Papa's words

My papa passed away in a sudden accident when I was thirteen.
This past Christmas grandma let us choose a couple of his commentaries and books to keep.
Books were what he was all about.
Books and gardening and fishing and hunting and serving God...
If it was outside, he loved it. If it was inside the pages of a book, he read it.
I like to think that we are kindred spirits.

While flipping through one of his books (a 1966 edition of "Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,") a folded up piece of notebook paper fell out containing writing in his cursive scrawl. Here's what it says:

Ps 128. FEAR
Reasons to obey God    Love - Fear
                                          Eccles. reason for exist fear & keep
                                          Psalm Fear beginning of wisdom
                                          Hebrew 10 fearful thing
How God would have us be - Read Ps 128

Really, it doesn't say very much. Likely it was the beginning of a sermon outline or just some jotted down little thoughts. But reaching forward from the past it reminds me of the man I love and teaches me a little more about who he was, and who he continues to be: one who fears the Lord.

Read Psalm 128. It's short.

And it really does tell us "how God would have us be."
If we fear the Lord and walk in His ways, we will be blessed and happy.
And thinking about how simple it really is, it's astounding.
Love God. Fear God. Obey God. Serve God.
And your life will be abundantly rich, overflowing with all manner of good things.

Why then, is it sometimes so hard?

Thankful for simplicity. Even when the simple things are the hardest.