–Lorna Seilstad (When Love Calls)

 

Yippi-yay, Pard, it’s gonna be a good day.  The birds are a-singin’, the crows are cawin’, the sun is shinin’ bright, and the coffee’s done been perked.  Come on in, my, ain’t what that gal said the truth?  Ahh, coffee–one of God’s greatest gifts.  Simple pleasure to enjoy with yuh or by myself.  A person just needs to have a “yeehaw” down in their soul, ‘specially if they’ve gone passed their allotted days on this earth.  Yeehaw!  Powder River, let ‘er buck–another day to add.

       Had some trouble with the ol’ Google.  Said my account was closed due to inactivity.  Makes a body wonder what’s goin’ on.  All of this new fancy technology an’ there’s always a glitch of some sort.  Good thing that doesn’t happen with the Lord.  Don’t have to worry about any glitches, crashes, or viruses with Him.

       Finish yur cup, there’s more in the pot.  Pard, I saw this advertisement on facebook the other day, and it sorta made me chuckle.  It was from that famous preacher-man, David Jeremiah.  Now, don’t go gettin’ me wrong, I think he’s a pretty good one.  But let me continue after I take a sip.  Here’s the advertisement.  “5 Weeks to be Rapture Ready”  Ha, ha,–what happens if the Rapture takes place on Monday?  Yuh just can’t tell the Lord to hold off ’til yuh finish the course.  Now, I understand the purpose is for a church study lesson.  It just struck me funny–why Pard, yuh better already be Rapture Ready!  It could happen at any time.  Look at the craziness, the foolishness, and the evil lurkin’ in the world.  Yuh shore better be Rapture Ready.

       Pard, yuh think it’s bad here now, just wait ’til that Rapture occurs.  Whooeeee, them four horsemen are gonna ride roughshod over the earth.  Then add to that the Seal, Trumpets, and Bowls that are gonna happen.  Ain’t gonna be a pretty sight.  Why I reckon the good Lord might even cause all the coffee beans to dry up on the bushes.

       Yuh be takin’ care Pard.  Be sure yuh are Rapture Ready, and that yuh don’t go sooner ’cause yuh forgot to check yur cinch.

        Vaya con Dios.

                         –P. W. Moore  (Where the Trail Leads)

 

Pard, come in, the mornin’ is short, time for coffee and then off to do the chores of the day.  Been hot, but say, it’s summer and it’s Texas.  I rarely complain about the weather as it is completely out of my control.  Don’t burn yur lips, that coffee is hot.

       I was reading from that ol’ boy, Moore, and thinkin’ ’bout how many times I used my bandanna to grab the handle of a coffeepot.  Not sure how many more times that I’ll be doin’ that.  I’m sure up in heaven, that we’ll have a special angel pourin’ the coffee for us.

       Pard, we’re pretty blind when it comes to what’s happenin’ behind the scenes, not only in this country but around the world.  I’ve always figured that the United Notions has to be part of the end-times scenario.  I read somethin’ this week written by the head honcho of the UN.  Here’s what he wrote, “I propose that the General Assembly provide the Secretary-General and the United Nations system with a standing ability to convene and operationalize automatically an Emergency Platform in the event of a future complex global shock of sufficient scale, severity and reach.”  

       Now, that sure sounds like a sneaky way to gain full power.  What is a “global shock”?  Another pandemic?  Famine?  War?  Breakdown of the electric grid?  Hmmm…  The article had more regarding the possible crisis and results.  Yep, Pard, we are sure livin’ in the last of the last days.  Just think, that could be the last cup of coffee we share together.  Life and coffee are precious, but they don’t hold a candle to what the Lord has for us in glory.

       In the meantime, you be checkin’ yur cinch.  Yuh don’t want to go meetin’ the Lord ’cause yuh fell on yur noggin’.

       Vaya con Dios.

                          –Elmer Kelton  (Texas Standoff)

 

Come in this hyar kitchen, Pard.  Been waitin’ for yuh to stop by and guzzle some coffee.  Good brew, called Drovers, from Ruby Cattle Company.  Ha, Pard, went up there to price their beef, and came back with a pound of coffee.  Only thing this poor ol’ fence post could afford.  Hope yur gettin’ along well.  I saw something where Festus said that it’s hot enough to be fryin’ horseshoes here in Texas.  Whoopee, ain’t that the truth.

       Go ‘head, take a deep swaller.  It’ll make yur gizzard light up in a smile.  I read somethin’ the other day, that began to float through and around in my grey matter.  Some bronc buster said, “If it doesn’t require change, then it’s not the life God called us to live.”  I’d go ahead an’ say a loud “Amen!” to that.  Now, ‘course we have to qualify “change.”  I know for a fact that the change in my pockets comes and goes quite rapidly.  I throw my quarters in my coffee bank, but the change goes.  That cowpoke didn’t mean that type of change.

       Good coffee, ain’t it?  Not too strong fer yur sensitive stomach is it?  Or too hot for yur tender lips?  Don’t go makin’ me forget what I was a-sayin’.  Change doesn’t mean what the progressive woke crowd says it is.  No matter what, truth ain’t relative.  The Lord demands change.  I never once read  where He healed someone and told them to stay the way they was.  No, we’re new creatures, and are bound to change.  Change for the better.  They used to call it “sanctification” but that has become one of those politically incorrect words.  An’ let me tell yuh Pard, that their sanctification is like coffee.  Sometimes it’s bitter to take, while other times it slides down the gullet smooth as silk.  We are in the process of changin’ constantly.  Some in spurts, like when yuh fall on yur head when yuh forget to check yur cinch, and some in long endurin’ trials and troubles.  But change we must.

       Let me pass on some words by Lois Chaney.  I tell yuh that gal tells how the cow eats the cabbage.  I’m sure she can make up a hassle of biscuits as well, but she says, “Be with my mouth in what it speaks.  Be with my hands in what they do.  Be with my mind in what it thinks.  Be with my heart in what it feels.  Work in me, through me, for me, in spite of me.”  Whooeee, that’s as good as hot coffee!  Change must come Pard.  Be a seein’ what the Lord is doin’ in yuh.  Take a glance at yur back trail once in a while and see how far yuh’ve come.

                Vaya con Dios

 

                         –Paul Bagdon  (Stallions of Burnt Rock)

 

Grab yurself a cup, Pard, coffee’s hot and strong.  It’ll tickle yur tonsils on the way down to yur gizzard.  Here’s a toast to progress.  Hey now, don’t be a-snortin’ in yur coffee!  Don’t be cleanin’ it up with yur ‘kerchief, I’ve got a towel hangin’ on the stove.  Sorry, didn’t know that I’d surprise yuh that much.  Yuh don’t think I like progress?

       Ahhh, that coffee is good!  But let me tell yuh ’bout progress.  It’s one of those things that’s gonna happen, sorta like the weather.  There ain’t much that can be done ’bout it.  Progress is like weather in other ways too.  Sometimes the weather is bad, and sure ‘nough there’s quite a few things in progress that ain’t so good either.  Why progress can bring out the idiots and the fools that follow the fads.  

       Say, Pard, what did yuh do before cell phones?  Yeah, yeah, I know, yuh think I was fur ‘nough back that I used smoke signals.  Ha, perhaps back then we didn’t have as much to talk about as folks do these days.  Those fancy phones are a product of progress, and they’re like the weather as well; they can be used for good or bad.  They sure do take up too much time.  Can yuh imagine an ol’ pioneer walkin’ with his nose down in a phone?  Why, he’d be lible to step on a snake, or tripped up by a snare.  ‘Course it can happen to us as well, for the ol’ devil sure has plenty of rattlers around and has laid plenty of traps for us.  If’n we don’t take notice, well, bad things can surely happen.

       My eldest just purchased a new vehicle.  From what I’ve been tolt; it has all the bells and whistles a person could want.  I was just thinkin’ before she bought it that I’d like to have my ol’ truck back, with four on the floor.  Or a truck with a 3-speed on the column.  All I’d want is air conditioning, and that’s a good thing from progress.  I really don’t want a standard no more, my leg isn’t up to pushin’ in an’ out the clutch.  But the idea suits me.

       ‘Nother cup?  Why sure, we gotta get this pot drunk.  Now, ’bout ideas.  I’m ‘fraid not many ideas are much about progress as about agendas and destroyin’ the good and decency of the Lord’s ideas.  Those ideas are for the most part to get our focus off the things of God.  The devil wants the focus to be on ourselves, or on the destructive forces that he has out there.  The Prophet Jeremiah tells us to stick to the old paths, the good way and walk in it.  Then yu’ll find rest, yuh won’t be frettin’ and stewin’ and worryin’ over stuff–stuff like progress.

       Some things are tried and true and nothin’ will make them any better.  Why just think, if’n yuh didn’t have the good habit of checkin’ yur cinch, where might yuh end up?  Maybe some day they have some kind of AI to help yuh cinch up.

       Vaya con Dios.