I get crazy ideas when I’m trying to go to sleep. I often think about going back in time and doing a better job in my life, knowing then what I know now. But lately ‘ve had a series of ideas that I think it’s worth blogging about. I wasn’t inspired by the song “I had a Million Dollars”, but that’s the idea. But it’s not just a million dollars, it’s a million dollars a day. I imagine the source is busted drug, or the patent on shoelaces, or whatever; it’s not important. The important thing is to think of what you would do and the problems you would face still face if you had all the money you could want.
This very quickly becomes a serious problem that reveals one’s character. Retirement happens nearly instantly. If you wanted to give complete financial independence to anyone (perhaps your new child), $30,000 a year times 80 years is 2.4 million, plus 2.6 more for a one time lump pay-out, or as backup, equals five million dollars. That’s just five days. You could do that for every person in America in less than three and three quarter years. (This makes me wonder what is happening to our taxes where billions of dollars are tossed around like this all the time.)
Next up on my agenda would be tithing. I think our little church in Lynden, WA would be completely beside themselves with $500,000. Even Faith Presbyterian, where we’ve been going in Tacoma, WA would be overwhelmed with just a few million. I think I would end up giving a lot to a lot of Reformed denominations, but that would still only eat up a few days.
I guess I have revealed something about myself already: I would feel obligated, wherever the money came from, to do something good with it. I have a lot of thoughts on this matter, but perhaps I should ponder them more fully. Obviously, I think about starting a hospital under my supervision. I will make this an entire category of blog entries and revisit it later. More to follow …
church money
