The Saga of Miles Forrest

What do you think went wrong with Billy?” asked Molly.
    I shrugged my shoulders then stood up, turned to the stove and took hold of the handle of the coffeepot.  I brought it back to the table and filled Molly and Marta’s cups.
    Anihu, Marta’s sister, came out from the kitchen.  I motioned her over, “Come, join us.”  I went to the counter for another cup.  Rarely did she ever appear from the kitchen.  She would come in early in the morning, get the stoves hot, cook, clean the kitchen, and leave at night after closing.
    She gave a little smile as I pulled out a chair for her then poured her a cup.  “Gracias, Senor Forrest,” she said stiffly.
    “Está bien,” Marta whispered.
    Then Marta looked at Molly.  “To answer you, Billy is what you say, spoiled!”
    “Well,” I remarked, “we gave him plenty chances.”
    Molly started to reply when through the door walked Doc Jones.  Anihu glanced at him, then jumped up and scurried to the kitchen.
    “Was my approach untimely?” he questioned with concern.
    “Sit down, Doc,” suggested Molly.  “Miles, would you get him some coffee?”
    “She hasn’t been the same since our mother died from the fever sickness.  She was always quiet, aloof, but now she rarely speaks to anyone.  When she sees you Doctor Jones, she remembers the diphtheria and the death of our mother.”
    “I am truly sorry,” answered Doc.
    “I’m concerned about Billy,” interrupted Molly.  “What will happen to him?”
    After taking a sip, I replied.  “It depends on which court takes precedence.  If tried for shooting you by the State, he’ll most likely spend several years in Canon City.  If the federals try him for shooting me, he’ll go to that prison in Kansas,” I paused, taking a long drink, wiped my moustache and continued.  “Either way, he’ll be spending a long time in prison.”
    “Shame,” Molly remorsefully replied, “I always liked him.”
    I just grunted.
    “Who would have guessed he was related to banker Billington?” Doc was questioning when two youngsters burst through the door.
    “I have a message for you marshal,” yelled one.
    “No, I have the message,” said the other who turned to face his opponent.
    “Hey!” I yelled.  “Tommy, who gave you the message?”
    “It was that old man, Grizz, I think he’s called.”
    “Okay, Henry, what was the message?”
    “To hurry on down to the jail!”
    Standing up I searched in my vest pocket and found two nickels.  Flipping them each one I said, “Tell him I’m on my way.”
    Reaching down I drank the last couple of swallows of coffee, wiped my sleeve across my moustache, received a frown from Molly, so I patted her on the shoulder saying, “Let me go see what Grizz wants.”
    Grizz was standing outside the jail with Charlie Gold.  As I approached, he pointed at the bundled draped over the packhorse.  It was a body…

Echoes From the Campfire

Money is not always the only consideration.  Out here we place emphasis upon the basic virtues, and I have noticed that the more organized our lives become the less attention we pay to such things as courage and loyalty.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (North to the Rails)

    “But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
              –Jeremiah 17:10 (NLT)
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              “Jesus is the One, yes He’s the only One,
               Let Him have His way until the day is done,
               When He speaks you know, the clouds will have to go
               Just because He loves you so.”
                       –unknown

We used to sing that chorus way back when I was a teenager in our youth group.  That cannot be true until we realize that God is in charge.  We are continually bound by our desires, we are bombarded by our fears and worries until we realize that God is truly in charge.
    People clamor and scream today for their rights.  Even in the church there are songs now proclaiming our freedom.  Freedom from what, I might ask?  “There is a direct correlation between freedom and the nature of those in authority.” (Brown)  If we truly surrender ourselves to God, we are free from sin and the yoke of the law.  This freedom actually means that we freely obey God’s commands.
         “[Biblical Freedom] is that state in which a child of God is accepted by God forever on the sole basis of Christ’s finished work on the cross.  It is always accompanied by God’s Spirit inn the life of the child of God, whereby the fear of failure is gradually replaced by the desire to succeed in the obedient, godly life.”  –Stephen Brown
    There are several things from which we are free.
         1)  We are free from fear — “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4, NKJV)
                 It is important to notice that God did not deliver him from things that made him afraid, but from his fears.  Fear is a reality.  Many time we bring it on ourselves; many times we over-exaggerate it, but there is such a thing as fear.  However, it is imperative that we understand that God is a greater reality than any of our fears.  
                 Fear of the unknown is said to be the greatest fear, and along with that is death.  We are all going to die, so why are we so afraid of it?  If God is in charge, when and how I die is not my responsibility, but God’s.
         2)  We are free from guilt — “‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’  Says your God.  ‘Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.'”  (Isaiah 40:1-2, NKJV)
                 Some people are on a continual guilt trip.  That is one of the favorite devices of the devil.  Some are still asking forgiveness for sins committed thirty years ago.  God must shake His head.  He forgave those sins thirty years ago; you received a pardon; that means the sin is erased from the books.  If God forgives, why do we continually beat ourselves up with guilt?  
         3)  We are free from the responsibility for the world.
                 This is something to really ponder–only a fool accepts responsibility without authority.  The world loves to play on our guilt.  Too many Christians still want to pay penance.  The world has no authority over you, so why continue to bow to the wishes of the world?  God is in charge and His authority is absolute; therefore, His responsibility is absolute.  We are then to be responsible where God put us.  We act out of obedience and love, but not to pay penance because of guilt.

Coffee Percs

I’ll get my coffeepot and you can make us some, long as you make it strong enough.”
              –Charles G. West  (Hell Hath No Fury)

It is a pure delight to welcome you to our little abode this mornin’.  Don’t worry, the coffee is plenty strong.  That’s one thing that’s hard to find anymore–strong coffee.  Pard, I’ve even seen folk water down weak coffee.  Take a sip, ahhh, now that makes the gizzard smile with delight.
    Speakin’ of coffee, I was sure in a dilemma this week.  The wife and I took the grandkids to Chuck E Cheese on Monday.  We decided not to eat, but then I spied a coffeepot, well, not exactly, one of those Keurig contraptions.  I decided to get me a cup and watch the kids run around and do their thing.  Then I was placed in a big consternation.  I had to make a choice between bad and worse.  They had decaf and they had a couple of those yucky flavored mixes:  either vanilla or mocha.  Now, those aren’t bad choices for ice cream, but coffee???  What a dilemma, but as I wrote the other day, I had to make a choice.  Either that or no coffee at all.  I chose the plain coffee, no flavorin’, even though it was decaf.  Oh, well, sometimes we have to suffer with the choices we make.
    I’ve been makin’ up for it.  Coffee’s been hot, strong, and black all week, and I make several pots.  Ahh, let me fill yur cup up again.  We’ll knock this pot out real quick like.
    Say, you might find this interestin’.  I was unpackin’ my knives the other day when I came across this little note from Al Buck, founder of Buck Knives.  It’s a might long, but take time to read and then ponder what he said.
         “…From the beginning, management determined to make God the Senior Partner.  In a crisis, the problem was turned over to Him, and He hasn’t failed to help us with the answer.  Each knife must reflect the integrity of management, including our Senior Partner.  If sometimes we fail on our end, because we are human, we find it imperative to do our utmost to make it right.  Of course, to us, besides being Senior Partner, He is our heavenly Father also, and it’s a great blessing to us to have this security in these troubled times.  If any of you are troubled or perplexed and looking for answers, may we invite you to look to Him, for God loves you.”
    Pard, do you know if the company still includes that note with their knives?  
    Have to be gettin’ this ol’ fence post cleaned up.  Have some fancy doin’s to attend to and it takes a while to whittle on this post.
    Don’t fret none, I won’t be cause I’ll be checkin’ my cinch.

Echoes From the Campfire

If he’s broken his word, he’ll pay for it, like a man pays for everything he does.”
              –Luke Short  (Ramrod)

    “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.”     
              –Psalm 15:2 (NLT)
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Another good thought from Lois A. Cheney’s book, “God Is No Fool.”  Better ponder this one!

         “Once,
          A boy cheated on a test, He got a good grade on the test, And passed the course.
          He told his friends, ‘I had no choice.’

          Later,
          As a man he took a job that denied another need but the money was good and he had his family to think of,
          And he told a friend, ‘I had no choice.’

          Later,
          The man denied his calling and chose a different role and it made him quite famous and he bacame well thought of,
          He told a friend, ‘I had no choice.’

          Later,
          The man reviewed his life before God, the Almighty God.  He shrugged his shoulders as he told God, ‘I had no choice.’

          And God said as he turned his back and walked away from the astonished man,
          ‘I have no choice.'”

Choices are always before us; some of them small, and some of them carry great consequences.  Even by not making a choice you are making a choice.  Remember, if you do not make your own choices someone will make them for you.
    One other little thought–do not deny your calling!
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Take time for a little grin (from Grandpa Was a Preacher, by Leroy Brownlow)
    “You shouldn’t expect much for nearly nothing,” preached grandpa.  He said that a family, upon returning home from church, began their devistating criticisms.  The mother objected to the sermon.  The father ridiculed the ushers, The older sister made light of the singing.  But it was little Eddie that tore them up when he said, ‘Still it was a pretty good show for a dime.'”