The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on March 4, 2025

So I concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they can.” –Ecclesiastes 3:12, NLT

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With that shot I dropped the man I was dragging, when he head thudded on the floor, a second shot was fired from the kitchen, this one a more powerful caliber. I glanced toward the kitchen and my eyes caught the fur-man who had pushed his chair back. His gun was out and he fired at me.

What I feared the most happened. His bullet hit the man at the table that was between us, who grunted and fell to the floor. Thankfully in one way, that gave me time to draw and return fire with no one in the way of my target. I shot twice, as the man tried to cock and fire his gun again. He looked surprised when first, his gun didn’t fire, and second when my bullet plowed into his chest. Dropping his gun, his hand flew to his chest, then he stared at me before his eyes glazed over and he fell down across the table and onto the floor.

Before I could rush to the kitchen, a man came out with a sneer on his face. He sort of twirled in a half circle, dropped his gun, then he crumpled to the floor. “Molly!” I hollered. “Lola!”

I took two steps when I heard the shotgun boom. I had forgotten Teeter, not figuring that he had enough gumption to try anything, but then my back was to him. Turning I saw that he was on his back, pistol in hand. My eyes then went to Doc who was holding the Greener. Only for an instant though; I had to check on Molly.

She met me at the kitchen entrance with the pistol she kept in her work dress in hand. With a sob she fell against me, and I walked her over to the table where Doc had been. The Greener was on the table, and I saw Doc up where Teeter lay on the floor.

“You all right?” I asked hurriedly. She nodded. “Lola?” She nodded again, pointing towards the kitchen.

I rushed in that direction and upon entering the kitchen, I saw Lola sitting on the floor near the woodpile. “Lola, Lola, are you hurt?”

When she didn’t say anything I reached down for her. She blinked her eyes several times, maybe I was out of focus, but she grabbed hold of my arm and I helped her to stand. “Let’s go sit with Molly.”

Reentering the dining area, I saw Doc working on the downed man, the one fur-man shot. “Oh, Lord,” I prayed aloud.

I took Lola over to Molly, then went toward the man. Doc was giving his friend and another man instructions and they helped the still conscious man out the door and towards Doc’s office. I was thankful that he was conscious but there was a pool of blood on the floor where he had been lying.

“Miles,” came Doc’s voice. “Check on the man by the kitchen, see if he’s dead. I’ll look fur-man over, and then head on over to the office to work on Dickinson’s wound.”

“He goin’ to make it, Doc?”

Doc gave me a little shrug, then bent down to check on the condition of fur-man while I went to see about the other. “Dead,” I muttered loudly, and upon saying that Doc went up and out the diner.

The others who were in the diner were slowly getting up off the floor where they had taken refuge during the gunplay. It was at that time that the door burst open, immediately my hand pulled my gun. The man hollered, “Miles! Molly! What’s happened?” He stopped as he looked at my pistol pointing at him. “Miles, put that away.”

It was Solly Vendor from across the street. I was still on edge, but fortunately I recognized him. “Solly, we’re all right. Go get Parker.” He turned and rushed back out the doorway. I yelled on his way out, “Get Mateo over here.”

I stood then started walking to the table where Molly and Lola were sitting. “More business for Paul Parker, the undertaker,” I thought to myself.

Molly was holding Lola around her shoulders. “Neither of you were shot?” I questioned. “I was sure I heard him fire once.”

When I said that, Lola began to cry and she buried her face in Molly’s chest…

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on March 3, 2025

How almost impossible to exercise eternal vigilance! Habit was more powerful, in the long run, than the most implacable of wills.”
–Zane Grey (Arizona Ames)

“Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.”
–Psalm 2:11 (NASB)
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Many people will not read or they will skip over this portion of Scripture. Some wish that it was not in the Bible. It is a harsh set of verses, verses that depict the hardness and evil of the world. However, we should not be quick to dismiss Psalm 137.

5 — If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!
6 — If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth–if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 — Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation!”
8 — O daughter of Babylong, who are to be destroyed, happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
9 — Happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock! (NKJV)

“Remember,” a word that is used three times in the psalm. One thing that should come to our attention is the fact that we should remember. I could go into several reasons that we should remember, but sufficient to say that it is good that we pray that the Lord remembers us. The psalmist is saying that is “if he should forget Jerusalem, then he has no real reason to play his harp. He must play for the glory of God or not play at all.” (Lawson)
In my studies concerning the Vietnam POWs, one thing that the majority of them said was that they knew that the country would remember them. That gave them hope. They had faith that the nation would one day, not knowing when, but there would be a day when they would be released from their captors. In these verses we see the concept of loyalty. Because of their hope, because they knew they would be remembered they would continue to be loyal to their country. This is the thought that echoes in these verses. The psalmist will not play for the taunters and mockers of God.
Remember, he writes, those who tore down the holy city, the temple, and the walls. George Wood writes, “We do take solace in the truth that the Lord will prevail ultimately, and that His judgments are true and righteous.” We are in a strange world, like the psalmist. We are waiting for the return of the Lord, but in the meantime, what do we do? Remember the words of Paul, “‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19, NKJV) Only God can show true and righteous justice in His wrath. He will not forget us in this evil world. He will return for His Bride. There will come a time of divine justice.
Remember the warnings that prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos and others gave to the people. They boldly preached the Word of God to them, they warned them of what was coming if they did not repent. The psalmist is remembering now, I am sure of those prophecies. But he also remembers the Lord’s mercy, and that He will not forget His people. Justice is coming to the evil of this world, to the mockers and blasphemers of God. God will remember His people in His divine justice.

“Come, y disconsolate, where’er ye languish;
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel;
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”
–Thomas Moore

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on March 1, 2025

If I get my druthers, we’ll sit here and drink coffee all day instead of being out in that bitter wind.”

–Duane Boehm (Shooting Star)

“Oooooo — oooooo,” What do yuh mean, what’s that? That’s the sound of the wind howlin’ through the tops of the tall pines. Don’t yuh recall the words from that ol’ sage, Bob Nolan? “Ooooo–oooo, listen to the wind, wonder what he’s sayin’, oooooooooo”

Yuh thought I smashed my toe. Pard! That’s the wind. This is March, the month of the wind; it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. The wind comes and goes, and my oh my, I’ve been in some winds in my lifetime. Yuh know, my hometown of Boulder was known for its wind that rushes down through the canyons.

When I hear the wind or feel it against my skin, when I have to hold on to my hat so it don’t blow over God’s creation, well, Pard, I’m reminded of that verse in Acts. There was the sound of a rushin’, mighty wind. It was a violent wind, an’ I’m sure those in the upper room were a mite concerned when they heard it. The wind can come in and destroy, but this wind was the Holy Spirit, and yes, Pard, in one way it blows through our soul to destroy the evil within us and then to sanctify us.

Lookee up there at the tree tops a-swayin’. Yuh can see movement, but yuh can’t see the wind. The same is true of yur soul. There is movement within as the “Wind”–the Holy Spirit blows and sweeps through cleanin’ it up, but yuh can’t actually see the Spirit. Why Pard, think of it. Way back in the beginning, the Spirit moved upon the waters. He wasn’t seen, but there was action takin’ place. Tell me, Pard, have yuh ever seen grace? But it’s real all the same, the Spirit brings the washin’ of the blood and activity is takin’ place though not seen.

Maybe yuh might take a good notion, the next time the wind comes a-blowin’ to be thinkin’ what the Spirit is doin’ in yur life. Listen, oooooo-oooooo, the wind blows out all that chaff that has accumulated in the old life. Listen, ooooooo-oooooo, there is a refreshin’ takin’ place; the smell of the old man is gone, now we have the wonderful breeze of the Holy Spirit guidin’ us through this wearisome land.

Still don’t like my singin’? Well, Pard, it’s better than listenin’ to the wind that yur a-bellowin’. Call yuh Windy Bob, or Windy Jim, or Windy whomever, it’s a wonder yuh can keep yur feet on the ground with all that hot air yur holdin’ in. No wonder yuh have to be a-spewin’ it out once in a while. But let me tell yuh straight, it ain’t the sound of a rushing, mighty wind. An’ Pard, don’t be usin’ it as an excuse for the knots on yur noggin’. Don’t blame it on the wind that yuh forgot to check yur cinch.

Vaya con Dios.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on February 28, 2025

A mule might sometimes act like a horse, and at a distance even look like a horse, but it remained forever a mule.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Pumpkin Rollers)

“We who are strong [in our convictions and of robust faith] ought to bear with the failings and the frailties and the tender scruples of the weak; [we ought to help carry the doubts and qualms of others] and not to please ourselves.”

–Romans 15:1 (Amplified)
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“So often this road gets rough and rocky…” (unknown). Is this what Jesus meant by taking up His yoke? We must be careful when we begin to look at the Christian life and start complaining and crying out our woes thinking that this is the yoke of Christ. True, the yoke was a frame that joined two animals together so that they could pull a heavy load. But before I go any further, let’s read the Scripture from Matthew.

11:28 — Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
:29 — Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
:30 — For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (NKJV)

For sure, the yoke of the world is burdensome. Andy Starks writes, “The world is a hard taskmaster and cannot be pleased.” No matter what, the world always wants more. It is like the harsh master, Simon Legree, the work done is never enough. Work, work, work, and the body and soul rebels. It either rebels by breaking down, or it rebels by trying to escape through myriad means: drugs, entertainment, alcohol, and a host of other types of binges.
Jesus had been speaking to the Pharisees so He is referring to the yoke of the law. But, in reality, there is also the yoke of the world. The Pharisees put heavy loads on the peoples’ shoulders, the world burdens the body and soul down, then there is that enemy of our soul that tries to push us down to the pit. Oh, what a heavy load it is that man tries to bear. Jesus is speaking of a different kind of yoke–His yoke. D.A. Carson says, “That yoke is ‘easy’ (good, comfortable) and his burden is light. The ‘rest’ he promises is not only for the world to come but also for this one as well.” I want to read these verses again from Henry A. Harbuck’s translation”

.28 — Come here to Me [and become My disciples], all of you who are weary and heavy-laden–(that is, all of those who are toiling, working, carrying heavy loads and burdens and the weight of religious obligations which pertain to guilt and sin), and I will give you rest–(that is, I will give you peace and rest from your weariness).
.29 — Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me–(that is, permit Me to teach and guide you), for I am meek and gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls–(that is, you will obtain peace/quietness and assurance for you hearts or minds).
.30 — For My yoke is easy–(that is, My yoke feels good–it’s a perfect fit and it’s pleasant], and My burden (load) is light–(that is, My burden is nearly weightless, and it feels good).

Jesus is not saying that there won’t be troubles, trials, toils, and persecutions that the believer might face. He is, however, saying that when dealing with those things that the world throws at us that He will give us joy, rest, and peace in the midst of them–that is His yoke. The yoke He gives fits us perfectly and not only that, He is helping us carry the load. The burden is not totally upon us. “The expectations of Christ are much more easily met.” (Starks)
The heavy burden of the Law is no longer there. The heavy burden of guilt has been removed and there is now hope. There is rest when you work along side of Jesus; no longer is the burden yours to bear. If you find yourself toiling with the burdens of life, leave them at the Savior’s feet. Drop that heavy, worldly load and pick up the yoke that Jesus offers. He longs to help each one of us. The obstacles and toils of the road that is rough and rocky will not be easier to bear.

“Come unto me; I will give you rest;
Take my yoke upon you, Hear me and be blest;
I am meek and lowly, Come, and trust my might;
Come, my YOKE is easy, And my burden’s light.”
–Charles P. Jones (emphasis mine)