Beyond the black hills were the mountains, not far off, waiting for him. He had always loved the mountains… There was always the vast distance with the grass bending in the wind, the whispering leaves of the aspens, the gold of them when autumn came. How could a man who had known such vast distance confine himself to a desk? To the crowded streets of an eastern town?”
–Louis L’Amour (Under the Sweetwater Rim)
“Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
–Acts 14:17 (NKJV)
—————————————–
“Goin’ back to my good ‘ole Texas home, home, home.
Down by the sleepy Rio Grande
Where the lonesome turtle dove is grievin’
And the moon is shining on the sand.”
–Carson J. Robinson
For me, instead of the Rio Grande it’s more like the Piney Woods. Right now, there are few places I would consider living other than Texas. That’s why there is such a political emphasis on the state. When it goes liberal, the good Lord better help the rest of the country.
We’ll be packing up and heading back to the homestead tomorrow, so no Echoes for a few days. Not sure about when they’ll start up again. Kinda like one of my cousins who used to say, “Look for me when you see the dust a flyin’.” Well, look for an “Echo” when you see the smoke a-risin’. One thing about being retired is that we don’t have to rush to places like we used to. If we need to take an extra day we can.
This “Echo” has no real topic, just a bunch of thoughts I thought I’d throw your direction. The weather sure has been great up here in Maryland. The fall, or autumn if your prefer, is my favorite time of year. Come to think of it, the “fall” is my favorite time of life for I reckon that’s where I am now. One needs to enjoy where they’re at because that is the place the Lord wants them to serve Him. Don’t rush things along–plan for the future, but live for the day; it’s all we are assured of.
—————-
One of my favorite books is Wanderer of the Wasteland by Zane Grey. It is a book one could read as they study their Bible for there are many analogies that correlate to the Scripture. Here is a great quotation to ponder from that book.
“The clean white sand, the mesquites bursting into green, the nodding flowers in the grassy nooks under the great iron-rusted stones, the rugged, upheaved slope of mountain, and to the east an open vista between the trees where the desert stretched away gray and speckled and monotonous, down to the dim mountains over which the sun would rise; these could not but be pleasant and helpful. Love of life could not be separated from such things.”
I’m not able to hike through the woods like I used to. I miss it, but I have great memories, and I can sit on my back deck or on the patio and look at the woods behind our little cottage. We call it our cottage in the woods. The grandeur of the mountains no longer calls me. Home on this earth no longer has a grip on me, but there are mountains–hills that seem to beckon me now. I think of the words of Dottie Rambo’s song:
The holy hills of Heaven call me
To mansions bright across the sea
Where loved ones wait and crowns are given
The hills of home keep calling me.
I’ll take my flight like a mighty eagle
When the hills of home start calling me
I’ll take my flight like the mighty eagle
When the hills of home start calling me.
————————-
The Lord must have been a hand around the campfire. I wonder just how many meals He prepared for Himself over a campfire, and how many He enjoyed with His disciples. One of the last things we have recorded of Him is He preparing a meal for the disciples on the beach waiting for the disciples to come ashore.
“Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish which you have caught.’… Jesus said to them, ‘Come and eat breakfast.’ Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, ‘Who are You?’–knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.”
–John 21:9-10, 12-13 (NKJV)
Sure does make thoughts flow through my head. Have a great weekend and until our trails cross again, be safe and trust in the Lord.
—————————————–
“Goin’ back to my good ‘ole Texas home, home, home.
Down by the sleepy Rio Grande
Where the lonesome turtle dove is grievin’
And the moon is shining on the sand.”
–Carson J. Robinson
For me, instead of the Rio Grande it’s more like the Piney Woods. Right now, there are few places I would consider living other than Texas. That’s why there is such a political emphasis on the state. When it goes liberal, the good Lord better help the rest of the country.
We’ll be packing up and heading back to the homestead tomorrow, so no Echoes for a few days. Not sure about when they’ll start up again. Kinda like one of my cousins who used to say, “Look for me when you see the dust a flyin’.” Well, look for an “Echo” when you see the smoke a-risin’. One thing about being retired is that we don’t have to rush to places like we used to. If we need to take an extra day we can.
This “Echo” has no real topic, just a bunch of thoughts I thought I’d throw your direction. The weather sure has been great up here in Maryland. The fall, or autumn if your prefer, is my favorite time of year. Come to think of it, the “fall” is my favorite time of life for I reckon that’s where I am now. One needs to enjoy where they’re at because that is the place the Lord wants them to serve Him. Don’t rush things along–plan for the future, but live for the day; it’s all we are assured of.
—————-
One of my favorite books is Wanderer of the Wasteland by Zane Grey. It is a book one could read as they study their Bible for there are many analogies that correlate to the Scripture. Here is a great quotation to ponder from that book.
“The clean white sand, the mesquites bursting into green, the nodding flowers in the grassy nooks under the great iron-rusted stones, the rugged, upheaved slope of mountain, and to the east an open vista between the trees where the desert stretched away gray and speckled and monotonous, down to the dim mountains over which the sun would rise; these could not but be pleasant and helpful. Love of life could not be separated from such things.”
I’m not able to hike through the woods like I used to. I miss it, but I have great memories, and I can sit on my back deck or on the patio and look at the woods behind our little cottage. We call it our cottage in the woods. The grandeur of the mountains no longer calls me. Home on this earth no longer has a grip on me, but there are mountains–hills that seem to beckon me now. I think of the words of Dottie Rambo’s song:
The holy hills of Heaven call me
To mansions bright across the sea
Where loved ones wait and crowns are given
The hills of home keep calling me.
I’ll take my flight like a mighty eagle
When the hills of home start calling me
I’ll take my flight like the mighty eagle
When the hills of home start calling me.
————————-
The Lord must have been a hand around the campfire. I wonder just how many meals He prepared for Himself over a campfire, and how many He enjoyed with His disciples. One of the last things we have recorded of Him is He preparing a meal for the disciples on the beach waiting for the disciples to come ashore.
“Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish which you have caught.’… Jesus said to them, ‘Come and eat breakfast.’ Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, ‘Who are You?’–knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.”
–John 21:9-10, 12-13 (NKJV)
Sure does make thoughts flow through my head. Have a great weekend and until our trails cross again, be safe and trust in the Lord.