Month: October 2023

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
The wounded Ben Andrews has surrendered and was arrested, however, the one named Lark is still on the loose in town.  We left Miles last week searching for this miscreant of justice.  Would he try again to break his boss, Todd Johnson from jail or seek to flee, saving himself.  Come with me now, back to those days of yesteryear for another thrilling adventure in the life of Miles Forrest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
       I searched for two more hours, moving up and down alleys, checking out every shed and stall in the area but there was no sign of this other jasper.  I hated to leave him running loose in the area, but with the dark approaching the search would have to end.
       When I went back to the jail, Mateo was gone, but he had finished the paperwork on the arrest.  Lucas had decided to stay close to his little barricade, just in case.  “You be ready,” I admonished him, then added.  “You did a good job earlier today.  Don’t worry about feedin’ the prisoners, I’ll bring something back and relieve you so you can eat.”
       Coolness had settled in with the night.  There was a nip to the air, snow could come at any time now.  Upon entering the diner I went straight to my table back near the stove.  I wasn’t cold, but the warmth from the stove felt good.  Maybe it was something else, age possibly that was creeping up.  Settling down with a cup of coffee, Molly came out from the kitchen with a bowl of chicken and dumplings.  She must have seen me through the window and gone back to get it for me.  What a gal!
       The rush was on, so she didn’t have time to sit with me.  Marta was back working full time, and this evening Edith was helping out.  As I enjoyed my meal, I watched them work, and the customers enjoying their meals.  That brought to mind the other crooked lawman.  He had to be still in town, and he had to be getting hungry.  I doubted that he would venture down into town, but he could break into one of the homes back where we lost his trail.
       After eating I took two bowls of the delightful dinner I had up to the jail and released Lucas for his meal.  He said he was fine and after eating that he would stay the night in the jail.  When he came back, I helped him fix a pallet on the floor where he wanted to stay behind his small fortress.  Tomorrow was Sunday and Mateo would be in to relieve Lucas in the morning.  Neither of us knew when Charlie would be back from Telluride.
       Sitting in church the next morning next to Molly I thought about how fortunate I was to be with her.  The years were passing quickly, but we had a solid foundation.  As Preacher Chapman waxed eloquently that morning on “What a Man Sows.”  One thing that caught my attention was the fact that other times when I heard a sermon on these verses from Galatians that it was negative.  This morning, Rev, Chapman emphasized sowing to the Spirit and that we must not get tired of doing good.
       After service we went back up to our little cabin.  Molly could have had a full house if she opened the diner on Sunday, but she made a commitment when she began the business that she wouldn’t open on Sunday, only on rare occasions to help feed needy people and no money was collected.  She brought home the leftover chicken and dumplings and as soon as I put a fire in the stove she would heat them up.
       Moving up toward the cabin door, I stopped abruptly.  Removing the leather thong from the hammer of my pistol, I held Molly back.  Something was wrong.  I didn’t know what, but I could sense it.  “Stay here,” I ordered before moving up closer.  Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but still…
       Opening the door slowly, I poked my head into the room.  Nothing seemed disturbed, nothing until I saw the pot on the table.  We had left it on the stove this morning upon leaving for church.  I moved quietly to the bedroom to peek in there–nothing.  Then back out to the kitchen area and table.  Someone had helped themselves to our leftovers we had planned for Sunday dinner.
       I went back to the door and waved for Molly to come on in.  After informing her of what happened, I told her to stay and I went out the back to see if I could find any tracks.  Looking out to the near pasture I could see Hawk and Star, but there was no sign of Two-Bits.  I moved slow and easy toward the stalls.  Upon reaching them…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Too often when trouble arises there is too much time wasted in trying to temporize, and it becomes too late for action.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Bendigo Shafter)

       “The God of heaven will help us succeed.  We his servants will start rebuilding this wall.  But you have no stake or claim in Jerusalem.”
                    –Nehemiah 2:20(NLT)
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Do you think your world is falling apart?  Are there questions to which you can find no answers?   Are things happening around you that never happened before?  That’s what this next portion of Psalm 105 is about.  The world falling apart, moving away from what is natural.  If you have had a tendency to forget about God, go back and read the following verses and imagine yourself in ancient Egypt.

          23 — Israel also came into Egypt, and Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
          24 — He increased His people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies.
          25 — He turned their heart to hate His people, to deal craftily with His servants.
          26 — He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen.
          27 — They performed His signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
          28 — He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they did not rebel against His word.
          29 — He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish.
          30 — Their land abounded with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings.
          31 — He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and lice in all their territory.
          32 — He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
          33 — He struck their vines also, and their fig trees, and splintered the trees of their territory.
          34 — He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number,
          35 — And ate up all the vegetation in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
          36 — He also destroyed all the firstborn in their land, the first of all their strength.  (NKJV)

     Think first of the men mentioned.  God sent Israel (Jacob) into Egypt, yet earlier He had sent Joseph to prepare the way.  Joseph was there when Jacob arrived to prepare for Israel’s well-being.  He has also anticipated your needs, your issues, your circumstance and has a plan to rescue you.  Then He sent Moses and Aaron, oh, and remember, Moses was an eighty year old fugitive at this time.  They did not volunteer for the task, but were chosen by God.  Maybe in the midst of your trials you should look for the task that God is calling you to accomplish.
     For years God’s people had waited to be delivered.  Most of them had lost hope, had forgotten the power of their God, and were no longer waiting for the coming deliverer.  Imagine their surprise when the miracles began to take place.  When they began to see God work through the two men He had assigned.  Are you waiting for the hand of the Lord to move or have you forgotten Him?  Can you remember His miracles in the past, if not read this account again.  “He’ll do it again…you may not know how, you may not know when, but He’ll do it again.” (Dawn Thomas)  Helmut Thielecke stated, “God is stronger than fire and destruction, and even in the valleys of deepest darkness, rod and staff are put into our hands and bridges are thrown across the abyss.”  God has given you what you need for the hour, for the situation and circumstance, for the battle.
     
               “God the Omnipotent King who ordainest
               Thunder thy clarion, the lightning thy sword;
               Show forth thy pity on high, where thou reignest;
               Give to us peace in our time, O Lord.”
                       –Henry F. Chorley

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Each one had a cup of coffee and the steam from the hot brew added to the mesmerizing allure of the coming opportunities.”

                    –Cliff Hudgins  (Grandpa’s Legacy)
 
Foolishness, Pard, foolishness abounds.  When I think of all the things that are said about fools and their folly in Proverbs, I see it all around.  The curse of Ted Cruz was the cause of the Astros loss.  Oh, the media is playin’ that ’cause they don’t want him reelected.  Now, I’m readin’ that Ranger fans are worried about the curse of George Bush.  Fools, utter fools played up by the media.
       Reminds me of that ol’ puncher who walked into a blacksmith shop.  He was an inquisitive sort, and after glancing around for a few seconds reached down and picked up a horseshoe not realizing it had recently come out of the forge.  He gave a quick wince, then dropped the shoe, and shovin’ his burned hand into his pocket.  He tried to remain calm and nonchalant not wantin’ anyone to know of his foolishness.  However, the blacksmith saw it and said, “Kinda hot, ain’t it?”  The cowboy, hand in pocket, replied, “Nope.  It just don’t take me long to look at a horseshoe.”
       Don’t be a fool, drink up that coffee.  Ahhh, but don’t it seem the norm anymore?  Foolishness, I mean.  That ol’ boy with the burnt hand hopefully learned his lesson, but it’s like many who sin.  They get burned, but try to ignore the stupidity of what they did.  They didn’t take notice of what they were doin’ in the first place.  I know, I know, we all make stupid decisions in our lives, like yuh did a while back when yuh didn’t check yur cinch.  Yuh got a knot on yur noggin’ for yur foolishness.  Wasn’t serious, not with yur hard head, but it could have been.  
       We need to be careful of what we pick up, where we ride, and what we say.  Just think, Pard, there’s gonna be plenty of fools this weekend playin’ with the devil’s implements.  Why, or why, I wonder why folks want to mess with the things of the devil in the first place–foolishness, just plain foolishness.  Yep, the complacency of fools will get them if’n they don’t turn to the Lord.  There are so many foolish folk out there doin’ their own selfish thing while the good Lord is offerin’ them hope and salvation.  Why, my mercy, Pard, that’s worse than not checkin’ yur cinch!
       Yuh be careful as yuh go out among the Philistines and the fools.  Keep yur gun handy, yur Bible read, and the communication lines open with the heavenly Father.  Sure good sharin’ coffee with yuh this mornin’.
                  Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

There’s a lot of evil waiting to snatch you up if you get careless.”
                    –A.W. Hart  (Killer’s Chance)

      “No one among you is to make his son or daughter pass through the fire,[a] practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead.  Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things.”

                    –Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (HCSB)
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               “An’ the Gobble-uns ‘at gits you
                    Ef you
                        Don’t
                           Watch
                               Out!”
                                   –James Whitcomb Riley

               “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”
                                  –Ephesians 6:12 (HCSB)

But do we heed the Word of God?  Over the weekend and on to the 31st there will be parties galore, evil will be personified, magnified, and glorified.  We have been duped by cartoons, television, movies, and songs into thinking that this is a harmless fun holiday.  But listen. . . Not only are evil spirits real, but they can significantly harm you if you’re not careful.  The Bible uses terms such as:  “demons,” “unclean spirits,” “lying spirits,” demonic spirits,” “impure spirits,” “deceiving spirits,” and “fallen angels.”  They can deceive you, tempt you, and harm you spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. (Hopler)
       Yes, the gobblins will get you if you don’t watch out!
       Jesus, in His earthly ministry, encountered many times evil spirits/demons.  The first recorded miracle of Jesus by Mark is driving out an unclean spirit.  This spirit challenged Jesus,  “What do You have to do with us, Jesus–Nazarene?  Have You come to destroy us?  I know who You are–the Holy One of God!”  (Mark 1:24, HCSB)  Jesus rebuked him, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” (1:25, HCSB)  I have wondered why the unclean spirit was commanded to be quiet; it was a truthful testimony.  However, we must look at this more closely for it came from unclean lips.  The testimony was true, but the source of the witness was unclean.
       Back to the upcoming weekend and holiday, we should not, we must not compromise with unclean, demonic works of the devil.  We are to stay away from dangerous occult practices that would involved ungodly spirits.  Do not open doors where evil may enter.  True the believer cannot be possessed by evil spirits, but they can be oppressed.  They can be mentally and emotionally attacked as well as spiritually attacked.  Don’t give in to the devil or his minions.  Stay away from anything that is related to the occult!
       Or the gobblins will get you if you don’t watch out!
       I am not going to go into detail regarding all the different kinds of evil that may confront you.  I will relate a story to you.  When in was in the military one of my coworkers came to me telling me that he had gotten saved over the weekend.  The man was a changed person–completely changed.  It was an amazing transformation.  A couple of months later he came to me and asked what I thought about a new movie that was coming out; he was planning on going to see it–The Exorcist.  I asked him why he came to me, and by doing so indicated that he had questions regarding the movie.  I did mention that we are to stay away from any form of evil, and not to let the devil get a foothold on our life.  He went.  He couldn’t sleep after that for several nights.   He reverted back to his old self, and worse.  I could no longer even talk to him about his previous experience with the Lord or he would explode.  Don’t give in to the devil.
       The gobblins will get you if you don’t watch out!
       Paul writes to us simply, telling us to stay away from the forces of darkness and evil.  “…What fellowship does light have with darkness?  What agreement does Christ have with Belial?…” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15, HCSB)  He continues in verse 17, “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you.”    In plain simple language, avoid what is unclean, what is evil.  Don’t open the door for any kind of unclean spirit.  If you do, there is the possibility that
       the gobblins will get you if you don’t watch out!