest would be up to them.

3) I would set aside enough money to send 10 missionaries on missions every year so they would have the opportunity that someone gave me to share the gospel in spite of economic circumstances that might otherwise not allow it.

4) I would establish a printing and editing company, with a dual emphasis on good children and young adult literature and higher education.

5) As part of this company, there would be a charitable foundation on the side. From this, I would finish setting up the program for impoverished youth that I began to design while I was in Virginia before I came back to Moscow to date and marry Dave. The focus would include education, leadership, talent development, and community involvement and volunteerism.

6) I would set up a scholarship fund for non-traditional students (like my brother) to help more people be able to have the jobs they want and not just the ones they have settled for in order to have a pay check to take care of their families.

7) I would set up an orphanage project to send students to work for a semester to a year in an orphanage in a third-world country. This project would have to include a focus on educating the children and preparing them to succeed in the world (if they don't get adopted) after they grow up and move on.

8) I would take my family on a family vacation every year to a new place, somewhere we had researched and learned about for the entire year before.

9) I would start a chain of bed and breakfasts with rates that corresponded to the guests place in life/economic circumstances. For example, I would have excellent student rates and excellent rates for young couples with young kids that need to reconnect as husband and wife. I would also have great rates for empty-nesters because they need to reconnect as well and probably wouldn't have any money after getting their kids out on their own. ;-D

10) I would purchase a life-long membership in a gym. Or, better yet, I would start a gym specifically designed for new moms and moms with young children and busy husbands. That way, they could have a place to come and get away without worrying that their children are being neglected and could pull themselves together enough to have the energy to go back and give to their families.


Well, Melissa, that's what I have thought of in the last hour.

What would you do?