Month: February 2024

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
There was trouble brewing, perhaps already boiled over.  Miles was summoned by Mateo’s oldest son, Alejo to join him.  When Miles arrived he was surprised to see a mob formed with Sheriff Gold and Mateo holding them off.  Join me now in another exciting episode from yesteryear.
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     Alejo could move faster through the snow than I could keep up.  As I passed Darnelle’s place I could see in the distance where the barrio began that a mob was there.  I could hear men’s voices but could not make out anything that was being said.  Alejo stopped and pointed while I continued on off to the side.
     “I want that bean-eater, and I want him now!” hollered Amos Martin who was almost berserk with anger.  Then looking over towards Mateo, he sneered, “I don’t know how he ever became marshal, I’ll see this gets changed!”
     “Settle down Martin!” warned Charlie.  “That goes for the rest of you; go on home.  It’s too cold out here, let the marshal do his job.”
     “His job, his job,” said another man who then spit into the snow.
     I knew the feelings that were racing in the minds of Charlie and Mateo.  These were people they knew, people they saw everyday, but now they were looking at a rabid mob.  One that was ready to attack.  I reckoned it was time to get their attention.  I raised the Greener in the air and discharged one barrel.  The blast shook the crowd as they didn’t know I was standing there with the shotgun.
     Stepping down off the boardwalk, I moved to stand between Charlie and Mateo.  “There’s one more barrel for the fool that dares to take a step in this direction.”
     There was some grumbling and muttering in the mob, then Amos Martin spoke up.  “You can’t stop us.  That boy kidnapped my daughter and I’ll see him hung.”
     This was Charlie and Mateo’s fight, I was just along to help, but I figured I might as well say something.  “Martin, you’ll never see anyone hung, for the first thing I’ll do is fill your gut with buckshot.”
     His eyes widened, and his face sort of paled, but only for a moment for quick as a flash the bluster was back.  “Mateo, you mind tellin’ me what’s goin’ on?”
     I glanced at Mateo, his face grim and jaw set firm.  “Javier Ballesteros and Martin’s daughter, Agatha ran off together.  Amos claims they’re in the barrio and was ready to burst in to find them.”
     “Are they there?” I asked.
     There was a shrug of his shoulders.  “Could be, I can’t say for sure.  But it doesn’t make any difference, she’s twenty and the boy is twenty-two.”
     “What’s he saying?” snapped Martin.  “She wouldn’t go in there by herself.  She knows what’d happen to her if she did.”
     When he said that I moved toward him, close enough to poke him in the chest with my Greener.  “I think it’s time you back off now.  Let Marshal Ramirez handle this.”
     “I wouldn’t trust him–he’s as filthy as the rest of them!”
     Guess it was just in my nature, I couldn’t resist.  I gave him a little thump with the barrel of the Greener that dropped him to his knees.  A man to my right charged at me, Charlie put a bullet just in front of his feet to stop his approach.
     “Best you listen to Marshal Forrest and go home.  My next shot will not be a warning!” barked Charlie.
     Another man hollered out, “You need to remember that you’re an elected official by the people!”
     Charlie smiled, “Take it up at the poll booth, a year and a half from now!”
     There was some bickering in the crowd.  As Martin was pulling himself to his feet, I noticed that a few were starting to pull away.  It was at that time that Parson Chapman and the Catholic priest, Damian Cisneros walked up from behind us with large smiles on their faces.  When they saw the mob they…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

They were men shaped and tempered to the harsh ways of a harsh land, strong in their sense of justice, ruthless in their demand for punishment, relentless in pursuit. In the desert and the wilderness they had built their homes, and from the desert and the wilderness they drew their courage and their code. And the desert knows no mercy, the wilderness shows no kindness.”
                         –Louis L’Amour  (The Key-Lock Man)

       “Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.”

                         –Proverbs 21:15(NLT)
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In this section of the “Pleas for Judgment of False Accusers”, Psalm 109, it seems quite harsh by today’s standards.  Love and mercy tends to be the theme of believers today and there seems to be little emphasis upon judgment of the wicked and evil doers.  But what happens if there is no judgment?  True there should be mercy, but there must also be justice.  Oh, how to balance the two…

          9 — Let his children be fatherless, and His wife a widow.
        10 — Let his children continually be vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread also from their desolate places.
        11 — Let the creditor seize all that he has, and let strangers plunder his labor.
        12 — Let there be none to extend mercy to him, nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
        13 — Let his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
        14 — Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
        15 — Let them be continually before the LORD, that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
        16 — Because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
        17 — As he loved cursing, so let it come to him; as he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
        18 — As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, so let it enter his body like water, and like oil into his bones.
        19 — Let it be to him like the garment which covers him, and for a belt with which he girds himself continually.  (NKJV)

     Reading through verse 15 this seems very harsh.  But then, starting in verse 16, we see the reason why.  Before we may be crying “unjust” show mercy.  But now we see the reason why David is speaking so tough.  This “evil man should be judged by God because he never thought of doing a kindness.” (Steven Lawson)  He showed hatred, lacked mercy, oppressed the poor and needy.  He was a foul-mouthed man and he was not grateful for the blessings that had come upon him.  David is saying, now, let all that he did to others come back upon him.
     Have you ever been around people whose every other word seemed to be a cuss word?  It is like this person, it is part of his “garments.”  David is pleading for divine justice.  Now, here is an important point.  He gives the man to God; he asks that God take care of him in His justice.  He does not become the object of wrath upon the man, but asks for the Lord’s judgment, for His justice, and then David be vindicated.  Let him be accursed with his own cursings.  “Our words and our acts create conditions in which we ourselves must live.” (Eugene Peterson)  Repentance is available (mercy) but if there is no repentance we will remain unforgiven.  David turned the matter over to the Lord, we should have the grace to follow his actions with our adversaries.

               “Depth of mercy!  can there be mercy still reserved for me?
               Can my God His wrath forbear–me, the chief of sinners, spare?
               There for me my Savior stands, holding forth His wounded hands;
               God is love!  I know, I feel, Jesus weeps and loves me still.”
                         –Charles Wesley

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He accepted a cup of coffee from her, took a small sip of the scalding brew. The heat from the coffee felt good to his hands as he held the cup in both of them.” 

                    –C. Wayne Winkle  (Yancey’s Ride)
 
Mediocrity!  I hate that word, always have.  When I was in the military one of the slogans was, “Close enough for government work.”  But no, close enough doesn’t make it, Pard.  Think of those packin’ parachutes–close enough.  Or ammunition, the powder is close enough to bein’ a full load, or puttin’ fuel in a vehicle or plane, that’s close enough, it’s almost full.  
     Sorry for my rantin’ this early, Pard.  Let’s get to the important stuff–a cup of hot, steamin’, black coffee.  Just right to make the ol’ gizzard light up.  Perhaps I was just raised to do a good job, and add to that the words of that ol’ Apostle, “do all as unto the Lord.”  Let me back up, soon as I take a deep swaller of this elixir.  Ahhh…  The missus and I had to drive an hour away to get labs done for our doctor’s appointments next week.  When we got into the lab, we were told by the technician that the doctor had not sent in the request.  An hour’s drive, an appointment comin’ up, and no request for blood work.  It almost jerked my jaws, but to what use?  
     Maybe, but I doubt it, that those in the doctor’s office responsible for sending in the lab request aren’t considered professionals.  But still, they represent the doctor, and what about their responsibility?  I know there are good doctors out there, and they do marvelous things, but they depend almost solely on lab reports.  They don’t even listen to yur heart to see if it’s still tickin’ or on beat.  What happens if yur havin’ local surgery, say like I did a couple of years ago with the removal of cataracts and the doctor says “Oops” or “close enough for medical work.”
     I need another cup before goin’ on.  Reminds me of the old story, “for want of a nail.”  A  farrier tried to save on nails and slighted the shoe one, it came off on a very important mission and for want of a nail the kingdom was lost.  Mediocrity, half-heartedness, ho-hum attitude–that’s part of what’s plaguin’ our country.  Don’t bother me with the details, just give me my paycheck.
     One more cup and the pot will be nigh empty.  Time for one more spiel b’for yuh have to leave.  I’m sure glad the Lord yelled out, “It is finished!” on the cross.  He hung on despite the pain and ridicule to take on the sins of mankind.  He faced the greatest spiritual battle anyone could face.  It wasn’t half-hearted; it wasn’t just “good enough,” but it was finished, done right, complete.  Makes me want to clog in the kitchen.  
     We drank that pot dry in a hurry, I had more to say, but reckon it’ll wait for another time.  Yuh best be on yur way.  Go ahead an’ waddle to yur hoss, yeah, I noticed it, too many chocolates for Valentines.  That bein’ said, yuh gotta make sure yuh check that cinch.  That extry weight yur carryin’ might do yuh in.
        Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

If you learn to really see things and to really listen, half your troubles are over.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Brionne)

       “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
                    –Psalm 46:10 (Amplified)
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Yesterday morning, I was sitting in my chair getting ready to do my devotions.  Instead of beginning to write some thoughts I just sat there, looking at the graylight trying to overcome the darkness.  It was slow, but sure and eventually the dawn drove away the night, and soon I could get a glimmer of sunlight in the tops of the trees.  I thought about what I recently wrote about Martha being “cumbered.”  Was I that way?  I was reading my Bible and other good books.  I was studying, but was I letting them get in the way of just being quiet and listening?
       Luke Dysinger said, “Give to God what you have found in your heart.”  Then Bernard Brady added to this, “Then pause for a moment.”  That is where the issues lie.  First, do I/we take time to really look deep into our heart?  We get busy with “things” and we don’t contemplate deeply the Word of God.  The second problem is–pausing.  Oh my, how can a person possibly pause in this frantic world?  Annie and I are both retired, yet it seems hard to take time to pause, and perhaps that is the problem–taking time.
       People want peace and tranquility in their lives.  But where is it?  Many, and I believe a majority of people cannot even lie down at night and fall quickly to sleep.  They are still caught up in the motions of the day or are already so vexed by what will be facing them tomorrow that they cannot even rest at night.  Tomorrow‘s schedule is on our mind:  do this, then this, and if I have time, do this.  I look at the words of Isaiah 30:15, “…In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength…” (NKJV)  That is what the Lord says, but what do the people do?  Go on to verse 16, “And you said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses’—Therefore you shall flee!  And, ‘We will ride on swift horses’—Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!” (NKJV)  Rushing to and fro and for naught.  Where is the quiet time before the Lord?
       “When one finally arrives at the point where schedules are forgotten, and becomes immersed in ancient rhythms, one begins to live…” so wrote Sigurd Olson.  Man then begins to plan, (get the picture) and then as Olson continues, “In the process, however, the man will still be so imbued with the sense of hurry and the thrill of travel that they actually lose what they came to find.”  Trying to make things happen instead of living the life that God has intended for us.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  We have to have schedules, some jobs more than others.  I realize that family, career, friends, and even church puts demands on our lives that must be met, but the key is to find somewhere, some time to get alone and quiet before the Lord.  
       When you’re quiet and alone you begin to see things that you might not have seen before.  “All people look, but few really see,” said Louis L’Amour.  Sit quietly and maybe a fox will wander near you.  Listen and you may hear that still small voice of the Lord speaking to you.  Mother Teresa said, “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness.  God is the friend of silence…  The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life.  We need silence.”  Yet, even in the church noise seems to abound.  An example of this happened to us just a few weeks back.  The music was so loud and bombastic that we couldn’t even begin to think much less pray and concentrate on the Lord.  However, “when you’re quiet and still things come to you.” (Greg Lane)
       So I would encourage you to find that spot where you can avoid the noise and take time to be quiet to listen to the Lord.  You must also find, not only the place, but the time.  It doesn’t have to be long, but I would say start with ten minutes.  Ten minutes of thinking about the Lord.  Ten minutes contemplating, perhaps your favorite verses.  Ten minutes of solitude where you can be refreshed.