Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 9, 2019

Fear sets a man up sometimes for what he has to face. A little fear does no harm, just so it doesn’t put a man on the run.”
–Louis L’Amour (Matagorda)

    “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.”
              –Ecclesiastes 12:13(NLT)
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Sometimes I wonder, how about you? Why did the things that happened in 2018, happen? Where was God? Why did this obstacle lie in your path? I have a print by Fred Deaver on my bedroom wall over my dresser. The title, “Heap of Trouble.” It shows a mountain man with a pack mule coming around a trail high in the mountains. On his right is a deep gorge; on his left is a steep, sheer cliff. As he glances around the bend there is a grizzly bear coming toward him. There was no where to go–he was in a heap of trouble. Ever been there? Maybe not in the mountains with a grizzly facing you, but in life there are other types of “grizzilies”.
    Ponder the following Scripture:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!”
–Romans 11:33(AMPC)

Life is full of unanswered questions. Sometimes God heals and takes care of us, other times He allows things to happen (that doesn’t mean He is not taking care of us when something does happen). “God wills that we know that he keeps us ever equally safe, in woe as in well-being.” (Julian of Norwich) Many times problems come because of things we did or things that other people did. Some of those things may have been directed at us, but sometimes they are what is referred to as an accident–it just happened. There are times when God sends us into a wilderness to teach lessons or for us to become more acquainted with Him. I smile when people say they want a relationship with Him, but then reject the hardships that may force them to get closer to Him. They just want to tip-toe through the tulips, but life is often like walking through a forest of cacti; beautiful in their own way, marvelous flowers, but oh, the thorns.
    Some things happen because God trusts us. Study Job, he had no clue that the Lord set him apart to be troubled by the devil. And, some things will remain mysteries. Suffering and death for example, they will remain a mystery until we get to the other side and into eternity. It is important to study the nature of God (theology) and to develop a relationship with Him, but never get to the place where you think you can understand Him. Perhaps, that is why man seeks to set himself up in the place of God; why he wants to become autonomous because he cannot understand the ways of the Almighty.
    Get this in your mind and your heart. No matter what–trust Him. Remember, God never makes a mistake. He is always in control. Grasp hold of a statement made by Oswald Chambers. “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.”
    Back to the poor boy on the trail. I have often looked at that painting and wondered what happened. Did the bear backtrack or did he rare up and scare the horse causing it to buck and throwing the rider over the cliff? Perhaps the rider was able to bring his rifle to bear and kill the grizzly or wound it severely so that it fell over the edge? Did the bear scare the pack horse causing it to slip on the trail and slide over the ledge? Life is like that–we go along, heading for our destination, seemingly all is fine and happy when all of a sudden there is “A Heap of Trouble.”
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Last year was a good year in my reading schedule. I always try to read four classics; one a quarter. Last year I was able to read eight.
         The Deerslayer — James Fenimore Cooper
         Across the Plains — Robert Louis Stevenson
         An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners — Joseph Alleine
         How I Found Livingstone — Henry M. Stanley
         Walden — Henry David Thoreau
         The Trail of the Lonesome Pine — John Fox, Jr.
         A Christmas Carol — Charles Dickens
         Bransford of Rainbow Range, Eugene Manlove Rhodes (I included this as it was written at the turn of the 19th century and is a little different than other western writers).

Hope you take the challenge and read at least one classic. I am starting with The Last of the Mohicans.

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 8, 2019

Lucas and Molly met me at Foster’s store where I purchased supplies for the trek. I was able to rent a pack mule from Clem Vexler who said it was a dependable animal. It was about a week’s trip, but I could get supplies along the way if needed. What I had to carry with me was something in case the weather turned bad which it could easily do this time of year.
    I stopped by the telegraph office to talk with Stan one more time before heading out. He had received more information. The rails had been blown just north of Chama and about twenty miles west of Conejos. The train itself had blown just east of Cumbres Pass.
    We were making good time. I resupplied food in Pagosa Springs, and went to see if there was an update. Nothing else had been reported so we didn’t stay around town, though I was tempted to stay at a hotel there. Molly was hanging in there good, but Lucas seemed tired. It was probably due to his youth and the stress he was feeling about his sister. It’s strange how the unknown plays on one’s mind. If they made it through the explosion I wasn’t worried that Charlie couldn’t take care of the situation, for he was a capable man. I was just praying that they were alive and had no serious injuries.
    That night we camped just south of the Rio Blanco River. I noticed during the day that the clouds were building up. It was beginning to concern me that we might get one of those snows that come up from the south. They were unusual, but when they did come they tended to dump plenty of snow. We would come out of the timber above a little village called Chromo which I figured was about twelve miles from camp.
    Lucas had the fire going, so I put the coffeepot on to boil. I didn’t get in the way of Molly fixing up supper. While she was doing that I rigged up a tarp I had purchased in Durango for the evening. It had been cold the past couple of nights, but clear. Tonight I wasn’t so sure. I sent Lucas out to gather plenty of firewood and told him to place it under a large blue spruce.
    How she does it, I don’t know. We had stew, biscuits and she had hidden away some canned cherries with which she made some fried pies.
    “They sure sound mournful,” stated Molly in regard to the sound of the coyotes. “Makes me shiver. Why did you put up the tarp tonight, Miles?”
    “Just bein’ careful,” I replied.
    “Snow?” she questioned with concerned. “That’s why you had Lucas gather more wood.”
    “Not concerned with snow. But it’s so still now; kinda like the calm before the storm. What I don’t want to hit is a full-fledged blizzard.”
    The howling continued. “Those coyotes,” she said with a chuckle.
    “Not coyotes this time–wolves,” I interjected.
    Lucas’ eyes widened and he exclaimed, “Wolves!”
    “We’ll be okay, don’t you be worryin’,” I assured him.
    He got up to look around, then timidly began to clean up the area. “Why don’t you go gather some more wood, just in case it does come a good snow,” I urged.
    Looking at me, he hesitated. He looked all around the camp, and then sputtered, “But there are wolves out there.”
    “Lucas,” said Molly sternly, “this is not like you.”
    I could see he felt shame, but also seemed genuinely scared. “Let me finish my coffee and I’ll go with you. We’ll see if there isn’t a tree down that we can pull to camp.”
    That seemed to satisfy him. Reaching for my cup I said, “Did I ever tell you of my experiences with wolves? It happened about six years ago, if I remember right. Remind me, and I’ll tell you how they attacked me.”
    Well, that was the wrong thing to say. “Attacked you?”
    “So, what about Marta and Charlie?” interjected Molly quickly changing the subject.
    I poured another cup of coffee, emptying the pot. “I want to make another one to keep one warm during the night. They’re alright,” I said assuredly. “The Lord has His hands on them, but I’m sort of ashamed of myself.”
    “Miles,” she said with concern.
    “All I’ve done is think about Charlie and Marta. What about others that were on the train? Others that were maimed or killed because of…of Merker.”
    The snow began to fall as I thought of Merker…in the distance the howl of a wolf began.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 7, 2019

The facts were plain enough and always had been; you fought your whole life long if you wanted to live.”
–Luke Short (Savage Range)

“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
–Deuteronomy 20:4 (NKJV)
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I’m going to use the New Living Translation for Psalm 11, simply because I like the way it puts the first verse. There is much hostility and hatred in our land today. Some of it is directed toward Christians, God, and biblical morals. Laughter, derision, mockery, hate are commonplace today. There is a move to destroy or compromise Christianity within the “religion of society” with is humanism and postmodernism. On the scene, Psalm 11.

         1 I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly to the mountains for safety!
         2 The wicked are stringing their bows and setting their arrows in the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those who do right.
         3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?”
         4 But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth.
         5 The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates everyone who loves violence.
         6 He rains down blazing coals on the wicked, punishing them with burning sulfur and scorching winds.
         7 For the LORD is righteous, and he loves justice. Those who do what is right will see his face.

Doesn’t verses 1-3 sound like today’s society? Look at the news, the stupidity, and the hatred that abounds in this land. Those that seek to do right; do have justice served at being shot at. What has happened to law and order?
The lawless would like nothing better than for the righteous to flee. But to flee is to escape and God has called us to endure. How many times have I desired the refuge of the mountains–I could hear the High Lonesome call–rather than to do the will of God. The tendency is to run from danger (and there are myriad types of danger). Our example is Christ. He did not flee from the cross. He endured the pain, the suffering, and the death so that we might have life eternal. He also rose with victory as we shall to with His appearing.
Charles Wesley wrote:

              “All my trust on Thee is stayed,
               All my help from Thee I bring;
               Cover my defenseless head
               With the shadow of Thy wing.”

We do not have to fear the rages of society, for Christ is with us. But I must ask, where is your foundation? If it is in man or culture or humanism then you are tottering on the brink of destruction even though it may appear that evil is winning. G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “To the psalmist the surrounding circumstances were not foundations. He saw God, enthroned, watching, acting. To him this was the one foundation.” I ask again, where is your foundation? This is a good Psalm for today with so many attacks on the foundational beliefs of our country. God is still on the throne; He is in charge.
God is our firm foundation! O, do you hear the sound and the declaration of that wonderful hymn? “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Don’t flee from the spot where God has placed you, for you are there for a reason, a purpose. Don’t deny the wonderful experience that you have in Christ, for He is directly your life. It is there that you are meant to give your witness by your obedience to His will for you. I would admonish you to stand for righteousness, for then you will see His face. The HCSB says, that “He loves righteous deeds.”

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 5, 2019

He had gathered dry wood before the rain started, managing to keep it fairly dry through the night…. He built a fire and made coffee while he tried to keep warm.”
–Elmer Kelton (Other Men’s Horses)

Come on in, Pard, an’ throw yur grubby boots under the table. I’ll let it dry and sweep it up later. Sure is hard to get a dry day lately, and as soon as we get a couple, here it comes again, rainin’ cats ‘n’ dogs. Ooop, sorry PETA and those sensitive folk.
    Pard, how in the world did we ever get so sensitive? I’ve a notion that it’s all the drinkin’ of cinos and mixin’ coffee with all of those flavors an’ sweet’ners out there. Whenever yuh begin to compromise and water things down, well, that bring out the sensitivity. Hmmm, wish some of those folk would take a walk through a poison ivy patch, then we’d really see how sensitive they really are.
    Some things are just beyond my imagination. ‘Course I know the talk that slings out the mouths of folks is gettin’ worse. My mercy, even Christians are cussin’ now. It might do them good to take a bath in the Word; too bad they haven’t had their mouths washed out with soap. Speakin’ of that, is that Congresswoman goin’ to be censored for her public obscenities? Terrible–shameful, and there’s no way around that. And I don’t care if someone gets their feelin’s hurt, there ain’t any reason to say things like that, public or private.
    Sorry, I’m so busy ventin’ that I forgot to fill yur cup up. Say, just wave it around when it’s empty, or are yuh afraid of hurtin’ my feelin’s? But as I was sayin’ the ol’ Apostle Paul said that we should rid ourselves of obscene, vulgar, abusive and filthy language (Col 3:8) and here a public official is runnin’ off at the mouth.
    More coffee? Not apologizing pard, some things just jerk my jaws. No, not yur coffee cup, the idiots with the foul mouths. Shows their character and education.
    Best yuh be headin’ on down the trail. If yuh fall off that horse because yuh didn’t check yur cinch yuh best keep a civil tongue and not blame yur ol’ hoss.