My preference runs to coffee. Black coffee, and not much water in it.”
–Elmer Kelton (Hot Iron)
“I’ll take a bone and a cactus root…” What’d mean, what am I doin’? Singin’… singin’ my cares away. Just ’cause it’s foggy this mornin’ there’s no call to say that my singin’ sounds like a foghorn. Goin’ to call 911, why pard, what a thing to say to this ol’ fence post. I was just enjoyin’ the mornin’ and liftin’ my voice up in joyful song. Keep it to myself, yuh mean my singin’ ain’t joyful to you? How this then, I’ve poured the coffee, and it’s sittin’ right in front of yuh; better than my singin’.
Have yuh looked around much lately pard? I’ve been lookin’ for a new species. From what all I’m hearin’ there must be some new creatures out there. Some are sayin’ there’s up to 15 different genders. When I go out I see still, only the same old two: male and female. Now, I’ll have to admit–some of them are mighty strange lookin’. But all this talk and confusion about gender is part of complete stupidity. Part of the devil’s game it is. Now, I admit. Once, and my only year of coachin’ football, I called a linebacker over and pulled open his drawers–told him “yep, lace.” Something happened for that youngster started hittin’ like a middle linebacker is supposed to. They’d call it toxic masculinity today. That’s what I wanted out there and plenty of it.
Sorry, pard, didn’t mean to make yuh snort in yur coffee. Here’s my bandana, wipe it up and I’ll give yuh a refill. Where do these nuts come from? If that’s what they’re teachin’ behinds those walls of education there’s a need to do some overhaulin’. Don’t know if yuh knew this, but I had a hankerin’ once to go into breedin’. Nah, silly, not my own kids. I was goin’ to go to college, Colorado State University, matter of fact, and get into agriculture (how ’bout that, four syllable word) and get into the business of breedin’ cows, hogs, horses… In my studyin’ back then, I found that it took only two breeds: male and female–’tweren’t no other. Still ain’t.
It’s almost comical, if not so downright stupid, and deadly. I don’t mean physical death, but the kind that can kill the soul. If a person is that confused about life, well, I reckon he’s followin’ the author of confusion. Coffee’s gone, I can make up a fresh pot, but know yuh have to be hittin’ the trail for today.
Yuh be careful out there. More and more crazies are comin’ out and if they are confused ’bout themselves, wonder what they’ll think ’bout you traipsin’ around? Yuh keep that gun handy, be readin’ yur Bible and check that cinch ever’time yuh mount up.
Month: February 2019
Echoes From the Campfire
He seemed fitted for this task, and his motive had the strength of love and passion and the sanction of right.”
–Zane Grey (Nevada)
“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus.”
–Philippians 2:5 (HCSB)
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What does the day hold for you? Many people will be rejoicing in the TGIF. But there are so many instances in Scripture that shows that every day we should be thanking God. We get stuck in the rut of humanity and think we have to gripe at the weather, and get the “Monday Blues” or the “TGIFs”. Few honor the Sabbath any more, and I don’t mean Saturday. I mean, one day, set aside to honor and meditate on the Lord.
I came across a letter written by Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson to his wife. It reveals much of the man, oh, Lord forbid “toxic masculinity,” and of how all of us should see life.
“Monday morning. This is a beautiful and lovely morning–beautiful emblem of the morning of eternity in heaven. I greatly enjoy it after our cold, chilly weather, which has made me feel doubtful of my capacity, humanly speaking, to endure the campaign, should we remain long in tents. But God, our God, does and will do, all things well; and if it is His pleasure that I should remain in the field, He will give me the ability to endure the fatigues…”
Here we see Stonewall Jackson thanking God for the beautiful day. However, he puts in, no matter the condition the Lord does all things well. Who are we then to reject what the Lord allows to come our way?
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It is fitting that a few words from the “Father of our Country” be given in recognition of his birthday. Words to ponder and live by. He was a man who thought much about dignity and doing things proper. He was a courageous and aggressive leader, but one with complete self-control.
“Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.”
Now how true is that! We live in a day where people do not understand moral duty. I read where Gen. Grant was very concerned that moral ethics was not being taught in the schools. When people do not have a proper moral life their happiness is only superfluous.
“Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession.”
“The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.”
Hmmm, take a ponder on those in this modern day, and in your life. Maybe it is time for us to realize that God is in control and we need to thank Him for whatever comes our way. Be happy, for this is the day the Lord has given you.
Echoes From the Campfire
Once a fellow started crying about his hurts he would never quit. This is a rough country. Nobody wants to hear about your feelings.”
–Ernest Haycox (Free Grass)
“My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”
–Philippians 3:10 (HCSB)
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I saw an interview with a person the other day and she was saying that the only real truth is what you feel. Feelings are truth, not logic or reason. It must be remembered that one of the things that separates man from animals is the God-given ability of man’s rationality (even if many times he is as irrational as the woman who said that the only truth is what she felt). How strange it is that in today’s modern and enlightened society do we every find someone who is a rational, reasonable person. People tend to focus on impractical things today. I like what Francis de Sales wrote,
We are critical of our neighbor for little faults while overlooking greater faults of our own. We want to buy cheap and sell high. We want justice for others and mercy for ourselves. We think our ideas are worth attention but place little value on the ideas of others. We are controlled by our own taste and denigrate the taste of others. We prefer to be around good-looking and well-dressed people. We favor the rich over the poor. We make a big fuss over some act of charity we perform and complain that we, in turn, are neglected. We use two different scales. With one that is rigged in our favor we weigh our own behavior. With the other we weigh our neighbors’ behavior and find it lacking.
One of the important things to remember is that we are to serve God where we are and with what abilities we have. For instance, it would be absurd for someone who is in bedrest with a communicable disease to get up and go visit a sick person or do heavy labor. We often desire to serve God one way, but in reality He wants you to serve Him in another capacity. I remember someone saying that where God speaks of “vessels of honor” that they planned on being a beautiful vase (v-ah-se). However, God plans for you do be a very serviceable pot.
If you are chosen, be thankful. Do not resent where God has placed you and do not begin to murmur over little cuts and scraps. People soon get tired of your thankless complaining and then where is your testimony? Don’t whimper and cry, get up and if a bandage is needed, get one and then get back to your duties.
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This Day in the Texas Revolution: Santa Anna arrives at the Medina River.
Echoes From the Campfire
You can read a man’s life history in his eyes if you know how to look for it.”
–Robert J. Thomas (The Reckoning)
“Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.”
–Acts 6:3 (HCSB)
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I’m of firm belief that life consists mainly of two ingredients. Pie and coffee. Nah, just funnin’ with you for a minute. Back to my thought–life consists of two main ingredients: choices and attitude. There are with us from the time we are walking around in diapers until they finally put us in the ground.
A child quickly begins to challenge and has to be taught right from wrong. They have to come to an understanding of what “No” really means. By the way, that’s where a lot of parents falter. They don’t teach the child what it means. The child then makes decisions based on what he has learned. He can challenge, rebel, or choose to do the right thing and so it goes throughout their life.
It is not much different when it comes to the end of life. I remember, Pappy (Annie’s father), both legs amputated and he was ready to go home to glory, and would ask why am I still here. But then he would get in his wheelchair, in his 90s, and visit other people in the home. He said people don’t come see them. He made choices to continue doing what he could even when he was in bad shape himself. Choices and attitude.
If we truly believe that “This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it,” then why are so many Christians stepping on their lower lip? They are either out partying or are in the throes of depression. The Lord gave us a day to be living for Him; we don’t know about tomorrow. We should choose to live for Him and take advantage of the day with a good attitude about us.
In came across the following in my reading. It is from a letter Robert E. Lee wrote his son who was facing some difficulties as a cadet.
“Shake off those gloomy feelings. Drive them away. Fix your mind and pleasures upon what is before you… All is bright if you will think it so. All is happy if you will make it so. Do not dream. It is too ideal, too imaginary. Dreaming by day, I mean. Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn them to your advantage.”
Face the realities of life without gloom and despair for isn’t the Lord with you? Why dream fanciful thoughts? Instead get busy making sure you are facing the day the way the Lord would have you. Lee understood the realities of war and he refused to let the carnage, suffering, and evil get him down.
Isn’t this much like the what the Apostle Paul tells us in his epistles? Rejoice, in everything. This is the will of the Lord concerning you, so why challenge it, why rebel against it? You can’t find much in his writings that showed he was a gloomy person. He would take what others, including the devil, meant for harm and destroy him with and turn it into a victory. He took what came his way and turned it into something that would benefit his and other’s spiritual growth.