Month: March 2024

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I started running as soon as I heard the shots with Doc following close behind me.  He wasn’t quite as spry as he once was, ‘course then, neither was I.  Upon entering the Mexican section of town there wasn’t a soul in sight, but I could see a few heads peering from windows or a doorway that was cracked open.  Perhaps a third of the way inside, at the second intersection I saw a body lying in the street.

       Upon seeing that, I slowed to a walk.  A door opened, I turned, pointing the Greener that direction.  A man appeared in the open doorway.  “Senor, a la derecha,” he said, pointing to the right.  Nodding, I moved to the house across the road.
       Doc had caught up to me.  I saw him looking at the man in the street and he started to take a step in that direction until I grabbed his arm.  “Hold on!  You don’t know what’s around the corner.”
       Moving cautiously, I edged myself close to the wall at the corner then peered around the other side.  Was the man fooling me?  Then I heard a shot; down and to the left.  I slowly moved out from the building.  “Doc, stay right on my heels as I run.”  Then I took off, not bothering to look to see if he was following me.
       As I reached the other side, he must not have seen me stop as he ran right into me.  “Doc!”
       I heard him mutter something, but couldn’t make it out.  “I’m goin’ on down the street,” I informed him.  “It’s probably safe for you to check on that man.”
       When I started moving along the sides of the homes, Doc went to check on the man.  The shooting had stopped, but I had a fairly good notion of where it was coming from.  Slowly I moved toward where the shots had come, I didn’t want to be mistaken for the wrong person.
       There was movement in the shadows–Mateo.  Looking across the road, the worst possible thoughts went through my mind.  Whoever it is has Mateo’s wife and younger son in the house.
       I stayed hidden, I don’t think Mateo knew I was there.  Then a voice sounded out from the house.  “Mex, you leave now and maybe I’ll let your woman and kid go,” came the voice with an evil snigger.
       Tapping the adobe with the barrel of the Greener I wanted Mateo to know I was there.  He took a step away from the building to see me and nodded.  I motioned that I was going to move down to the right and come up next to his house.  He nodded again.  There was a small open area I had to cross to get there, but fortunately there were no windows on that side.
       Leaning against the house, I could hear voices inside.  There were at least two men, maybe three inside.  I edged up along the wall, when the same voice hollered out.  “I want you to bring us three horses, then get away.  We’re takin’ yur family along with us for insurance.”  Then came another laugh.
       Mateo wasn’t one to talk much; he was more of a take action type.  I motioned with my head for him to leave, so he then hollered out, no threat, just a matter of fact.  “I’m getting the horses.  You touch either of them and you’ll pay dearly.”  A laugh came from inside the house.
       I wasn’t sure, but I thought the voice sounded like Moser.  We needed to get them out of the house and away from Mateo’s family.  How, I didn’t know.  I whispered a prayer for wisdom and help.  I looked down the street where I had come from and saw Doc hugging the wall.  When our eyes met, he simply shook his head.  I knew that the man in the street was dead.
       It didn’t take long for Mateo to get the horses.  He yelled out, “Where do you want the horses?”
       “Bring them to the house then leave the area.  If I see you, I’ll kill the woman,” came the voice, evil in every word.
       I could see a helpless look on Mateo’s face as he led the horses to the house.  When he dropped the reins, I heard the door partially open.  “Now git!”
       Mateo started walking away without a word and without looking at me.  I thought that was strange, then I heard the door open wider.  When Mateo was out of sight, a man stepped out holding tightly to Luciana; it was Moser.  Two other men followed him out, one holding Enrique.
       I was in a quandary.  Should I remain hidden or confront the men?  Luciana and Enrique were hoisted up in the saddle.  I watched as Moser placed his foot in the stirrup…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Hard and perilous life in a barren and wild country developed great principles in men. Living close to earth, under the cold, bleak peaks, on the dust-veiled desert, men grew like the nature that developed them—hard, fierce, terrible, perhaps, but big—big with elemental force.”

                    –Zane Grey  (The Light of the Western Stars)

       “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
                    –Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)
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What is the focal point of your life?  Don’t rush, but seriously take inventory.  Many will respond, “God,” simply because that is the right answer, but if so, what about God?  I knew of a man whose focus was his career and money.  He made $50,000 a week, but lost his family.  I ask was it worth it?  It all depends on your focal point, on what is important in and to your life.  Everyone, whether they realize it or not, has something or someone at the very core, the center of their lives.  Psalm 112 helps us with this for the psalmist shows us what should be our focus.

          1 — Praise the LORD!  Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.
          2 — His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
          3 — Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
          4 — Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
          5 — A good man deals graciously and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion.  (NKJV)

       “The fear of God is the soul of godliness,” states Charles H. Spurgeon.  That is where we should start with our focus.  Yet, how many, including Christians have a shallow life, one without the knowledge of the Lord?  As Christians our lives should have one dominant pursuit–God Himself.  How do we respond to the Word of the Lord?  How do we respond when the Spirit attempts to guide us?  Are we like the Israelites of old when they left Egypt–complainers, murmurers, angry?  Many want to pick and choose what they want from the Bible, but we should delight in all of His commands.
       Let me share a story from George O. Wood.  He speaks of a “Montana sheepherder who became enormously rich when oil was discovered on his ranch.  He promptly bought a Rolls Royce limousine, the kind where the driver sits in front of a glass partition.  A friend asked, ‘What do you like best about it?’  ‘Well,’ he drawled,’ I can take my sheep to market now without having them lick my neck.'”  The moral of the story is, what would you do if you came into wealth?  Where would your focal point be?
       This psalm is about “what it looks like for a believer to live a God-centered life, one in which God is the sum and substance of life.” (Steven Lawson)  Look at the priorities:  reverence, obedience, and then blessings.  Lawson states, “You cannot fear God without delighting in His Word.”  When that happens, there is a wonderful legacy to be left behind.  The person who fears God will have His blessings, both materially and spiritually.
       This person is able to see in the darkness because a light is given to him.  People around you may be groping in the darkness; they may not be able to see what is actually going on around them, but to the person who is upright and fears the Lord there will be a light to see things that others cannot.  He will have spiritual eyes.  Then he will respond justly:  gracious, compassion, and righteousness will be seen in their lives.  Then conform to the standards of God.
       What happens if you lose your material possessions?  Will you change?  It is entirely possible if your focus is not right.  “It is a small thing to lose the gifts as long as you possess the Giver; the supreme tragedy lies in losing the Giver and retaining only the gifts.” (F. W. Boreham)  Again I would say, take serious inventory of your focus.  What is important to you?  Check it against the Word of God.

               “And must I part with all I have,
               My dearest Lord, for thee?
               It is but right, since thou hast done
               Much more than that for me.”
                      –Benjamin Beddome

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He was a pragmatic man. He reached for the coffee.”

                          –Elmer Kelton
 
Pard, come on in an’ help me out.  No, it’s not the coffee; it’s ready to drink.  But sometimes this new lingo gets me right confused and discombobulated.  I know that the liberals usin’ their postmodern lingo is out to deconstruct the language.  Words no longer mean what they once did, and there are new words and new meanin’s to old words comin’ all the time.  
       I was readin’ about the Park Service doin’ away with many of their livin’ history programs.  Instead they are goin’ to begin to build what they’re a-callin’ a “culture of experimentation.”  Yep, experiment with history, or are they goin’ to rewrite it the way they see fit?  What’s that they’re offerin’, no teachin’ in the schools today–Critical Race Theory?  That’s part of this culture of experimentation.
       Get yurself a swaller, whilst I tell yuh what I heard the other day.  Liberal women are celebratin’ “Women’s History Month”, yet this same group has trouble definin’ what a woman is.  They need to retake Biology 101, if they ever took it in the first place.  Hmmm, come to think of it, how will they be teaching biology and anatomy now?  Guess they’ll call it Biology 101: Culture of Experimentation.  Sure glad we don’t have cinos to experiment with, we have the honest to goodness black brew. 
       Part of all this is that thing called, “WOKE.”  Man-oh-man, if ever there was a demonic movement that is it.  Goodness, instead of bein’ woke, they’re sound asleep to the things of God and proper morals.  Anything is right if’n it fits in with their agenda.  I read the other day that West Point, and yuh better hold yur cup tight, has dropped their slogan–Duty-Honor-Country.  How absurd!  It is bein’ replaced by what is called, “Army Values.”  One general said that the old slogan is incorporated into the new one.  Hmmm, seems to this ol’ fence post that “Army Values” could mean whatever or whomever has the power to enforce its meanin’; it is such an ambiguous term.  Imagine an army of soldiers who are so confused they don’t even know what gender they are, and they are the ones to defend our country, much less values.
       Instead of WOKE, we need to wake up!  At least, you an’ me, we know the practical things to do–reach for the coffee, the Bible, and keep our guns handy.  Listen, Pard, go back and read about those who sleep in Proverbs.  We normally think of that as natural, physical sleep, but could it go deeper?  A little spiritual sleep, a little moral slumber…yuh get the picture?  Yep, WOKEness is upon the country, an’ I think of those words of Paul, “their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
       Feelin’ better now, the confusion has left for I realize that this ol’ world is in trouble; it’s a good thing that we have the Lord and can fully trust in Him.  He’ll be takin’ care of us, even if’n yuh forget to check yur cinch.  An’ what’s over the Great Divide is much better than anything we can imagine.  Now, that don’t mean we shouldn’t be aware, an’ takin’ percautions.  Keep yur weapons handy an’ ready, be wary as yuh go ’bout yur daily duties, stand firm in the faith, and be obedient and trustin’ in the Lord.  Oh, ‘fore I forget, my new book is now on the market–“Last Stage to Laramie.”  Do yurself an’ me a favor an’ pick up a copy on Amazon.
       Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I had to fight my first battle to conquer my own stubborn soul.”
                    –Max Brand  (Riders of the Silences)

       “But I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

                    –1 Corinthians 9:27 (NASB)
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               “The cross upon which Jesus died
               Is a shelter in which we can hide.
               And its grace so free is sufficient for me,
               And deep is its fountain; as wide as the sea.”
                        –Ira Stanphill

I have thought for years that far too many take this time of the year very flippantly.  Even in the church we see more ado about egg hunts, peeps, and chocolate bunnies.  These can be fun, if kept in proper perspective and not the focal point of Easter.  It is like so many things today.  The terms, the events seem to get thrown around and it becomes just another fun day of the year.
       Listen, “there is no real love without the cross.” (Jack Graham)  Perhaps we ought to sober up and get serious over what took place.  Yes, we have films to draw us to the cross, and they do a good job of getting hold of our emotions, but as Graham says, “it wasn’t just an emotion that put Christ on the cross…it was an act of God who loves the world…”.  Look deeper at what took place.  Look beyond the emotions and let the Spirit speak to your mind and your heart.  
       Perhaps one reason why we are not somber as we should be in regard to Easter is because of the cross and all it means.  I’m speaking now, of beyond the cross.  J.B. Phillips translates Luke 9:23 this way, “…If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, carry his cross every day and keep close behind me.”  That cross, though it is not the same as the Lord’s it has some of the same purposes–crucifying the self.  Harbuck, in his translation, put is more succinctly, “…If anyone chooses to be My disciple, he/she must refuse to follow a path of self-interests, and pick up his/her cross and carry it–(that is, take on the responsibility and burdens of strict discipleship) daily, and unwaveringly follow Me [with the full awareness of what I command]…”.  Let that sink in for a few moments.  

               The ancient Hebrews were so tied by tradition they couldn’t recognize the Messiah when he was right there in front of them, and he was crucified.
               The disciples, who walked and worked with the Christ, were very afraid of him; they hoped, but they also doubted, and they ran that night, and he was crucified.
               The common people mobbed him, showed him their sicknesses and sores, and they threw down an aisle of palms for him and sang to him, and he was crucified.
               His family was embarrassed, and stood outside, and wished he’d come home, and he was crucified.
               Would we crucify Jesus today?  It’s not a rhetorical question for the mind to play with.
                    I believe, We are each born with a body, a mind, a soul, and a handful of nails.
                    I believe, When a man dies, no one has ever found any nails left–clutched in his hands, or stuffed in his pockets.
                                          (Lois A Cheney, God Is No Fool. Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1969.)

       Perhaps, we don’t drive the nails today, instead we are frivolous with the cross.  We make overtures to it, but overall we neglect it.  The bunnies and baby chicks along with the colorful eggs gain our attention more readily.  It is not so painful, and there is not a cross for us to pick up.  But for those who do, sing the final stanza of Room At the Cross, with me.

               “The hand of my Savior is strong
               And the love of my Savior is long.
               Through sunshine or rain Through loss or in gain,
               The blood flows from Calv’ry to cleanse ev’ry stain.”