Not Easy... Worth Seeking Out

 

Daily Gratitude Year 10- Day 160: Today, I am grateful it is not easy... but worth seeking out. 

Have you ever noticed that once something becomes easy, we get a little lazy. We expect  more tasks to be done with less effort. 

Now, I am not against modern technology. I love my fridge, stove, heater, air-conditioner and all of the other amenities we "first world people" take for granted. I am guilty of not being more grateful every day for those tiny, little conveniences, but that is why we are here chasing daily gratitude. Year ten into this journey, and I find there are still new little things I have forgotten to speak about in gratitude. Every day, I learn something new on the journey.

When something is easy... we fail to appreciate it. When something is hard, we often give up before we accomplish our goal. Someone just shared a post about all of Abraham Lincoln's losses, failures and disappointments. He failed far more than he succeeded. Still, he kept God's word in his head and in his heart, daily. He kept going.

The Love of His Life died when they were engaged to be wed. His marriage to Mary Todd Lincoln was not easy. History seems to record both suffered from depression. He lost elections... more than he won. When he finally made it to the White House to lead the nation, the Civil War would be on his plate, the loss of another child and many surrounding him who wanted him to fail. Still, he did his best to keep the straight and narrow path his legacy.  

His legacy was rich. So were the tears that watered the ground of soldier's graves on both sides of the Civil War. He hated the war. He cared about lives on both sides. He looked for the solutions that would save the most lives. He wasn't perfect, but he tried to do the most right he could do... until he took his last breath. 

Dad and Mama Ina Mae had "Johnny Horton Sings America" on vinyl. It was my favorite and could be what sparked my love of history and learning through songs that tell stories or teach. (Thank you Susie Akerman for the "States and Capitals" song) Oh yes, School House Rock was my favorite on Saturday mornings after Scooby-Do. (Hey, I was a kid who loved  mysteries.) Back to Johnny Horton... 

Johnny Horton's Song, "Johnny Reb", tells of the great "Victory Ball" that was thrown in his honor when the war was finally over. Instead of instructing the band to play a Union victory song, Abe asked them to play the song "Dixie" out of respect for the broken, the grieving and the dead. Mama and I would sing that song all last summer. It was on her playlist of favorites. Even now, I tear up at the lyrics. Abe hurt for the division, the brokenness, the evil running rampant, the lives lost, the fathers and sons who never came home on both sides of the battle-lines. Abe sought the narrow way. 

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." -Matthew 7:13-14 

No matter what Abraham Lincoln did, there would be losses to both sides. Brother against brother, perhaps, is the worst kind of hate.  We can't find that "very narrow and difficult road" by being smart enough, good enough or sprinkled with the right water. 

How do we find it? Jesus gave us the answer... and the key to the gate.  "LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, ... and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF". (Not shouting, just making it easy to find.)

Here is the passage in Matthew 22:37: "Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."

Then, God in His mercy...  accepted Jesus's sacrifice on the cross in our place. The shofar blew and the death angel would once again pass over us, those who choose to believe and receive. 

Not that hard, right? Ha! But, not easy either. The gate is narrow and the path exhausting at times, but keep going. 

Long post... thanks for sticking with it if you made it to the end. Thanks to all who share encouragement on this journey, whether you have been her for 10 days or all 10 years. 

Today, I am grateful it is not easy... but worth it.