My dad learned this poem from from his grandfather when he was a child. The author is unknown but it was Dad's favorite poem and a perfect description of the way he lived his life. I was going through some old boxes and found this with a note at the top from my dads late sister. It kinda made me stop and reflect on what a great man, father, husband, provider, and friend he was. He was my rock and my hero. I've spent my life trying to be the man he was. I haven't even come close.

"My Cup Has Overflowed"

I ain't never made no fortune,
But it's probably too late now.
But it don't make no difference,
Because I'm happy any how.

As I've traveled down life's highway,
I've reaped more than I've sowed.
I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I ain't got no riches,
And there's times when things was tough.
But I've got friends and kids that love me,
And that makes me rich enough.

So I thank God for his mercies,
And for the blessings he's bestowed.
And I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I recall the times when things went wrong,
And my faith was growing thin.
But then all at once the dark clouds broke,
And the sun peeked through again.

So Lord please help me not to gripe,
About the hard row I have hoed.
'Cause I'm drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God grants me strength and courage,
When my path grows steep and rough,
I'll not ask for further blessings,
For I've been blessed enough.

May I never get to busy,
To help others bear their load.
And I'll keep drinkin' from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

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Real men love cats!

Thanks for your poem. It does put things in the proper perspective.

I think I will start using a saucer.

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Don

Great poem. Probably hard to learn to recite though. When I was in the 4th and 5th grades, my teacher would use the old, "staying in", as punishment for breaking rules. We had to stay in until we were able to recite whichever poem she assigned to us. The worse the offense, the longer the poem. I still remember some lines from some of the many, many poems I had to learn.
peace
gordon

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better have that checked

Ha ha ha! You and I may have had the same teacher only mine was in the 7th grade. She was a mean old bitty. Hated kids, eppecially boys. We all got the hard stuff to memorize, like T.S. Elliot. No Iambic pentameter allowed.

But she is the reason I even know what Iambic pentameter is and she did force feed us a LOT of the classics. No long term damage I suppose but a most unpleasant way to start the day EVERY day of 7th grade. Had Mrs. McClung 1st period.

We had a lot of fun with her name, don'tcha know?!

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Real men love cats!

Another version to lookback is--in the case of what happened to me yesterday while on a walk. I didnt have my glasses on--since I was raining sweat--and I thought I saw something green on the sidewalk--thinking someone littered. I passed it up--then walkd back, picked it up and had found a wad of cash. $29.00 worth!! Then, about 5 minutes later, I saw another green wad on the side of the sidewalk--yup-you guessed it--I found $17.00 more dollars. As there were no houses or businesses where I was walking, and nothing associated with the ash telling me who's it was? I pocked it and will be using e extra money to go towards that new lap top.

My wife sang that at a good friends funeral a couple of years ago. Kind of a country tune and she doesn't do country. But, since he was a great friend she practiced hard and did an outstanding job, if I do say so my biased self.
It was the first time I had heard that and it fit Bill, my friend and atty., very well.
Not to drift off, but especially as we get older more of our friends pass on. Some leave a void in your life that can't be filled. Bill was such a friend.

WOW! Ringo, that IS a stroke of luck. Now you can send me them .22s you wuz talkin' about. But seriously. Congratulations.

I don't find money very often but I sure do love it when I do. After I retired I worked for about 3 years as maintenance for a self storage company. Minor repairs, changing light bulbs, yard work, cleaning vacant units etc.

I opened up a unit that had just been vacated and it was empty....except for a huge glass container that had been full of change and must have gotten dropped.

The deal I had with the management was that if I found abandoned items I was to report it and then we could negotiate whether or not I could keep it. They were very generous and usually let me keep the item of if they sold it give me part of the proceeds. They said that I needed to clean up all the glass so they could re rent the unit but I was welcome to all the money. It was $108.11.

I spent it on ammo.

But you'd be surprised at some the the stuff people will go off and leave. Furniture, Appliances, Tools, Jewelry and cash (usually in a drawer of some kind of in the seat of couches and chairs. I wound up with some pretty nice stuff over the 3 years I was at it.

Again, congratulations on your find.

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Real men love cats!

I found a penny the other day, I thought I was the one to have good luck.

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Don

Thank you Jack and,there's always Chrismas gift exchanges.:-)) Today, while at the laundry mat--I found a Penny-face up. I did pick it up. I left togot the store next door for a drink--saw a penny on the ground face down--so I left it. I guess im a wee bit superstitious?? Now--IF I saw something largeer than penny on the ground facr-up?you bet ill snag it.:-)) Last week at a bus stop--I found $1 face down on he cocrete. I used it for the rest ofhe week for bus fare. Now I wish I would get THAT lukck with the lotto-or winning the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.

You might have. Look at the date and see what kind of a mint mark it may have? I have a few pennies worht about $10 each.

Ringo I need to drift on down to Corpus "Crispies" and follow you around for a few days. Couple of bux here and there adds up. Spendin' it, loosin' it or findin' it....it adds up.

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Real men love cats!

Many years ago a buddy was telling a group of us about the time his grandfather was digging through a manure pile with a dung fork and found a gold watch.

Somebody asked, "Bill, why was he digging through the manure pile?"

Bill said, "He was looking for his watch."

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Oh well, what the hell.

Heh heh, wish I were really lucky. The most I ever won playing the lottery was $30.

I went to a garage sale awhile back and bought a few items including some books. The total was around $30. When I got home I found 3 new $10 bills while thumbing thru one of the books !
Jim