Half a block down there was a man laying in the street. The fellow that just left the diner was standing there with his hands raised, but holding his gun.
“Easy, mister,” cautioned Charlie as he came up behind the man. “I want you to lower your right hand and then let the gun drop to the ground.”
“Why don’t you just take it from me, Sheriff,” taunted the stranger.
“If I have to, I will,” snapped Charlie in return. “I’d rather do it this way.”
There came a small laugh. “Maybe I don’t,” he paused turning his head to look at Charlie. “I don’t think you can take it.”
“I think he can!” I interrupted their little conversation with the cock of the Greener.
The man lowered his arm, then hesitated, but only momentarily. He dropped the gun. While I held the shotgun on the stranger, Charlie went and picked up his gun.
A man rushed up, “Sheriff, I saw…”
“Not now,” Charlie ordered. “Go stand by that hitching rail. I’ll get to yuh.”
“Let’s go to the jail,” commanded Charlie with a wave of his pistol.
“I heard you don’t have a jail,” replied the stranger. “Plus, Sheriff, it was self-defense.”
“That has to be determined by a court. I see a dead man, you shot him, I hold you while I check out the evidence,” Charlie reminded him.
The man standing at the rail lifted his voice, “Sheriff, I saw the whole thing.”
“Let’s go,” Charlie motioned to the stranger.
The man didn’t waver. He turned and pointed at me. “Who’s going to examine the evidence? That wannabe lawman holding the shotgun?” Now looking at Charlie, “Take away that shotgun and he’s nothing.”
“Sheriff!” came the voice again. By now there were others gathering around. “That man was goaded into a fight.”
“Watch him, Miles,” Charlies requested then walked over to the man doing all the ranting. The stranger turned to face me, smiled, and pointed at me.
When Charlie reached the man standing at the hitching rail, the man began to tell what he saw, raising his voice so others around would be able to hear him. “The man came out of that alley and pushed this man, Sheriff. He cursed and said he had finally caught up with him and started to pull his gun. This man defended himself. You can’t hold a man for defending himself.”
“What’s your name?” asked Charlie.
“Me, uh, uh, Tom Johnson.”
“Well, Tom Johnson. Have you ever seen this man before?”
There was a slight hesitation then he replied, “Not until a few minutes ago.”
“You wait here!” commanded Charlie then turned and walked back to the stranger. “You got a name?”
“Sure,” he replied smiling, “everybody’s got a name.”
“Want to give it to me?” returned Charlie.
“Why Sheriff, I surely will if you ask a little more politely. You don’t have to be rude just ’cause your friend over there is a sneaking coward.”
Now this guy was beginning to annoy me.
“Sir, would you mind giving me your name?” asked Charlie politely. If I had asked him I would have thumped him alongside the head with the Greener.
“Tom Smith,” he replied.
Charlie was shaking his head and muttering, “Smith.”
I wasn’t paying attention and by the time I had focused on what was happening it was too late. The witness had come up behind Charlie and had a gun in his back. “Sheriff, why don’t you give Mr. Smith back his gun so he can go on with his business here.”
“Just what is his business?”
“Why, Sheriff,” came the answer from the stranger. “I’m here to kill this person by the name of Miles Forrest,” he then put out his hand for his gun. “That is if he’s man enough to put down that shotgun and face me.”
“Go ahead Charlie,” I said and uncocked the shotgun and held it in my left hand.
The stranger’s smile widened. The witness jabbed his pistol in Charlie’s back. “Do it, Sheriff!”
“Give him the gun, Charlie.”
The man’s hand went out for the gun. Charlie was shaking his head “no.” “This will be even. I’ll put it in your holster.”
That brought a laugh from the stranger. He lifted his arm so Charlie could place the gun in the man’s holster.
“Ready to die, Forrest?” laughed the stranger.
Looking at him, the thought of the Pale Rider flitted through my mind. “Some day, but not today. Not from the likes of you.”
He flexed his fingers, the laughter stopped…
Author: Ira Paine
Echoes From the Campfire
God’s plan. Man sees only what lies behind him. God sees what lies ahead.”
–Elmer Kelton (After the Bugles)
“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
–James 5:8 (NKJV)
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One of the greatest tricks of the devil is to get the Church to believe it should be passive. It was Dorothy Sayers who said that we have done a wonderful job declawing the Lion of Judah. There is a time for pacifism–a time to turn the other cheek–but there is also the time to stand, put on the armor of God, and to stand even firmer–fight! Look this week at Psalm 18:30-36 (HCSB).
30 – God—His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 – For who is God besides Yahweh? And who is a rock? Only our God.
32 – God—He clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.
33 – He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.
34 – He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 – You have given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your humility exalts me.
36 – You widen a place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.
We have been told recently by church leadership not to bother with the Old Testament. That it no longer matters; maybe that is why the Church is so anemic and malnourished, we are not eating a complete, nutritional diet of God’s complete, inspired, authoritative Word. People, don’t be duped; don’t be deceived, misled, or manipulated by the enemy. Listen! We are in a battle! A very real battle that will determine whether you spend eternity, heaven or hell.
You can try to fight this battle in your own strength and you will lose. You must be trained by the Lord, follow His instructions and commands. Martin Luther said, “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.” We are to take refuge in Him. Perhaps when the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write about the armor of God in Ephesians, Paul’s thought went to this portion of the psalms. God clothes us–with His armor. He makes our feet secure–stand and after done all to stand.
Look at verse 34, He is our supreme Drill Instructor. Day in, day out, He is training us to fight the enemy of our souls which is against the enemy–the world. He teaches us how to use weapons against the enemy; to know when to use the right one and how to use it in every situation. When God trains us we can be confident in His training, His leading, His strategy and tactics, and His weapons.
This portion ends by us recognizing where we step. We are to step of the place that He has prepared. He is our foundation. “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand…” Standing on a firm foundation our legs do not weaken or slip. Do not compromise or become complacent for you are indeed in a battle. Know and use your weapons and stand firm letting Him hold you.
“Stand then in His great might, with all His strength endued,
And take to arm you for the fight the panoply of God;
That having all things done, and all your conflicts passed,
You may o’ercome through Christ alone and stand entire at last.”
–Charles Wesley
Coffee Percs
Nothing like good old java, thick as molasses, and boiled in a lard pail over a camp-fire. It gives a guy a kind of warm feeling when it hits the bottom of that empty belly.”
–Richard P. Hobson, Jr. (Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy)
Lay out yur ankles under the table, pard, while I get the coffee poured. Sure does feel good to have that mornin’ time before the day’s anxieties take over. Ahhh, good coffee this mornin’.
I’ve been workin’ on my new book. It’s takin’ me back to my youthful days of runnin’ in the foothills. Just had my 3rd Elias Butler novel reprinted and another one, The Shepherd printed. If yuh need somethin’ to spend yur time doin’, grab one and read it.
I went to the hardware store the other day. Lady handed back my change, she said, “Here’s your dime back.” Reminded me of the old days. The story of my Grandpa Jones came to mind. He went out to eat one time and slammed his hand down on the table when he found out that coffee cost as much as it did. He exclaimed, “A dime for a cup of coffee; that’s outrageous!” Nowadays folks out there will pay close to $10 for a cup of that there cino stuff. Did I ever tell yuh that I had a cino one time? Yep, don’t know if it was a frappycino or a crappycino, just know it was terrible. I like to have a cup of coffee after supper, but just can’t bring myself to pay over a dollar for a cup of coffee, and it would be weak at that.
Kind of reminds me of those Pharisees. They would parade themselves around town in their fancy duds, turn up their nose at the common and down-and-out folk, and pontifical things would flow from their mouths. They have all that froth on top and if there is any real “coffee” in them it is weak and watered down. Snowflakes are kinda the same way. Fluff and phelgm and very little character.
Drink ‘nother cup of that coffee; try to keep the water out of it as much as possible. ‘Course have to have some, as I want it to flow down the gullet to my gizzard. Thank the good Lord for small blessings; everyday blessings.
You take care and don’t let anyone be foolin’ you come Monday. Another month gone already–nothin’ stops the march of time. Don’t be foolin’ yurself either–check that cinch.
Echoes From the Campfire
Might not such love of horses and the open range, solitude, freedom, the hard fare and toil, the kinship with nature—might not these develop character to noble ends?”
–Zane Grey (Nevada)
“The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.”
–Isaiah 35:1 (NKJV)
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I’ve seen a few studies over the past decade that show what people think about church. The thing that comes out on top in the recent years is the idea of fellowship. Think of that for a moment–the number one reason for the church is fellowship. I read a few weeks back where Millennials think that the church should not try to evangelize. Hmmm, seems to me that was the Great Commission. These same people say it’s okay if the person doesn’t already belong to some recognized religion: Islam, Hindu, etc.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Fellowship is important. But have you listened to many of the prayers during fellowship groups? More like a way to get the gossip out of your system. Maybe putting it this way would be better–there is fellowship and there are social groups. It is hard for me to fathom how people want to live in places like New York City. I have wanted and waited most of my life to finally get out of the city and into the “wilderness.” That’s where the jobs are, but that’s also where the people are. I read yesterday that man is afraid of the sea, or the desert, or the mountains. Because they tend to turn man to thinking. Thinking about life, about God, and about self. Man, overall, does not like to be alone, therefore, the fellowship.
Jacob didn’t like to be alone. George Matheson said this of Jacob, “He was afraid of Jacob’s angel; he feared to wrestle with his own conscience; he dreaded the spectre of the past; he shrank from the memory of his yesterday; he trembled to meet Esau. And when he was forced to go into the wilderness, it was awful to him.” It is fear that makes one dread to be alone. Silly as it seems, people are afraid of the country and the darkness. When we were building our house last year the man delivering the windows would not stay until we arrived to help him unload them. He said, “there are wild animals out here.”
Man fears loneliness and solitude. Why? Because man starts to think about who he is. He starts to look inside and dwell upon his character–the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of him. There is no one around for him to chuckle and laugh off the thought with. There is not the crowd and the noise; he is alone. Possibly the greatest fear of the solitude is that man might find God; or rather, God might find him. God does not seek us out with the crowd. Oh, He might work and bless a group of worshipers, but He seeks the individual.
Don’t think that solitude is only in the desert or on the mountainside. No, one can be vastly alone in their room at night, or on a sick-bed. Alone, with their thoughts, and here comes God. Man can even hide in a crowd. He doesn’t care for the fellowship, but finds it is a place to hide. Look at the many encounters with people that Jesus had in this manner.
It was a custom for Jesus to go out to a solitary place to spend time with His Father. In this solitude He found physical, mental, and spiritual strength. And that last great time of solitude was with His disciples–Gethsemane. Don’t be afraid of the solitude, no matter where you are and in what condition you find yourself, in fact, welcome the chance to get alone with the Lord. “Thou hast blest me in my solitude. I halted one day upon my thigh. I could not run with the crowd; I could not keep up with the multitude. I lagged behind; I missed my chance in the race; I was left alone. I was sad; I was sore at heart; I murmured. But I was wrong. That hour of loneliness has been my most crowded hour. It has been crowded with Thy blessings; it has been loaded with Thy benefits…” (Matheson) Let God “crowd” you with His love.
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This day in the Texas Revolution (through the first part of April): Santa Anna departs San Antonio de Bexar and leaves General Andrade in command with a 1000 troops.