Courage meant overcoming fear and doing one’s duty in the presence of danger, not being unafraid.”
–E.B. Sledge (With the Old Breed)
“Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
–2 Samuel 10:12 (NKJV)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
With our nation in turmoil and confusion is all the more reason for us to take time and reflect and consider those who gave the supreme sacrifice. Memorial Day is not just a day for family to get together, yet because of the sacrifice of those who have gone before, families can do that.
“Duty—Honor–Country–those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be…” came the words from General Douglas MacArthur. My fear is that few of the youth of today, speaking of 30 and younger, have a real concept of what those words mean. They have little regard for history as it is, but prefer to live in a fantasy world where they can play to their heart’s content. A person can dream of a “brave new world” but they cannot undo the past, right or wrong, by pulling down statues, changing history books, or even making up new history.
Many of the woke crowd and the cancel culture crowd are scoffers and scorners. It was bad during Vietnam, but those in America against the war were not as subtle or hideous as the new “enemy” in America. The Vietnam Vet was scorned, but it was because of a controversial war. Now the scorners want to destroy all that America built and has stood for. “Everything is racist” it seems. Tell that to the family whose 18-year-old son died on the beaches of Normandy.
“The unbelievers will say they are but words [Duty–Honor–Country], but a slogan, but a flamboyant phrase. Every pedant, every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every trouble-maker, and, I am sorry to say, some others of an entirely different character, will try to down-grade them even to the extent of mockery and ridicule.”
MacArthur continued in his speech. To me, this day is a day of retrospect. One of contemplating those who gave up their dreams, hopes, youth, and lives for this country. Now, the deconstructionists of the postmodern view wish to destroy everything those honorable men and women sacrificed. Duty to one’s country has become a joke to many. Shame! Shame on them!
When I see their faces and their actions I have a vile reaction in the pit of my stomach. How dare they laugh at those who fell at Belleau Wood or the Argonne. Or take it back further, those of Gettysburg or Antietam—Americans all. Those who sacrificed should not be forgotten! “His name and fame are the birthright of every American citizen. In his youth and strength, his love and loyalty, he gave all that mortality can give.” (Douglas MacArthur)
They did their duty by giving all. They didn’t have a tomorrow; they didn’t have a tomorrow, but you do because of those who went before. Death was not what they wanted, but they died so that we may live in the freedoms that are so dear. The First Amendment is “Bonkers”? Hardly! Life is precious, just look at the crosses on this Memorial Day. Blood is not cheap.
“When you go home,
Tell them of us, and say–
For your tomorrows,
We gave our today.”
–J. Maxwell Edmonds
Month: May 2021
Coffee Percs
He took down another blue enameled cup, with a little enamel chipped from the rim. He glanced at it…but the cup was spotless. He took up the pot and poured himself a cup. It was black as sin and strong enough to curl a man’s hair, but it was hot, and it tasted good.”
–Louis L’Amour (Borden Chantry)
Modern technology—bah! Come on in, Pard. Just a fumin’ a bit. No, the coffee’s fine, take a sip. It won’t curl yur hair, but it’ll get yur attention. Nah, this modern technology—those contraptions they call computers. My mercy, they can be frustratin’.
Let me tell yuh about it. I got up early, my usual habit, made the coffee as per the rule of the house—first one up makes the coffee—then settled back in my office to send out my mornin’ Echoes. First thing I noticed was that the page had changed. Things were different, but then when I went to my draft folder, well that’s when I could have had a conniption fit if I hadn’t had my coffee next to me. Nothing was in the folder. I try to keep thoughts in there ready, but, alas, it had gone off somewheres. I was told cyberspace.
It shows to go yuh, that even when a body is prepared, ready, equipped that something strange, or unusual can happen. I’m sure glad the heavenly Father ain’t like that. He won’t slip up, make us wriggle in our problems, or cause undue anxiety. He’s trustworthy, steady, and wantin’ the best for us. We can go to the Rock that has a firm foundation and never changes.
Ahhh, good this mornin’ ain’t it? Well, Pard, I then go ahold of those techy guys, IT they’re called. He worked on the issue for over an hour and his conclusion—he’d have to get a higher up guy to check it out. An hour! Sure hope than ain’t counted against me as wasted time.
The little things in life can be downright frustratin’ at times. Like bad or weak coffee, dumb computers, and not checkin’ yur cinch.
Vaya con Dios.
Echoes From the Campfire
If he be a man indeed, he must always go on, he must always endure.”
–Louis L’Amour (Galloway)
“And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure.”
–1 Corinthians 4:12 (NKJV)
———————————————————
My patience is being tested this morning. I had a nice Echo on endurance ready to send and when I opened the file it had disappeared. Computers–ugh! Then when I look at my writing, it seems to be in bold print. Computers–yuck. I complain about them, but they are the only way I can communicate with you on a daily basis, so hooraw for computers. (???) So, I’ll send just a few borrowed thoughts this morning.
“The Christian believes that in Christ he has died, yet he is more alive than before, and he fully expects to live forever. He walks on earth while seated in heaven, and though born on earth he finds that after his conversion, he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk, which in the air is the essence of grace and beauty but on the ground is awkward and ugly, so the Christian appears at his best in the heavenly places but does not fit well into the ways of the very society into which he was born. The Christian soon learns that if he were to be victorious as a son of heaven among men on earth, he must not follow the common pattern of mankind, but rather the contrary. That he may be safe he puts himself in jeopardy; he loses his life to save it and is in danger of losing it if he attempts to preserve it.”
–A.W. Tozer
Through all the trials, storms, fears, terrors, pandemics the believer can walk knowing that God is there with him. To die is to live but through all the trials on earth, he must endure.
——————————————————-
Look at those around you. Besides being confused and dazed some of them are fools. Fools despise God and His wisdom. The scorn its obligation. God gives them their rightful name–FOOL! People have no or little fear of the Lord. I like how Charles Bridges paraphrases Ecclesiastes 12:13 (actually he puts more light on the verse and its meaning).
“The fear of God in its practical exercise is the whole of man in all his duty, all his happiness, his first lesson and his last.”
Fools despise the knowledge of the Lord. They believe they are autonomous with no one to answer to. The woke crowd believes that they are the answer, not that they have the answer. More and more we see the words of Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning [principal part] of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Watch out for fools. They are dangerous; their way is dangerous; their thoughts are not guided by reason or by the knowledge of God.
Echoes From the Campfire
This is the old war, the war of civilization against the barbarian; of peacefulness, order, and hard work against the heedless, the cruel, the destructive.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Empty Land)
“The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.”
–Proverbs 11:17 (NKJV)
———————-
There’s a lot I don’t understand in this world. There is even more with all of the confusion caused by the woke crowd, and the cancel culture group. Confusion…comes from its creator–Satan. Now, first of all, I am not confused, not even the confusion has confused me–“for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV) But I don’t follow the logic of the world. In fact, their logic is illogical. Let me show you from the writings of Joseph Parker.
Strive to enter in at the strait gate. “I will not!”
Look unto Me and be ye saved. “I will not!”
Come unto Me, and I will give you rest. “I will not!”
Seek ye first the kingdom of God. “I will not!”
Repent. “I will not!”
Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? “I will not!”
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. “I will not!”
Give Me thine heart. “I will not!”
Go work in My vineyard. “I will not!”
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. “I will not!”
Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven. “I will not!”
Why would a person not choose eternal life? That is not logical to me. That person is confused about life, time, and eternity. Why would a person not want to rest? Leisure time is clamored for and for what reason so that they can go out and get tired over the weekend. Some people go to work on Monday, to rest from their partying over the weekend.
People are confused about life simply because they want things their way. “God made man for His glory, but man joined the devil and became a rebel.” (D.L. Moody) Man wants things his own way so in a sense he wants the confusion that life gives. Oh, he may think he has things under control until… Until he loses his job, his family, his account, his health, his marriage. Let me do things my way is one of the most rebellious statements that can be made. Man makes a mess of things when he does things his way–anarchy of the soul so to speak.
In short, man does not want to obey. He does not want to turn his will over to the Lord and obey what the Lord wills for his life. That is up to you. No one can obey for you, that is something that you must do on your own. Think of the logic again. Obey or disobey. What happens with obedience versus what happens with disobedience–in this life and in eternity?
D. L. Moody demonstrates with a little anecdote that a Sunday school teacher once asked in class.
“How is the will of God done in heaven?” he asked.
One child answered with a broad smile, “Cheerfully.”
Another answered, “By everybody.”
A third child answered, “All the time.”
But the best answer was, “It is done without asking any questions.”
Hmmm, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NKJV). Do the will of the Lord and I guarantee you that confusion will stop in your life. Oh, there will still be a confused world in anguish, heartache, and fear, but the matter for you will be settled.