Author: Ira Paine

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
Such a youth could come from prison and succeed.  He might even become king though he was born in poverty…  He might become the leader of millions and be very popular.  But then the next generation grows up and rejects him!  So again, it is all meaningless, like chasing the wind.”  –Ecclesiastes 4:14,16 (NLT)
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     It was nice to see Molly astride Two-Bits again.  That horse doesn’t get worked enough, and Molly doesn’t get out enough.  The day was cool with cotton ball clouds dispersed through the blue Colorado sky, just enough to bring shade from the June sun.  We had ridden a little over an hour from Durango where there was a place on the Animas River where we had picnicked before; a large flat boulder that jutted out into the cascading waters.  
     I pitched a blanket down and was smoothing it out while Molly brought the picnic basket to set down.  There was a slight breeze, but not enough to worry about the blanket being tossed in the wind.  The horses were picketed where they had access to a little stream that flowed into the river along with plenty of fresh grass to nibble on.  There was a spot near the rock where I began to build a fire.  You can’t have a picnic up in the San Juans without a little fire and coffee boiling.
     While I was doing that Molly pulled out the fixins.  “Come on Miles, let’s eat while the coffee’s boiling.  I’m hungry,” encouraged Molly.
     I didn’t need any more encouragement than that.  She was smiling as I sat down on the blanket.  “Go ahead and pray, Miles.  Then I’ll dip some egg salad for you.  Sorry I didn’t have any potatoes.”  She knew how much I enjoyed potato salad, but the eggs would do.  
     Smiling, I looked at the towels lying to the side where she had the bowl and a jar of pickled beets wrapped.  I let her fix my plate, putting the egg salad and beets on it, then a leg and breast from the fried chicken she brought.  “Lord, You sure are good to us.  We are so underservin’ of Your care and blessin’ and forgiveness, and are thankful that You are mindful of us.  Thanks for all You do for us, and for this food we’re about to eat.  In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ — Amen.”
     Not waiting for her sayso I bit into the chicken.  While my teeth were still in the chicken before tearing off a piece I looked over to see her smiling at me.  With that I acted like a he-bear tearing that chicken apart and chewing on it, growling while I did so.  
     “You’re terrible,” she chided, but I noticed that she was not too delicate with her piece.
     It didn’t take us long to devour our food.  “Go check the coffee, while I see if there’s anything else in the basket.  With that encouragement, I jumped up and down to the little fire.  The coffee was boiling.  I waited a little longer as I wanted it strong enough to taste.  Sure don’t want my coffee weak.  When I came back there was a large piece of cherry pie sitting, waiting for me.  I handed Molly both cups while I sat down.
     While eating the pie, I told her, “I need to go back to Silverton tomorrow or the next day at the latest.  I need to check on the new marshal and his deputies.”
     She sipped her coffee, then asked, “When is the trial for this McGinnis fellow?”
     “Next Monday,” I replied, drinking the last of my cup.  “I’ll be back for it.”
     A wry smile appeared on her face.  “The Lord willing…” and she left it at that.
     We stayed for several hours.  On the side away from the current there was a pool of water.  Molly took off her boots and socks and waded in it for a spell, and of course she tried to splash me while I sat on the rock watching her.  I had kept the coffee going so when she finished her antics in the water, I poured her a cup.
     “It’s been good, Miles,” she said, coming over to the fire and drying off her feet with one of the towels.  I handed her a cup.  “Water’s cold.”
     “Yep, it’s been a fine day.  Don’t get many of these,” I replied.
     “Not just the day, but the life…”
     For some reason she came beside me and pulled my collar down where she could see my latest wound.  “Another scar, Miles, I declare.”
     I gave a little chuckle.  “As long as the Lord allows me to collect scars I won’t mind.  It’s that time He allows ol’ Scratch to put one straight into me.  Well, I don’t worry ’bout that…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I sat back with a sigh and thought about how good life was.”

                    –Patrick Lindsay  (McCabe’s Land)


       “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works.”
                    –Psalm 73:28 (NKJV)
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     There are many things I don’t pretend to understand, but there is one that is not reasonable–that people would deny there is a God.  I don’t mean they have to be Christians, but creation shows God, and the intricacies of the human body show there is a “Master Designer.”  Yet man, in his foolishness, would try to create a better idea with evolution or try to make man autonomous–his own god.  This next portion of Psalm 145 should be of great comfort to us.  God is here, now, in the present.  Contemplate the greatness of these few passages.

          8 — The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.
          9 — The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.
        10 — All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, and Your saints shall bless You.
        11 — They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power,
        12 — To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
        13 — Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.  (NKJV)

     Right off the bat, I am filled with awe and thankfulness.  Those words of verse 8 should be a comfort to every Christian.  Thank the Lord for His marvelous and wonderful grace.  Thank the Lord that He does not strike us down for our foolishness and our sins.  Then verse 9 puts forth the truth to everyone living.  God is gracious to all.  Look at the cross and His Son hanging on that wooden structure.  Grace for all!  Mercy for all!  Yet, man is blind and foolish and refuses to look or believe in the great gift the Father gave in His Son.  We can go further, if He would diminish the amount of oxygen in the air, man would die.  God is keeping His creation in check for the good of man.  There are many other examples that we could use here.  Gregory the Great said, “It is a marvel that people are not always praising, since everything around us is continually inviting praise.”  See, even Gregory could not understand the foolishness of mankind.
     How do we bless God?  Besides recognizing the gift of Jesus Christ, perhaps the best way is to make proper and good use of the things He has given us.  In other words, be good stewards of all that comes our way.  Use our time wisely, use our bodies and minds properly, make our gifts and talents count for the Lord.  Someone said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything You gave me.'”
     We tend to complain about the weather.  What if God made changes to the weather?  What kind of catastrophes would result?  Some gripe when they have to get up in the morning, but don’t stop to realize that there is a day coming when they won’t get up.  Death will have overcome them, therefore we should be rejoicing that the Lord has given us another day.  There are those who walk around with the mully-grubs with swollen bottom lips from stepping on them.  Shame, that should never be the plight of the believer.  “Rejoice, and again I say rejoice,” can’t you just hear Paul shouting that when he got up in the morning?
     Life itself should be a blessing to the Lord.  He gave it to us to use for Him and His kingdom.  Let’s be about the Lord’s business from the rising of the sun to the moment our eyes close in slumber.  Instead of worrying and fretting we should be giving God the glory for the things He has done and for those things He is about to do.  A good little saying to remember is, “Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.”  How do we make that happen?  By making the most of our time, by working with our minds and hands for the Lord.  “God is ‘faithful in all he says…gracious in all he does’–even when we are tested by fire.”
     (Some translations, the NLT, NIV, ESV, NASB, HCSB, RSV have the following at the end of verse 13, or something similar — “The Lord is faithful in all His words and gracious in all His actions.” HCSB)
 
               “And so through all the length of days
               Thy goodness faileth never:
               Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
               Within thy house forever.”
                       –Henry W. Baker

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

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.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Nor does any person stand completely alone in this world, for when he passes he brushes, perhaps ever so slightly, upon others, and each is never quite the same thereafter.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (High Lonesome)

       “How can there be harmony between Christ and the devil? What business can a believer have with an unbeliever?”
                    –2 Corinthians 6:15 (Phillips)
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“What a fellowship, what a joy divine…” come the words from the pen of E.A. Hoffman.  This familiar hymn was always sung when I was a kid at our church whenever we had membership Sunday.  Fellowship and joy divine, something that is needed in our lives today.  We take for granted fellowship and joy, and so many Christians walk around with the mully-grubs or fret over this and that when instead our souls should be filled with the joy of the Lord.
     Now I want you to focus on the next words of the hymn and continue on into the chorus:  “Leaning, leaning, Safe and secure from all alarms…”  It is a joy divine when we lean on the arms of Jesus.  However, so often in our lives we lean against the wrong person or the wrong thing.  As a teacher, back in the day of yore, there were times that I leaned against the chalkboard and you can guess the result.  Come to our kitchen when the wife is baking and look at the flour on the side of her clothes.  Whatever, and I will add whomever we lean against will leave a residue, a mark.  Some of them are easy to wipe or wash off, while others leave a stain, and some mark our lives.
     We need to be careful about leaning against something dirty, something wicked, something evil.  When we lean against sin we can become polluted by that sin.  I remember when I was in the military and was exposed to the foul mouths of some of the guys.  It would wear on me, but then a Christian brother would walk by and greet me and it felt as if I was being cleansed.  This is the “laver” aspect of the believer (a study for another Echo).  Perhaps we get used to the evil that is so prevalent around us.  Alistair Begg says (and I am using many of his ideas this morning), “It is all too easy to sin with our eyes and minds, realizing only when it is too late that the sin has left its mark.”
     What is our attitude toward sin?  Are we too complacent and lean against it?  Maybe we compromise and get the stain of sin on us.  James tells us to, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (1:21, NKJV)  Listen, friend, sin leads to death, that stain can stay on you throughout your life–the mark of sin.  “Obedience to the Word prevents death; it protects a believer from sinful behavior that can lead directly or indirectly to physical death.” (NKJV Study Bible)  The Word, the Word, the Word, receive “the implanted word.”
     Who are you leaning on?  There is strength when two believers are together, but when a believer and an unbeliever are together there should be discomfort and discord.  As we read in Amos, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (3:3, NLT)  We are not to be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14) or as the CEV translates it, “Stay away from people who are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same?”  Other versions say do not be “teamed together,” while Phillips writes, “do not be linked together.”  When people see you, who do they think about:  some vile person, some foolish person, or the Lord?
     “What are you leaning against?  Are there sins that the world around you accepts and promotes but which you need to walk away from?” (Begg)  Evil companions, filthiness, habits, jesters, who are you leaning against?  Then think of that dear brother or sister who you lean against and gain strength.  Study the life of David and Jonathan and see how they worked together, mainly to benefit David.  Hearken to the words of Solomon when he writes, “Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.  But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other.  But how can one be warm alone?  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer [leaning against each other].  Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NLT–brackets mine).
     Finally, lean on the Spirit.  He will restore you, He will revive you, He will strengthen you.  He will leave His mark upon you.  Take hold of Him, lean against Him, let Him use the Word of God that is in you to assure you and lead you through each day.  The words of that chorus should bring us comfort, “Leaning, leaning,  Safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, Leaning on the everlasting arms.”