Author: Ira Paine

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
I was standing outside of Solly Vendor’s tobacco shop telling him about my doings down in Socorro.  Solly liked to hear about places I’d been to and things I’ve seen.  He stood leaning against the post holding up the small awning over the boardwalk, puffing on one of his cigars.  Funny man, he sold the stuff, but didn’t like it to be smoked in his shop.  Of course, it was a little shop and a couple of men puffing on those big cigars could smoke it up real quick like.  Myself, I could care less, the stench of them is enough to make my face go sour.
       Solly was shaking his head as I was telling him about Elfego, when Stan Offut came out of the telegraph office which is right next to Solly’s place of business.  “Saw you standing out here Marshal and thought I’d save you a nickel and bring it out myself instead of sending one of the boys.”  A young kid, Jimmy Hopkins, is usually around to run the messages to folks.  I didn’t tell Stan, but I usually give Jimmy a dime.
       “What’s it say?” inquired Solly, trying to look over my shoulder.
       “Let me open it and read it first,” I replied.
       “It’s from Marshal Blasco down in Denver,” blurted Offut.  I stared at him, and he violently began shaking his head.  “No, I didn’t read it, honest,” he said, but then he laughed.  “I don’t have to, I’m the one who writes it down.  I already know what it says.”
       I gave a little grunt, but Solly guffawed right along with Stan.  “Well, stand back some, and give me a chance to read what it says.”
       Reading it out loud so Solly could hear, “Needed in Central City–STOP–President coming–STOP–Be there by the middle of the month–J. Blasco”
       Since Stan had left the door open, we all could hear his keys begin to clack.  He hurried off to check on the message.
       “What do you think that means?” questioned Solly, now holding the telegram and reading it to himself.
       “That’s not hard to understand; it means I’m to go to Central City because President Arthur is coming to town.”
       We were now talking about the President.  Solly saying that he thought the President was doing a good job, but that he was so removed from the people out here that it didn’t make much difference what he did.  Stan came back out to hand me another telegram.  
       “Stop by office in Denver first –J. Blasco”
      “Well, gentlemen, allow me to tell Molly before the two of you blab it all over town,” I uttered, then stepped off the boardwalk to head across the street to the diner.  Thoughts were fluttering through my mind as I crossed the dusty road and when I entered the diner they had sorta settled down.
       “Molly,” I hollered, figuring that she was in the kitchen.  Edith, Doc Jones’ wife, who was helping Molly since Marta had her baby to tend to, was wiping off tables.  There was no one else in the eatery.
       I hollered again.  She appeared at the entry to the kitchen.  “Miles, what is it?”
       “Come sit down,” I ordered.  I grabbed a cup and filled it with coffee as she approached.  I sat down, took a sip, then smiled up at her standing there.  “Want to take a trip to Denver and up to Central City?”
       A smile appeared on her face, lighting it up, but disappeared just as quickly.  “Miles, I can’t.  What brought this on?”
       “I’m ordered by Marshal Blasco to be there by the middle of the month.  I thought it would be a good trip for you since you haven’t traveled anywhere in ages.”  
       “It’s a nice thought, Miles, but I can’t leave, not with Marta out,” she informed me.
       “Sure you can,” blurted in Edith.  “We can find someone to take care of the baby and I don’t mind working a few more hours for a couple of weeks.”
       “Well, I don’t know…”
       “Go see Marta, now!” commanded Edith.  “I can handle things, just be back before the rush.
       I gulped down the rest of my coffee and nigh leaped from my chair to go with Molly.  We went out the entrance onto the boardwalk…
                    
P.S.  Last of Miles for a time period.  He’s on his way to Denver, and the missus and I are on our way to Maryland.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

You don’t think you’re better than other men; you just think the things you believe are better than what other men believe.”

                         –Luke Short  (Ride the Man Down)

       “So be truly glad!  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.”
                         –1 Peter 1:6 (NLT)
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Where were you God?  How could you allow this to happen?  I remember the cries of September 11, 2001.  There was a national lament similar to what we see in Psalm 83.  God, we’re surrounded–God we’ve been attacked.  How could you allow this to happen to your chosen people–how could you allow this to happen to the United States, a nation built upon Your Word?  Ahh, but the background is a backslidden people.
       Psalm 83, is a cry for God’s intervention.  It was a desperate hour for Israel, just as it was that day twenty-one years ago was for the United States.  The purpose–repentance.  For one day, Congress stood together, united on the steps of the capitol and sang “God Bless America.”  One day and look at where we are now–twenty-one years later.  Hatred, division, terror, immorality–God gave the chance for repentance, but…

          9 — Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera, as with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
         10 — Who perished at En Dor, who became as refuse on the earth.
         11 — Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, yest, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
         12 — Who said, “Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God for a possession.”
         13 — O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like the chaff before the wind!
         14 — As the fire burns the woods, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
         15 — So pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm.
         16 — Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD.
         17 — Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish.
         18 — That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.  (NKJV)

Twenty-one years ago, “Maintain the Rage” was the cry.  Sounds like Asaph at the end of this Psalm.  He is saying, “Go get ’em Lord!”  The NIV and HCSB say, “Make them like tumbleweed,” sweep them away in divine judgment.  He wants them destroyed in the storm.  It is important to remember, even with the verses from Asaph, that this is the day of salvation.  There is always that “IF clause” of repentance.  However, the day is approaching when the hand of redemption will be removed and upon the earth will come the divine judgment that Asaph is calling for.  There will be the day of fire that will “set the mountains on fire.”  Those who are against the Lord, those who have refused His grace will be “confounded and dismayed forever.”  I like what George Wood says, “Minimize what threatens you and maximize instead God’s future for you.”
 
                    “Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
                    The trumpet call obey;
                    Forth to the mighty conflict,
                    In this His glorious day.
                    ‘Ye that are men now serve Him,’
                    Against unnumbered foes;
                    Let courage rise with danger,
                    And strength to strength oppose.”
                             –George Duffield

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I’d sooner drink dishwater than cold coffee.”

                    –Elmer Kelton  (The Smiling Country)
 
Ponder that some, while I pour yuh a cup.  Pretty close to bein’ true, and let me tell yuh another thing.  I’ve tasted some coffee that was pretty near to bein’ dishwater on its ownself, not even bein’ cold.  How some folks can ruin such a delightful beverage is beyond understandin’.  Cold coffee–not fer me, unlessin’ that’s all there is.  An’ if’n it’s cold, a person can always pour it in a pan and place it on the stove.
       Taste that!  Don’t burn the hair offen yur tongue; it’s hot!  Ahhh, pure delight.  Makes unwanted company tolerable.  No, Pard, not meanin’ you, but I’ve had to sit through meetin’s in my time, and do some visitin’ with unsavory types that it was only coffee that helped me through.  Go ahead, yuh can probably take a deep swaller now.
       Yuh heard about the Queen.  Finally went to meet her Maker and the real King of the Universe.  From what I have been able to tell, she was a good woman and a believer.  She shore did live the life.  A stabalizin’ factor with the countries on the continent.  No one can fill her shoes, but we need to pray that Charles stays with the Lord and continues to be a conservative voice.
       Pard, yuh realize that it is the Lord who establishes governments and kingdoms.  Sometimes, in fact most of the time, we don’t understand his workin’s, but He establishes thrones and who sits upon them.  Part of that is to give people the kind of leadership they deserve.  A people who act the fool will get a foolish leader–just look around you.  One of these days, and this ol’ fence post believes soon, the kings of the nations will run for a hidin’ pace.  The true King will appear and they will be afraid, and will go to war against Him.  Oh, foolish men!
       Coffee’s gone already?  My, we must have been thirsty this mornin’ doin’ all our contemplatin’ an’ rememberin’ the Queen.  Maybe she and Granny are sippin’ a cup of heavenly tea (yeah, I said it, I’m not sure how much the Queen enjoyed coffee), perhaps Mary and Martha are involved with the conversation.  Is she in heaven?  Pard, from what I understand she claimed to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ so she’s gonna be there.
       Pard, yuh be havin’ a good day.  Next week, the wife and I along with the youngest granddaughter are travelin’ the steel mount for Maryland.  Hopin’ to be stoppin’ off to see relatives in Carolina.  Yuh can be singin’ that song, “Wouldn’t it be finer, just to be in Carolina in the mornin’?”  But while yur a-singin’ it, don’t neglect to check yur cinch.  I won’t be here to remind yuh.  Be sayin’ a prayer for us.
        Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

More often than not, the Lord uses moments we fear the most to teach us to trust him.”

                         –Kenneth S. Pratt  (Return to Willow Falls)

       “Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”
                         –Isaiah 30:21 (NKJV)
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Something to think about.  We know that “perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment…” (1 John 4:18, NKJV)  Two years ago proved that fear is torment.  Fear causes men and women to do and act strangely.  Some may cower, others become belligerent.  Some went into despair while others were ready to fight.  Confusion abounded.  All because of a virus.  Fear had struck.
       If fear is cast away by love then fear must be self-seeking.  It is selfish, and only seeks relief for the individual.  Selfishness and fear go hand in hand.  Look for a moment at the words of Mark.

               “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?'”
                              –Mark 4:35-39 (NKJV)

After all Jesus had already shown the disciples they allowed fear to dominate them.  The storm didn’t bring fear into their lives, it uncovered the fear that was lurking in their hearts and minds.  This fear, not the storm, caused the disciples to panic, and they were upset that Jesus could sleep through such a storm.  Then the selfishness appeared, “doesn’t He care that we are perishing?”  They began to accuse Him that He didn’t care about them.
       I found in reading these verses something that I had never noticed before.  There were other little boats on course with them.  “The disciples were so full of fear for their own lives that they neglected the fact that there were also other little boats traveling with them–yet they were the ones who actually had Jesus in their boat!  Likewise, whatever storm we may find ourselves in, we must realize that there are many others in the same storm.  However, we are the ones who have the Savior in our life, in our very own boat, meaning that there is no way we are going down.” (Carter Conlon)  

               “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?’  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!'”
                              –Mark 4:40-41 (NKJV)

       It seems that they didn’t hear the rebuke or didn’t take it to heart for immediately, they were afraid, yet in a different manner.  Fear had brought them anguish, now it is fear that makes them wonder.  When we can finally “take our eyes off ourselves,” recognize His love for us, and “enter into the work of the Lord that we will be empowered by a spirit of love rather than driven by a spirit of fear.” (Conlon)
       Do not worry or be afraid of the world around you if you are following Jesus.  Charles Spurgeon said, “It is good to sail with Jesus even if you are in a small boat.  When we sail in Christ’s fleet it does not necessarily mean fair weather for us; huge storms may toss the ship carrying the Lord Himself.  Thus, we should not expect to find a sea less rough around our little boat.”  He slept in the boat with the disciples, however, now He is awake, with us facing the storm.
      If Jesus was in the boat with the disciples, I can imagine the thoughts of those in the other boats where the Master was not present.  If fear was upon the disciples, what manner of fear must have been on the others.  We know because of the virus that fear is a great crippler, not only of the individual, but of society.  As we resolve to have faith and not let fear dominate our lives. “Many people’s lives will be spared as you make the choice to embrace the will of God, moving away from fear and bringing you into the work of God, empowered by His love.” (Conlon)