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Cream rises...
Growing up, one of my favorite book sets was my "Little House on the Prairie" series that I got in 2nd grade. I read the whole set cover to cover multiple times. I often dreamt of how it would be to live like Ma and Pa Ingalls, riding horses, washing clothes with a washboard, and baking biscuits for breakfast each morning. I'm sure that some romanticized version of that story existed in my mind. That slow pace of life on the prairie sure seemed enviable. Until…
Life back in the day...
Recently, I've started watching 1883! Y'all, the storytelling is brilliant. The main character narrates in her heavy southern accent, which adds to the storyline's creativity and drama. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say, I don't envy any part of life on the prairie back in the day. It was nothing short of harsh. There is absolutely nothing romantic about washing clothes in the 1880s or today (because laundry is endless…if you know, you know). And a cross country road trip in a rickety covered wagon with some cowhands and stray cattle…forget about it!!
But there are some key truths from the past that resonate with me today:
1). Life isn't easy…maybe it shouldn't be
2). What doesn't kill you makes you stronger (a post for another day)
3). Never underestimate the value of a home-cooked meal
4). A little dirt never killed anyone...except during the dust bowl in which it killed a lot of people. (I hate dirt, but I'm trying to embrace it as a necessary evil)
4). Cream rises to the top…(I always wanted to churn butter, keep reading!)
It's easy to take for granted all the luxuries and conveniences we have in modern times. Life is pretty smooth for us in the 21st century, and most people will never know the hardships and just how difficult it was to simply survive back in the 1800 and 1900s. A day of physical labor will near kill us in 2022, but it was part of everyday existence in the 1800s. And do you know something? Only those who could go the distance, fight the good fight and pull themselves up by their bootstraps, they were the only ones to survive.
The cream rises...
Which leads me to butter churning. I love butter! Not like Paula Deen loves butter, but I'm a heavy hand with butter in my meals. And I like real butter, the $5.00 a pound kind of butter. If you've ever spent any time on a dairy farm, you might learn that as milk separates, the cream rises to the top. The cream is the best part - where we get butter! It doesn't happen rapidly; it's a process.
I think life is kind of like that. We all start as milk. But, those of us who persevere, remain focused, stay determined, go the extra mile, lend a hand, love our neighbor, and put God first, well, I hope we rise to become the cream. And even though it doesn't come easily, it's worth it because that is the good stuff. So, let's stick with it and hang tough; I'm cheering us on!