Beans and Rice Broke

Robert West | January 21, 2022

Greetings Everyone.

We are on the road this week and had a great reception at True Texas Project in Webster and Waxahachie. 

Wednesday night we were at the Dallas GOP headquarters and today we are off to Conroe. Normally, I would write about Texas Politics but not today.

A person asked me, “If money cannot not buy happiness, then why are poor people always miserable?”

To start off I will admit I have been “beans and rice broke” more than once. If anyone has ever dug through the couch and checked under their car seats in order to get that last 15 cents to pay rent and avoid the $45 late charge, you know what I mean.

In the last year GOD has blessed me and my wife; by the end of this week, we will have more than we have ever had in our accounts. 

No, it was not from selling my book and it certainly was not from speaking.

The truth is, if we break even on the road, it is a victory but we are called to do this. I told my wife when we started TFSP, that we would be provided for if we trusted.

It might have been 20 years ago; my wife was raising our two children while I worked a couple of low paying jobs. 

We were in a small apartment and I went to the grocery store with all the money we had at the time.  I saw corn on the cob for 25 cents an ear which even back then was an amazing price. I found an entire salmon for maybe $15 and I made sure that price was right before they rang me up.

I walked home with a bag of corn and a frozen fish over one shoulder, that was a really big fish. Walking home I remember being happy, like “grinning till it hurt” happy.

I realized something while answering his question. That day was one of the happiest days of my life besides the kids being born and my wedding day.

In the last couple of weeks, we closed a land deal and started the process of buying a building that we will turn into a business.  

My wife and I have met a great friend that is now our business partner and we have several friends running for state-wide office.

Looking back, I appeared on the Chad Prather Show and afterwards he gave us a tour of the studio. For a few minutes we even watched Glenn Beck record a show. 

All of this is great and I am not bragging, just saying it has been a great year.

All of that was just to say this. None of that made me as happy as bringing home that fish and bag of corn to my family. Not a single day has brought me that much joy and I had not realized it until the other night.

The next thing that hit me was that not everyone would have seen that day in the same light.  Too many people would have felt ashamed or felt guilty for not being able to provide that kind of food for their family every day.

Another time, we moved to Colorado for a job, we could not afford first, last and deposit. For a short period, we had to live in a Motel 6 with two kids, a dog, 2 cats and a gecko.

It was one of the happiest times in our lives.

The apartment we moved into after the second check rolled in was brand new, three bedrooms, granite countertops and almost within view of my work.

Later, when we passed the “Motel 6” my son would smile, to him that was the best place he had ever lived. It was where we had shared memories, watched the TV series “Dinosaurs” and played board games.

My daughter was old enough to be embarrassed at us being “homeless” but I caught her looking at the motel more than once in the rearview with the same look as my son. 

I think he even asked more than once when we could move back.

I guess I just wanted to share with you that your attitude counts for more than your altitude in life.  There is an old prayer that I use that sums up the question.

“Heavenly Father, far too many people in this world have an appetite but no food. Far too many people have storehouses bursting with food but no appetite. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me and my family with both at the same time. In your son's name I pray, amen.

Robert West