He then took the bag to a table and emptied it out and began to count the coins. Doing so, he realised that there were 99 coins. He thought that was an odd number, so he counted again, and again, and again only to come to the same conclusion... 99 Gold Coins.

He began to wonder, what could have happened to that last one coin? For no one would leave 99 coins. He began to search his entire house, looked around his backyard for hours, not wanting to lose out on that one coin. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever before to make up for that one gold coin so as to make his entire collection an even 100 gold coins.

He got up the following day in an extremely horrible mood, shouting at the children and his wife for his delay. He had spent most of the night thinking how he would work hard so that he would have enough money to buy himself that one gold coin. He went to work as usual - but not in his usual best mood, as he grumpily did in his daily errands.

The King was puzzled to see that the man's attitude had changed so drastically. He promptly summoned his assistant to his chambers and related to him his new observation about the servant. The King could not believe that the servant whom until yesterday had been singing away and was happy and content with his life had taken such a sudden downward slope in attitude when he ought to be happier after receiving the gold coins.

To this, the assistant replied "Ah! But your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club." He explained: "The 99 Club is just a name given to those people who have everything but yet are never contented, therefore they are always working hard and striving for that extra one to round it up to 100!

We have so much to be thankful for and we can live with very little in our lives. But the minute we are given something bigger and better, we want even more! We are not the same happy and contented person we used to be, we want more and more. And by wanting more and more we don't realise the price we pay for it. We lose our sleep, our happiness; we hurt the people around us just as a price to pay for our growing needs and desires. That is what joining The 99 Club is all about."

Hearing this, King decided that from that day onward, he was going to start appreciating the little things in life.

Learning point: Striving for more is always good, but let's not strive so hard and for so much that we lose all those near and dear to our hearts, we shouldn't compromise our happiness for moments of luxuries!

 - Author Unknown

Meditation: Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7

You will succeed in Jesus Name!