Before we continued she stopped and looked at me as if she wanted to say something. She must have either changed her mind or looking at me, she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say. I guess I can have that affect on some folk. My side was burning some as we went up the hillside to our little cabin.
I stopped for a moment to look at the horses out in the small pasture. With all this modern way of traveling they sure don’t get the exercise like they used to. I thought a while back about selling Star. That was a horse that needed to get out and run, but I didn’t have the heart to get rid of him since he was a gift from Cook.
“Quit your gawking,” she uttered, “and get on in the house.”
It was dark inside so Molly proceeded to open the shutters of the two windows to give more light. I sat down at the table and lit the lamp sitting there. “You take that shirt off while I go get you a clean one,” she ordered. “Just throw it on the floor. I don’t think I can get all that blood out.”
A minute or so later she came to the table. I reached out for the shirt, but she wouldn’t hand it to me. She stared in my eyes, then took her finger and poked at an old scar. “One,” then she poked at another, “two.”
She counted up to five, then muttered, “I know there are at least three more under that bandage,” then she sighed. “I guess I should count my blessings. They’re just scars and I still have you with me. Some women aren’t that fortunate.”
Looking at my eyes again, I saw concern. She came to me and pulled my head to her and held me. “Miles, Miles, what am I going to do with you?”
Pulling my head away, I looked up at her, pulled at my moustache and smiled, “Just love me, I guess.” This time I pulled her to me not worrying about the twinge in my side. She sat on my lap as I held her tightly.
“Molly, I’ve got to find Merker.”
She was still, I could barely feel her breathing. “I know,” she whispered. “But he’s not the first person who’s come for you. If not someone like Merker it will be some kid wanting a reputation.”
“Maybe it’s high time I gave it up; went to ranchin’,” I said. “There’s that range over on the Piedra that I’ve looked at a couple of times. Good grazin’ land, especially good for horses. Remember Lot Smith, he said to visit him sometime and I could get some mares from him. Star would be a great breedin’ stallion…”
She gave a little laugh. “What?” I questioned.
“Listen to you. You sound like you have it all planned out, but I didn’t hear one earnest word in what you said. You just flung out words,” she challenged, then hugged me again. “No, Miles, you’re not cut out to be a rancher. Oh, you’d be a good one, and you’d probably stick to it, for my sake, but you wouldn’t be fulfilled. That’s not what the Lord has for you.”
I recalled what ol’ Captain McNelly said to me once, “My calling is to be a minister of justice,” then I started to speak, “What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly…”
“And to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God,” she finished out the verse from Micah. Sighing she grabbed me tightly causin’ me to flinch. Pulling away she smiled, “And maybe getting a few more holes in your body.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have turned down that job in New Orleans,” I muttered with some disdain in my voice.
“No Miles, you were made for the mountains, not the swamps and bayous,” she assured me. “I’m more comfortable with cougars and bears than alligators. We’ll make out.”
With the windows open, a fresh, cooling breeze flowed through our little cabin. The light in the lamp even flickered a bit, but continued its steady glow. She stood up and walked to the open doorway, the one that faced to the back. We couldn’t see the high mountains that lay just in the distance, but we could see the small pasture, with the horses and the edge of the forest.
I went over to her. “How ’bout we take a little vacation?” I paused then continued. “We could go to Denver, or maybe even down to Texas or to Kansas City.”
“Oh, Miles,” she whispered. “I know you mean well,” then she gave a great sigh, and turned to face me. “We have to see how Marta is going to do, and you have to find Merker.”
Nodding at her I said, “In other words we have our duties and obligations to take care of and not to be worryin’ ’bout any vacation.”
I was just about to give her a kiss when Tommy burst through the open front door. “Marshal, the sheriff, he want to see you right now!” He whirled to leave and then stopped.
I went over to the table to pick up my vest. Reaching in the pocket I found a dime and flipped it to him. “Tell Sheriff Gold, I’ll be there as soon as I put on a clean shirt.”
He smiled running off down the hill.
Looking at Molly I smiled and said, “Back to duties and obligations. Oh, think you could clean up the vest, I noticed some blood on it?”
Month: April 2019
Echoes From the Campfire
That was final proof of the strength of nature to soothe, to clarify, to stabalize the tired and weary and upward-gazing soul. Stronger than the recorded deeds of saints, stronger than the eloquence of the gifted uplifters of men, stronger than any words ever written, was the grand, brooding, sculptured aspect of nature. And it must have been so because thousands of years before the age of saints or preachers—before the fret and symbol and figure were cut in stone—man must have watched with thought-developing sight the wonders of the earth, the monuments of time, the glooming of the dark-blue sea, the handiwork of God.”
–Zane Grey (The Call of the Canyon)
“He answered, ‘I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!'”
–Luke 19:40 (HCSB)
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Listen! Listen to the sound! My mercy, the roar is amazing–that is the sound of nature in praise to its Creator. This is not any New Age jibber jabber, mumble-jumbo, or codswallop. Sit near the sea and listen to the roar of the waves. Go to the forest, sit down on the cool earth and listen to the babbling of the book. Lean against a rock in the high mountains feeling the crisp, clean air and look at the windswept peaks. Watch the lilies bloom, the hawk screech, the wolf wail. A person just cannot get away from the glory of God.
I have often stood amazed wondering in His presence in the midst of His great cathedral. From the painted sands of the desert to the high lonesome to the deep canyons and gorges all declare His majesty. In His glorious craftsmanship the silence of His work sends a symphony proclaiming that He is God! You must take time to ponder and meditate on this portion of Scripture, Psalm 19:1-6 (HCSB). In fact, see how nature reacts during the crucifixion.
1 – The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.
2 – Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge.
3 – There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard.
4 – Their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 – It is like a groom coming from the bridal chamber; it rejoices like an athlete running a course.
6 – It rises from one end of the heavens and circles to their other end; nothing is hidden from its heat.
Someone has said that “the silence of the skies is deafening.” That is unless you get caught in one of those high country lightning and thunder storms. There the majesty and power of God is clearly evident. The skies, the heavens are there to remind us of the majesty of God. It’s a shame that the true meaning of the rainbow has been lost upon many people. Another thing that evil has tried to diminish and drag in the muck and mire, but the rainbow–the sign of the promise of God that He would never destroy the earth again by water. When you look at a rainbow what do you think of? Lepracauns and buckets of gold, or the treasure of God’s promise?
It is important to remember, and this is vital or you could get stumbles with the jibberish of the Cosmic Humanist, that man does not see God by looking at the sky or in other places in nature. He only sees the glory of God. God is not nature; it is a creation of His Word, “let there be…”. The Old Testament word for “glory” is the outward “clothing” of God. It did not hide or cover His “being,” rather it “revealed” His actions. My, my, what a God!! This is why Paul could declare, “For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20, HCSB)
No matter what happens, the heavens are there to remind us of God. There is a story where a leader of the French Revolution, Jean Bon St. Andre said to a peasant, “I will have all your steeples pulled down, so you will not be reminded any more of your old religion.” One of the goals of the French Revolution was to rid the country of Christianity. The peasant was said to reply, “But you cannot help leaving us the stars.” The heavens are always there; the stars, the moon, and the sun. They will always be there to tell us of His glory.
“The unwearied sun, from day to day
Does His Creator’s powers display,
And published to every land
The work of an Almighty hand.”
–Joseph Addison
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Today in the Texas Revolution: Santa Anna and his army arrive at Harrisburg.
Coffee Percs
With a quick breakfast and what must have been a gallon of coffee under his belt, he swung into the saddle and started once more.”
–Louis L’Amour (“The Man From Battle Flat”)
Mornin’ to yuh, Pard. Hope yuh didn’t hurt yurself hurryin’ to get to the table. Must in powerful need of some of my robust, grand-tastin’ comin’-at-yuh joy-juice to get the ol’ gizzard in gear this mornin’. Ahhh, just relax a spell, and quite murmurin’ against the weather and all those other things a-naggin’ at yur soul. Yuh cayn’t do much about most of ’em.
More and more I’m convinced that the media, all forms of it, is out to be manipulatin’ us. It used to be that the job of the news was to speak the truth. Not no more, that for shore. They have one job and that is to be manipulatin’ us folk out here. They want us to hop to their tune. Why, even the weather! Shucks, before the weather channel we got up and did what had to be done, made plans and if we saw a storm cloud a-brewin’, well we just took precaution. Now, don’t get me wrong Pard, we should be wary of the storms, what’ I’m sayin’ is that we are even lettin’ the weather channel and now all these aps tellin’ us how to live our lives. Why I think they just laugh at us fixin’ our lives around their reports. Yuh know, I’m convinced that weathermen are one of the three occupations that are paid to lie. ‘Course the other two are lawyers and politicians, and I might add the media.
Hold on just a second, I need to guzzle the last few drops in my cup and get a refill. Now, then, another thing…what are these things they call “apps”? Just another thing to rob our time. Friend, I’m a-tellin’ yuh, once that’s gone there ain’t no repayin’. Time is a precious thing and we give it away to an “app.”
Pard, while I’m doin’ some serious rantin’, don’t yuh fret I ain’t started into ravin’ yet. They done and passed that gun law up there in Colorado. I just scratch my head at how my ol’ home-state can be so stupid. Especially with all the hunters and woodsmen that live there. Goes to show yuh what’s ahead of us. If’n yuh have a gun in yur home, and it makes a neighbor fear for their safety, they can report yuh and the law can come and confiscate all yur guns. What about yur safety? Listen, the holy Scriptures has done declared that we are a-livin’ in perilous times. Yuh best be stayin’ alert, and yuh best be listenin’ for those heavenly hoofbeats. I’m not talkin’ ’bout those “Ghost Riders” up in the sky, but those heavenly riders, especially the Boss Rider.
Well, I done did my preachifyin’ this mornin’. Glad yuh stopped my an’ had some coffee with the ol’ fence post. Yuh be takin’ care of yurself, and don’t let those witches be manipulatin’ yuh none. Yuh know, manipulation is witchcraft don’t yuh? An’ Pard, don’t be takin’ for granted that yur cinch is tight–check it before yuh mount.
Echoes From the Campfire
Daughter, wish you’d come pull off my boots.”
–Ernest Haycox (The Border Legion)
“Fathers, don’t over-correct your children or make it difficult for them to obey the commandment. Bring them up with Christian teaching in Christian discipline.”
–Ephesians 6:4 (Phillips)
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She almost made it; well, at least it’s Friday. It was 45 years ago, my mercy! on Good Friday, that a blonde, no not quite right, bald-headed, blue-eyed little girl was sent by the Lord to brighten up our lives. I was stationed at the USAF Academy when Shauna entered our lives. What memories I have! In fact, we were talking the other day about her first birthday. We had a little party with her cousins, Carrie and Sherrie who were born on the 10th several years before. Shauna was laughing and making a mess. He was enjoying her ice cream, (ahem with her hands) and then started crying because her hands had become cold.
The years rolled on. A move, another move, another… Now, she is actively working in the children’s ministry of her church in Maryland. Once in a while I was told that I was too hard on them, but I couldn’t be more proud to know that they love the Lord and are serving Him faithfully–Shauna and Kimberly both! To me, that is the purpose of life–to make sure they are properly trained and on their way to heaven.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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Here is a lesson I tried to instill in them. Today, more than ever, there is so much out there that is fake; we are surrounded by superficiality. There is very little common sense, and stupidity and evil are beginning to reign. We are confronted on every hand by something external, yet the Bible teaches that the most important part of man is internal. “The heart is the mainspring of our being. It is the center that controls our thinking, feeling, and desire. It is the secret chamber that controls our whole life.” (Ralph Heynen)
Courage, honesty, integrity, love, and other virtues flow from the inner self and express themselves in our conduct. Fear, hostility, hate are also born there. We must guard the gates of the heart so that the evil desires and longings may not rise up to hurt us. That is part of the purpose of proper training and discipline.
Heynen, continues to say, “To truly guard the citadel of our inner selves, we must encourage that which is good and lovely, honorable and clean. We must bring ourselves under the control of noble ideals, of uplifting thoughts, and of motives that lead to confident and courageous living. When we allow fears and hostilities to fester in our hearts, our lives will be colored by them.” (cf., Philippians 4:8)
It is what we are that counts. When Jesus touched a person, He would often give them some kind of admonition, such as, “Go and sin no more,” or “Take up your bed and walk.” Never once did He say, “stay the way you were.” Change takes place and then comes our part as we grow in the Lord, to discipline that change, to train our hearts, minds, and bodies. When we are being trained by the Holy Spirit, and that includes others in our lives and our own work, then when we find a time we need Him we will be able to find Him easily for He is already working and living in our hearts.
David pleaded with the Lord that He would create in him a clean heart. We need the Lord to continue to work in us–training is never over.
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Today in the Texas Revolution: David Burnet and cabinet barely escape the arriving Mexican army. Santa Anna crosses Fort Bend on the Brazos River.