The coffee’s been ready for a while. Hope it’s not too strong. It ain’t too strong ’til you have to start cuttin’ it with a saw.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Pumpkin Rollers)
Been waitin’ for yuh, Pard. New coffeepot that the daughter gave me; makes a pretty good pot of coffee if’n yuh make it strong enough. Now don’t go mixin’ it with anything; yuh know that ain’t proper in this kitchen. Too strong? If’n yuh must I’ll allow a little cow cream and sugar, but not cinos–yuh hear!
Mixin’, something to be a-ponderin’. There are things that don’t mix or if they do, they soon separate. Vinegar and oil is good, but it won’t stay mixed for long. Try mixin’ oil and water. For sure guns and liquor don’t mix, especially in the camp. One thing I’ve noticed over the last few weeks is that stupidity and violence don’t mix. In all of my born days I’ve never seen such a gatherin’ of clowns and fools as I’ve seen in some of these so-called peaceful riots. My mercy, and watch most of them, they’re belligerent until they face the law. I recall ol’ Judge Dredd statin’, “I am the law.” Well, no one can be a law unto themselves, for there is always a higher law and a greater Judge, and the more I see of the antics around the world, I know that soon there’s a great day a-comin’.
Mixiin’, sometimes we try to mix the world into Christianity or we try to mix Christianity into the world. Pard, it jist don’t work. It’s one or t’other. Like I wrote the other day, yuh can’t be mixin’ the things of the Holy Spirit with the things of the devil. Yuh can’t be a-walkin’ on two paths at the same time. Yuh need to take one, the straight one and stick to it come hades or high water. Don’t be mixin’ yur mind with the ideas of the world, neither. Hold fast to sound doctrine, that’s yur hope and walk.
‘Nough of that preachifyin’, let’s enjoy the coffee. Ahhh, most things that are good are the simple things. Like last Sunday, the family celebrated me bein’ around for ten additional years. It was nice, simple, and sweet. Yuh don’t need to be fanciful or have a lot of fru-frus, in fact, I’ll take simple anytime. ‘Course I’m a simple sort of guy.
Pard, did yuh stop to think? Quit yur slurpin’ for a minute and ponder. Yesterday was the first day of summer. I know that some of the loonies out there go hug trees on the summer solstice, but there yuh go again mixin’. I mean God is the creator, the creation is not God. Yuh gotta keep ’em separate. Pard, an’ if’n yuh hug a dogwood tree yuh’ll find that the bark is worse than the bite. Hug it too long an’ it’ll rub yuh raw. But again, what have we accomplished for the Lord this first half of the year? Are yuh walkin’ rightly, ready, wary, and lookin’ upward?
Well, Pard, the pot’s empty. Glad yuh stopped by for a spell; always good to see yur face. At least I have someone who’ll take a listen to wait this ol’ fence post has to say. Yuh know, Pard, life ain’t so hard if’n yuh trust in the Lord. Oh, an’ for the likes of you, maken sure that yuh check yur cinch. That reminds me, I was watchin’ the other day an’ this youngster didn’t take the time to mend his cinch and he went out a racin’ on his hoss, and well, yuh guessed it–his cinch broke and he fell on his noggin’. Sure don’t want that to be happenin’ to you, why who’d come by and drink coffee with me?
Vaya con Dios.