I am not poor

 I am not poor (no complaints)

I am not poor

but:

I do know how it feels as a parent to not have the money available to put your children in the sports and activities of their choice

I am not poor

I, we, have put our children in many good sports and activities, events and programs

I am not poor

but:

I do go out of my way to get free offers of food at work when possible, instead of eating out (some are military meals ready to eat, which is part of my pay, disdained by many; other meals are from the employers or kind colleagues)

I am not poor

but:

I know what it is to be at the beck and call of a boss, (bosses, rather,) who feel that I must (and I respond to) and fulfill their whims and pleasures, physical tasks that at times require menial work, even in my late 40s, for long hours, even days, and nights

I am not poor

Never in my life have I worried about not having food.

I have been able to work with a healthy body and mind all my life, and there were always opportunities to do it and get it.

I am not complaining. I am not poor.

but:

I know what it means to feel like you are poor.

Yet, I am blessed and I was born in the most powerful country in the world,

but:

I have worked because I was hungry

I have worked because I needed to

Sometimes I had to work instead of doing what I wanted to do

but:

I have been able to do a lot of cool things and pay for good things

I am not poor

but:

I have worked while ill plenty of times

I have worked, and I have been blessed, to be able to earn cash and checks, and pensions

I have been fortunate not to get injured, to stop me from working

I am not poor, I am not bragging

but:

We all have to work

In order to not be poor

I have been blessed by hard working parents, who never stopped providing

I am certainly not poor when it comes to my parents

I am privileged in my upbringing that my parents sweated and sacrificed for me

I am not poor

My parents helped me financially as an adult with education and transportation

I am not poor

I am still blessed by my parents' gifts and contributions, into my late 40s

I am not poor

I harbor no complaints, no grudges

but:

I know what it is like to empty out a spouses' teacher retirement savings in order to move across the country with no immediate job prospects, with children in tow and more on the way, going to interviews and being turned down, doing many temporary jobs with no health insurance, driving one vehicle while the mother and children are foot bound, working from six in the morning till nine thirty at night, driving home tired to get up early the next day

I am not poor

but: I have worked and not worked in times of stress

I have paid some dues to pay the bills, get ahead, save for important things

I am not poor

I have been able to purchase things, nice things, afford nice trips, nice entertainment

My wife has been frugal and hard working, resourceful and finding opportunities for work while raising our young

I am not poor

I am blessed

I am not poor

As a married man I have been able to do things that others never have done

I am not poor

We went to South America with two small children and we survived for months, affording the costs of a return trip for me with a job interview that did not pan out, but I made it there and back

I am not poor, financially

but: I have concerns for helping my progeny receive their adult educations, as college funds and savings are not what we had hoped

A G.I. bill offered years ago is still not valid, 529 plans did not perform as hoped...

I am not poor

but: I have goals and desires un-achieved, for both me and my own

I am not poor

I possess strength and abilities, I still have some vigor

I am not poor, I am blessed

but: I still have dreams to live, I still need to be hungry to work

I know what it feels like to be poor

I have scrubbed toilets, pots and pans, served countless meals, swept and mopped and waxed floors, stood guard at night, worked numerous grave yard shifts, done heavy lifting, worn hair and beard nets on a chain line, toiled in hot, dark, dangerous, or too cold, too wet work environments, without enough sleep, long hours with little rest, low pay, high labor expectations...

I have worked where people are hurt, where you must wear ear plugs to avoid hearing damage, have worked where people are shot, or bombed, I have worked in sub-zero temperatures out doors and in, in stifling attics and moldy basements at all hours... I have worked with students who have cursed me and threatened me, and sometimes I them...

I have been berated by bosses, told to do risky things, told to do things that injured and bruised me, sometimes while sick.

I have been told to do the chores of the lowly man, or woman. I have done all those things , even in the last year, for pay. Or sometimes out of community service, voluntarily

I am not poor, but I am not afraid of working like a poor man

I have to work

I am not poor

and: God blesses me

God gives me life, movement, inspiration, motivation, opportunity, freedom, family (loving wife, children, extended family and parents)

I am poor, spiritually

but: I am blessed, spiritually

All of our spirits are needy, like babies, like children, we never grow out of that poverty

I am poor in spirit

I know that God sustains me

I am poor in spirit, as Jesus said

but: I know that this is good for me

I am spiritually hungry, needy

I cannot rest, I cannot stop wanting for the Spirit of God

I am poor

I am Christian

I believe Jesus the Savior paid for me, I owe him, I am in eternal debt, I can only pay through faith and love

I am not poor-- He ransoms me, I am His

I am not bragging

I wish to be poor

Christ will give me everything I want, everything I need

I will inherit the earth

I choose to be poor in His service

but:

I am not poor

and: this will save me

I am rich

Forever and ever, untold riches I am promised

I have access to many of these riches now: freedom to choose, family, work, entertainment, shelter, food, drinks, travel, protection, God and country, my fellow soldiers and those that serve and sacrifice

Heroes and servants abound around me, inspire, uplift me, comfort me

I am rich

I am not poor