I was listening to the radio the other day.  I love country music.  So, of course it was on a country station.  I have heard the song “Red Dirt Road” by Brooks & Dunn ever since it came out.  It’s a song about a person’s life that was experienced on a “Red Dirt Road”.  Well, of course I relate to that.  I was raised on Rural Route 2, right where the black top ended. (Which is just about the wording of the 1^st line of this song).  In Northeast Mississippi we had lots of red dirt roads.  But while I was listening to this song, for some reason it clicked finally what the duo was saying.  They talk about all this stuff that happened on the red dirt road, which was their life.  The song’s chorus goes like this:

 

It’s where I drank my first beer.

It’s where I found Jesus.

Where I wrecked my first car: I tore it all to pieces.

I learned the path to Heaven, Is full of sinners an’ believers.

Learned that happiness on earth, Ain’t just for high achievers.

I’ve learned; I come to know, There’s life at both ends, Of that red dirt road.

 

I think there is a lot of truth in this.  The part about happiness on earth ain’t just for high achievers- really is true.  Even the simplest of people can be completely happy.  Happiness is an easy thing to achieve, if you are willing to do what the Bible says.  In Proverbs there was a man named Agur. He declared what he had learned on his “Red Dirt Road”. 

 

Proverbs 30:7-9

Two [things] have I required of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].

 

Agur wanted to be rid of a life of excessive pride & lying.  Then, he did not want to be rich or poor, since there are problems with both. In verse 9 he explains if we are prideful or rich we think we don’t need God.  If we are poor, we could be tempted to steal & curse God (a big ol’ helpin’ of a “Why me, Lord?” attitude).  I think there is a BIG lesson in those couple of verses.  One that I needed to hear for sure.  I need to be more content.  I need to enjoy what God has allowed me to achieve on my red dirt road of life.  (Instead of always looking for something  more to make me happy.)  Did you notice Agur did not want a lot of money?  I think if we had a lot of money we would be in a constant state of greed, making sure nobody’s trying to get our money.  Then we could be worried that something would happen to our money.  All that time spent trying to keep hold to all that we have.  When, you can’t take it with you.  In my life time, I have seen so many people act so silly over stuff.  You know what?  When the Lord calls them home, what’s going to happen to that stuff?  Somebody else is going to end up with it.  I haven’t ever seen a U-Haul (full of stuff) pulled behind a hearse.  Have you?  I think ol’ Agur hit it all right on the head.

 

I hope you don’t mind that my post today includes, Jesus, beer, & happiness.    Because I don’t believe  in any way, that those things go together.  It just worked out that way, for once.  I will ask for forgiveness because Lord have mercy, I don’t want anybody to be offended by it.  Ya’ll just have to understand where I am coming from with this.  I’m so glad you chose to stop by & visit with me.  I love it when you come by!  I have to be going for now, because I should be washing clothes.