Author: Ira Paine

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

A good bed was what a trail driver yearned for and seldom got.”
                    –Zane Grey  (The Trail Driver)

        “And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”
                    –Deuteronomy 8:2 (ESV)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Remember the words of the old Sunday School song?
               “My Lord knows the way through the wilderness,
               All I have to do is follow.
               Strength for today is mine always,
               And all that I need for tomorrow.”
                     –Sidney E. Cox
Three things in this verse stand out to me.  First, God knows the way, the Holy Spirit is our guide.  Second, He gives us strength to walk each day.  This is true for today and each day that follows.  Third, all I have to do is follow.  Follow is all.  He guides, He shows the way, He provides the strength–we just have to follow.  But what does that entail? Obedience, loyalty, depending on Him, surrender, and we could name a few more.  But the key is to follow.  The CEV translates the last phrase of Deuteronomy 8:2 this way,  “He wanted to find out if you were truly willing to obey him and depend on him.”  That’s what Jesus was getting at when He said, pick up your cross daily and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)
     Never forget though, we are traveling through enemy territory.  In this journey we should be seeking the higher ground–upward to glory, along with a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Christ.  In one manner of speaking, we all travel on the same journey, the road to heaven.  However, each of us must walk our own way, fulfilling His purpose in our lives.  The words of Psalm 84:5 should be etched on our hearts and minds:   “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” (NKJV)  We are pilgrims, not settlers.  Travelers through this world to a promised land.

               “Every one that comes to Christ has a journey to perform in this world.  Some have a long, and some a short one.  It is through a wilderness.  Still Christ prays that at the end you may be with Him.  Every one that comes to Christ hath his twelve hours to fill up for Christ.  ‘I must work the works of Him that send me, while it is day.’  But when that is done, Christ prays that you may be with Him.  He means that you shall come to His Father’s house with Him….  You are never very intimate with a person till you see them in their own house–till you know them at home.  This is what Christ wants with us–that we shall come to be with Him, at His own home.”
                            –Robert Murray McCheyne

 

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Obey the king because you have vowed before God to do this. Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t take a stand with those who plot evil. For the king will punish those who disobey him.” — Ecclesiastes 8:2-3 (NLT)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

     “So, are you all packed and ready to go?” inquired Betty Chapman before taking a sip of tea.  Betty didn’t drink coffee, so Molly made the ladies a pot of tea while we all sat around the table.  It was the Preacher and his wife, along with Doc and Edith.
     Molly reached over to pat Betty on the hand.  “I’m packed,” then should looked over at me.  “I just hope he remembered to get me a ticket.  The state provided for him.”
     I gasped, then proclaimed, “I knew there was something I forgot to do!”  
     “Oh, hogwash,” muttered Molly, “I know you have it in your vest pocket.”
     “Miles, what is it that the governor wants you to do?” questioned Parson Chapman.
     Shrugging my shoulders, I answered, “I have no idea.  I had a telegram waitin’ for me when I came in with my prisoner.  ‘Get to Denver…Governor wants us. –McBride’  I was told that the governor comes up with whims now and again.”  I paused, turning my attention to Doc.  “I talked with Charlie.  He said he would deal with the prisoner.”  I stopped to take a sip of coffee.  “By the way, he hasn’t regained consciousness, has he?”
     “He lost a lot of blood, and that falling off the horse didn’t help him either,”  replied Doc, who put a grin on his face.  “If he wasn’t so badly hurt I’d chuckle some knowing that he fell off into a patch of prickly pear and cholla.”  He pointed a bony finger at me.  “Miles, if you weren’t leaving I’d have you over to pick all those spines off him.  I spent over an hour getting them out.”
     I shook my head slightly.  “Luke Sims.  You don’t recall anyone by that name, or at least the last name?” I asked Doc.
     He pulled on his ear, “Not that I can recall, and his face isn’t familiar either.”
     “Well, if Charlie can come up with a reason or a name, have him send me a telegraph.  We’re staying at the Windsor Hotel.”
     There was some friendly chatter going on, mostly the men with the men and the ladies held their own conversation.  The train was leaving at six o’clock that evening.  I had been able to secure a berth for Molly should she want it.  It would take us about a day to get to Denver as we had to make a couple of changes along the way.
     Doc smiled, “I hear you have Enrique working now, taking care of your horses.  What is he nine, ten?”
     “Doc, he’s fourteen now.  And you know that Alejo is working full time for Bert Winfield?”
     “No!  I can’t imagine him being that old,” he muttered, shaking his head.
     I looked at the clock.  “Molly, we’d best be sayin’ our goodbyes and head towards the station.”
     We started to stand, and the preacher interrupted us.  “I think we should have some prayer over our good friends that the Lord will keep them safe on their journey.”  There was agreement and we stood around the table holding hands while the preacher prayed a sincere prayer.  Afterward, he came to give me a big hug.  “Be safe…I’ll be praying.”
     I grabbed the Greener and then reached for Molly’s arm.  “Are you really going to take that shotgun to Denver?” asked Edith, with a frown on her face.
     Giving my best grin, “I wouldn’t be caught without it.”
     “Perate!’ came the voice from the kitchen.  “Perate! I am coming.”  Emelda rushed out from the kitchen with a bag of sandwiches and other delights for our trip.  “For you,” she said seemingly embarrassed.
     “Let’s go,” I spoke to Molly.  “Let’s see what the Lord has for us.  Who knows…?

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

A tough man has to win and lose. He had to come up after being knocked down, he has to have taken a few beatings, and know what it means to win the hard way.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Showdown at Yellow Butte)

       “They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.”
                     –John 15:21 (NIV)
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               “God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.  God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.  Be happy about it!  Be very glad!  For a great reward awaits you in heaven.  And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.”  
–Matthew 5:10-12 (NLT)

     I ended last week’s study with this quotation by Thomas Watson, “Put a cross in your creed.”  It’s easy to talk, but when the rubber hits the road what will you have?  The cross is not an easy thing to pick up and there must be serious consideration when doing so.  But, why me Lord?  
     There are various reasons for suffering and persecution.  One of them is that it proves loyalty.  What does the Christian life cost you?  A young Christian girl in Nigeria refused to marry a Muslim man–she had her hands cut off.  We are so fortunate in America, despite the issues that media brings to us, that we often forget the persecution in other countries.  However, we are beginning to see it happen, even in so-called sophisticated nations.  How loyal are you?  Maybe not in death, but in life.  Do you wander and stray?  Do you compromise?  Has the subtle persecution gotten to you?  Thomas Watson declares that “Persecution is the touchstone of sincerity.”  If persecution does come to you do not run and hide but stand firm in your faith, and say, “Now God be thanked who has matched us with this hour.” (Rupert Brooke)
     You want to be close to God, have a relationship with Him?  Then don’t be surprised if persecution comes your way for the prophets before you were also persecuted.  You can now travel the road of prophets and saints that have gone before you.  What a road, what a testimony they left.  What will yours be?  A third reason for suffering is to share in a great occasion.  William Barclay states, “To suffer for the right is to gain a share in a great succession.”  Paul walked this road, as did Peter and the other disciples.  Augustine, Polycarp, Luther, Tyndale, Bunyan, and so, so many others.  The road is well trod, and there are plenty of signs of those great saints, both known and unknown, that have been left along the way so that we can bolster our courage and take heart.  If there is a crucial moment in your life, know this, there will be a great occasion following.  Also be aware that you are making things easier for those who are to follow.  “To suffer for the right is to gain a share in a great succession.” (Barclay)
     Today is the day of salvation.  Today is the day to prepare.  Tomorrow might bring great suffering, prepare now.  No, don’t live in fear of tomorrow.  Don’t be a prepper in the sense that you can do anything about it, but do prepare.  Study the Beatitudes, they will help you greatly in this.  Get your spirit in tune with that of the Holy Spirit.  As Thomas Watson tells us, “A wise pilot in a clam, will prepare for a storm.”
     (To let you know our study in the Beatitudes will have to take a detour as I’m going on vacation.  I will try to get some note out while away and we’ll get back to our study when I return home.  I don’t want to take my books and research with me on my trip.)

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He gathered wood while I sliced bacon from a slab and placed it in a skillet, then poured ground coffee into a pot.” 

                    –Elmer Kelton  (Other Men’s Horses)
 
     Mornin’ to yuh, Pard, glad yuh were able to stop by.  Got to have yurself some good coffee.  Pard, the thought jist came to my mind.  What kind of coffee do yuh drink durin’ the week?  Do yuh make it yur ownself, or does the missus, or do yuh go out to some coffee shop?  I reckon for sure, that if’n yuh don’t make it yurself, it’s sorta diluted some.  No matter, always glad to have yuh come ’round.
     I read somewhere or heard someone say, that “Coffee is like a journey through time:  with a single sip, I can relive distant memories and create new experiences.”  My mercy, ain’t that the truth, ‘specially now at my age.  Why I sits in my chair a-lookin’ out the window at the woods and ponder all sorts of memories.  Ol’ Kelton brought one to my mind.  I remember the first backpackin’ trip Annie and I took.  It was up in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, and that was back before passes, and reservations, and no cookin’ over campfires, and all that nonsense that has come about because folks don’t know what they’re a-doin’ in the woods.  We camped jist below Blue Lake right at timberline.  Plenty of wood there.
     We only had time to spend a couple of nights, but I recall the marmots yippin’ in the evenin’, and the rush of the stream by our camp that came out from under a snowbank.  Water, oh my, it was cold, but it shor did make good coffee.  Chilly nights even though it was summertime because of the elevation.  The area shore has changed since that hike back in 1974.  Whooeee, that’s a long time ago, amigo.  Annie still insists that I put the iron skillet in her pack.  🤠  
     I wrote the grandkids the other day in a mornin’ note I send them, that the Lord had given them another day to be writin’ their life story.  Yuh realize that we all do that, one day at a time, one hour at a time.  When we get to the end of our time here on earth, most of us will have quite a book.  Some of yuhs, could write a best seller with yur life.  All I know is that the Lord has been faithful and good to us, that I had a wonderful travelin’ pardner through most of it.  Yep, Pard, it could’ve been better, but I’ll take what the Lord has handed out and allowed.
     Ahhh, shor is mighty tasty this mornin’.  Maybe the missus will be up in a bit, an’ she’ll get the biscuits a-goin’ and some gravy.  That’s the normal Saturday breakfast.  If’n we drink the whole pot, I’ll get another one started right away.
     Bein’ tryin’ to stay away from all those liars and woke media folk, and politicians.  Yet, I like to know what’s goin’ on, but it’s hard to tell the truth or the lie.  Yuh want to believe the news, but half the time they’re a-lyin’ jist like the others.  Yuh see a liar, yuh know where they’re from–the ol’ devil himself!  Some of the stuff happenin’ is atrocious.  Injustice, pseudo-justice, mockery of the law and the truth.  Pard, some of it jist jerks my jaws.  Why I read where this one gal said that the Native Americans and blacks were the original inhabitants of this country?  Did she make it past second grade history?  “Nough of that, I’m not gonna get my gizzard riled this mornin’ as I want to be all settled for breakfast.
     Yuh be havin’ a good day, an’ a good week.  Remember, yur writin’ yur life story, so make it a goodun.  Keep lookin’ where yur a-steppin’, I don’t want no root or one of the devil’s snares trippin’ yuh up.  Ride with a smile, knowing that the good Lord is with yuh, and for mercy’s sakes, be a-checkin’ yur cinch.
     Vaya con Dios.