–Irving Berlin

 

Mercy me, Pard!  Looks like yuh ate the whole turkey and most of the dressin’.  Feelin’ poorly towards yur hoss this mornin’.  What’s that?  It wasn’t the turkey, it was the pie.  Well, I reckon I can understand that.  Whoopee, but wasn’t it wonderful at the camp.  The weather mostly was cooperative, and fellowship grand, and the food superb, especially that Thanksgiving dinner.  Yuh know, Pard, it makes me thankful that we live in a country that has time set on the calendar to celebrate a day of thankfulness.

     Oh, don’t let me forget the coffee, yur cup is there on the table.  Ahhh, good coffee, tryin’ something new, Lavazza Super Crema an’ I crunched up the beans this mornin’.  Smell it ‘fore yuh go slurpin’ it.  Mighty fine, mighty fine…

     Now, as I was a-sayin’, sittin’ ’round the campfire, drinkin’ plenty of coffee I was ponderin’ from time to time the idea of bein’ thankful.  My, there is so much, and we don’t think of half the things we should be thankin’ the Lord for.  Just think, we should be thankin’ Him for this gadget I used to grind the beans, and the pot I brewed it in, and the cup yur a-holdin’, plus the delcious brew itself.  When we get to thinkin’ rightly, we get to thankin’ rightly and more often.  

     I don’t want to be spoilin’ yur sippin’, but I saw where there are some fools, not ignorant, but downright moronic folk who think…no they don’t think, they say that Thanksgiving is racist.  One snip was sayin’ that it was the day that the Europeans started the conquerin’ of the Indians.  Yuh know, she should be thankful for the Europeans or she wouldn’t be here, livin’ in this country, and able to be spoutin’ her poor measly mouth off.   Yes, there were problems and wrong-doin’s by all parties, but there was so much happenin’ in the providence of God.  Just think, and be thankful, for all the millions that have come to know the Lord either directly or indirectly from those few that took a bold step in pioneerin’ this country.  Let’s drink another cup of coffee to them, I won’t be feedin’ yuh no more pie for a while.

     We’re headin’ into the wonderful month of December that will close out the year, but also brings us to an invitation to be celebratin’ the birth of our Lord and Savior.  Be thankin’ the Lord, not only for the Savior, but also that we take time to recognize the miraculous birth.  Ahh, so much to take in, so much to be thankful for.  Why, Pard, I’m thankful that yuh showed up today, an’ didn’t forget to check yur cinch.  Why with those Thanksgivin’ pounds added yur saddle for shore would’ve slipped.

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Conagher)

 

Here yuh go, Pard.  Nice and hot, and plenty strong.  Sure hopin’ it puts yuh in a good mood, yuh know what they say.  What?  My coffee is strong enough to remove a tattoo?  Well, Pard, I wish it was, there’s shore enough of them bein’ painted on folks anymore.  What a sight!  But no, here’s what I was goin’ to say, this mornin’s good mood is sponsored by coffee good and strong.  No cinos, just plain coffee.  Ahhh, that’ll fix yur mood right up.  Fact is the only thing better is to add some time with the Lord to it.  My, how I enjoy sittin’, readin’, lookin’ out in the trees, and drinkin’ my mornin’ coffee.  Life is good, God is good.

     Pard, Thanksgivin’ is right around the corner.  Time for some nostalgia, time to be thinkin’ of times past, and more importantly, it’s time to be makin’ new memories.  Yep, the missus will be makin’ several pies, some pumpkin pecan, a German chocolate, maybe an apple, a cherry-berry, and of course that Thanksgivin’ staple, plain ol’ pumpkin.  Whoop!  The stomach is jumpin’ already in delight just a-thinkin’.  Then we’ll be with friends and family at the campsite.  Looks like no campfire this year as we’ve got a burn ban goin’.  Shame we have to have those, but folks just don’t know how to be good woodsmen.  Think it sorta ties in with the fact that they don’t know how to be good stewards. 

     People get sloppy, careless an’ many don’t even care ’bout what they’re doin’ an’ what could happen.  I’ve seen plenty a fellow burnt, or cut, or walk away leavin’ a fire burnin’.  They don’t care, or if’n they do they don’t show it.  Same ways with the things of the Lord.  He gives a blessin’ an’ it’s ignored, or used wrongly.  Some folks don’t take care of the things He gives ’em, they waste, they disfigure, they abuse those wonderful blessin’ of the Lord.  Some of the things they do with the gifts from the Lord are worse than diggin’ a hole and buryin’ it.

     But ‘nough of that negativity; it’s Thanksgiving.  Time to be rememberin’ our blessin’s and thankin’ the Lord for them and all that He has done.  My mercy, Pard, that shore a heapful!  An’ what’s more–He keeps on a-givin’ an’ a-blessin’.  Take a deep breath, no, there’s not a pie in the oven, but go ahead.  Now, think, He has given you the breath of life, and even more so because of Jesus He’s given us the breath of eternal life.  My, my…

     So Pard, be enjoyin’ all the blessin’s that are part of Thanksgivin’.  Some don’t have it so well.  Some lost it all, like ol’ Job.  But then remember, that old man got more than before.  It’ll be the same when we walk through the gates of that heavenly city, an’ sit down at that table.  My, I wonder if’n we’ll find out that manna was really apple pie?  

     Be havin’ a good week, and bein’ thankful.  Don’t spoil it all by not checkin’ yur cinch.

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –B.N. Rundell  (Wagon Wheel Gap)

 

     Take a deep sip, Pard.  That thar coffee comes from roasters way over in Silver City, New Mexico.  No, thar’s not no pintos nor peppers in it; it’s coffee yuh dodo.  Fresh, hot, black elixir from my own kitchen.  Ahhh, good to have it this mornin’.  Doc prescribed a stress test for me, an’ that meant no coffee for twenty-four hours.  Whoopee, I’ll tell yuh I sure wanted a cup that night before.  After the test, I rode the ol’ steel mount over to the daughter’s house where I promptly swallered three cups.

     Ha, when I first read what ol’ BN wrote I had to chuckle.  Shore did remind me of somethin’ my Grandpa Jones said once on a trip.  He stopped for coffee on a trip back to those wheatfields of Kansas and almost had a combustion fit when he found out that coffee at the cafe cost him a whole dime.  Mom said, he slammed his hand on the table, “Who ever heard of coffee costin’ more than a nickel?”  Ain’t like that now, that’s for shore.

     Things just don’t stop.  The foolishness and stupidity continues.  I know that thar are some out there that’s a-wantin’ a global society.  An’ I tell yuh they don’t know what they’re askin’ for.  When that comes about it’ll be too late for them for that ol’ devil-filled man of lawlessness will be in control.  Pard, if’n yur around then, yuh better seek shelter quick an’ hang on, not only will coffee become scarce or too expensive to buy they’re be a lot of the devil’s doin’ goin’ on.  In fact, this ol’ world will be bustin’ wide open with evil.  But for a politician, a supposedly American mayor (Chicago) to ask for the United Notions to step in an interfere with immigration enforcement in this here U.S.A. is downright shameful.

     Go ahead, Pard, yuh can drink it.  I know it’s the last of the brew, but I’m good to share.  Don’t blame yuh for wantin’ more.  Now, back to my pontificatin’, what I don’t understand is why these so-called leaders, an’ yuh know of whom I’m a-speakin’, go on about things that are illegal.  Illegal immigrants, illegal drugs, Illegal this and that, but don’t they get it?  The term is “illegal.”  How can stoppin’ cartel drugs from comin’ into the U.S. be illegal?  How can stoppin’ noncitizens from votin’ be illegal?  Do yuh get my drift?   

     On top of all this there was the shenanigans the liberals did by shuttin’ down the government.  Didn’t hurt them none, exceptin’ maybe they got their feelin’s hurt by not gettin’ their own way.  An’ most of that was over this ideal of givin’ handouts, welfare, and insurance to–yuh got it–illegals.  My mercy, if’n we’d follow them and check them out I’m a-thinkin’ they mount up not checkin’ their cinch.  No wonder they’re looney; they’ve fallen on their noggin’ too many times an’ don’t know up from down, much less right from wrong.

     Yuh be havin’ a good and safe week, Pard.  Sit tall in the saddle, knowin’ of whom yuh serve.  He’s got it all under control and we all can be a-trustin’ Him, even if’n we have to pay a little more for coffee.

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –Donald L. Robertson  (The Loyal Star)

 

Hold the cup, whilst I finish pourin’.  Don’t want to pour it on yur arm, yuh might get scalded.  Yuh be a sippin’ whilst I pour my cup.  Yuh needn’t be expectin’ me to be spoutin’ off this mornin’.  Nope, gonna hold my piece.  Ain’t gonna say nothin’ ’bout them moronic dummies in New York.  They’ll soon be wallowin’ in the mire of their own makin’ so ain’t gonna be mentionin’ it.  Ahh, but the coffee is good.

     Shore hits the gizzard jist right don’t it?  Pard, keep enjoyin’ it and don’t expect me to say nothin’ ’bout the foolishness of the Mexican President when she said that fighting a war against drug cartels is unlawful because it would violate the rights of drug traffickers and it would be fascist.  Nope, ain’t gonna say nothin’ regardin’ that absurd statement.  Not gonna say nothin’ ’bout the craziness that is goin’ on in the world.  Ahhh, but don’t that coffee hit the spot?

     “Nother cup, shore Pard, comin’ right up.  Got it sittin’ right here on the stove top.  Glad to see yur enjoyin’ it an’ not wantin’ me to be spewin’ political nonsense at yuh.  Nope, puttin’ the urge aside.  Those liberal left-wing democrats who are keepin’ the government shut down, don’t deserve mentionin’ from an ol’ fence post like me.  Seems like stupidity is still at large in those marble halls of Congress.  Say, Pard, did yuh ever think about if’n we had a parliamentary government like the UK that Pelosi would have been prime minister?  See there are things to be thankful about our government despite some of the foolish an’ demented people in it.  An’ aren’t yuh glad I kept back my urges to spout off?   Ahhh, sure glad that the coffee is good this mornin’.

     Pard, I’m just a happy man.  Like ol’ Robertson, happy, happy, happy.  Why shore there are things that need fixin’.  Shore there are fools all around.  Shore there are the lazy bums that want nothin’ more than a handout.  Shore, as the Lord told us, the poor will be with us always, and I’ve always reckoned that He didn’t jist mean the poor in the wallet, but the poor in character as well.  Yep, got a sweet wife, who bakes me pies and other sorts of goodies and fixes superb meals.  She bakes bread, slices me off a piece, butters it, an’ sometimes puts some jam or honey on it.  Yep, I’m a happy man.  Got a good family.  Ahh, but ain’t the coffee good!

     Good coffee, good food, good fellowship, my mercy, what more is there?  Yuh be havin’ a good week.  Ride straight and tall, let folks know yuh’re a-ridin’ for the Lord.  Keep yur gun oiled and handy, have yur Bible read, and be checkin’ yur cinch.

    Vaya con Dios.