That's a lotta money!

$1.1 billion with a cash option payout of $648 million...picking the correct six numbers tonight would be life-altering.  Boy, isn't that understatement of the year?

Whoever wins the money, I hope they do good things with it.  I hope many churches and charities in their community are allowed to share in the wealth.

I've seen quite a few stories published over the past week or so as this jackpot has gone up into the stratosphere.  Many of those posts have laid out all the over-the-top things that could be bought with that kind of payout. A yacht that would rival many cruise ships, your own mountain, and even your own island in the Bahamas are easily within reach with a $648 million payday.

What CAN'T you buy with $1 Billion?

I decided to take a different angle than what seems to be the norm.  Extravagance to the nth degree is what you could afford with the winning ticket, but even then...even with a cash option payout that is over $600 million, there are still many things this money can't buy.

So, that's my angle for this story.  Sure, it's fun to daydream and think of the homes, cars, and property you would purchase. It feels good putting on your make-believe philanthropist hat and imagining the feeling of handing over a million-dollar check to your church or to the local food bank.

But, unless you buck the 1 in 302,000,000 odds tonight, you will be left with a worthless piece of paper and the empty fantasies of that house overlooking the sea. However, the stuff that you cannot buy with a billion bucks is real, it's tangible, and it's probably already things you have or things you have experienced.

Watching your children excel

Whether in sports, faith, job, academics, family or in some form of personal growth, when you see your child accomplish something extraordinary, there is no price you can put on that feeling.

Andy Adams
Andy Adams
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attachment-Hudson 2013 state champs
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There is also no price to put on the smile I get when I listen to my wife go overboard on her support.

Missing That One Moment in Time

I'll call this the flipside of 'watching your child excel'.  Time travel is not possible, at least that we know of.  Once a moment happens, no amount of money is going to bring back that instance.

I was at work, running late for my son's baseball game.  I finally broke away and got to the ball game about 30 minutes late. A friend of mine told me that a few innings earlier, my son had hit a ball over the fence for a home run.  That was the only home run my son would ever hit in his baseball career...and I missed it, I wasn't there for him when he rounded the bases.  Not even a billion dollars could bring back that moment.

At least we have the baseball.

baseball
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Being Surrounded by Heroes

For the last 20 years or so, I've had the privilege of addressing the veterans during the  Huntington ISD Veterans Day Celebration.  The men and women who are honored during this event are the true essence of what American heroes are. There is no price tag on honor, integrity, and courage; and to be surrounded by such heroes is priceless.

KICKS 105
KICKS 105
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St. Jude Radiothons

We've been holding these radiothons for nearly 30 years on KICKS 105.  You can definitely put a number on the amount of money raised and on the amount of money it takes to help kids beat cancer, but there is no dollar amount that you can place on the fortitude of a suffering child battling cancer who shares their message for the benefit of others.

To Sadie, to Cadence, and to the many others, thank you for sacrificing so much to serve others.

Cadence
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Sadie
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Knowing God loves you, and Loving Him in Return

Love is the currency of God.  Giving to others and sacrificing for others is the true mark of a rich person.  Being confident in your relationship with God is invaluable, the treasure of watching your children discover that is incalculable.

Praying
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Finally...This

Family

Hugs
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merrells
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There are many, many things that money can't buy, but, you get the idea.  Eventually, someone, somewhere is going to win all that money, but it won't be enough to buy the things that are truly important.

Danny Merrell's daughter gets married in Cancun

Chandler Merrell, the oldest daughter of KICKS 105's Danny Merrell, got married at a beautiful resort in Cancun. Here are some photos from the wedding, resort, and reception.

 

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