–Ron Schwab  (Beware a Pale Horse)

 

Heard yuh comin’ Pard, grab a cup, coffee’s on the stove.  Sure glad yuh stopped by this mornin’.  Ahhh, good coffee!  Yuh know, Pard, the day after the crucifixion of Jesus Saturday was a mournful day.  There was loss of hope, and despair seemed to grip each person.  The disciples were in hidin’, fearful for their lives.  I reckon they must have remembered the words of Jesus regarding risin’ on the third day, but for some reason it didn’t register.  They were a pitiful lot.

       Now, Pard, I’ve done quite a bit of ponderin’ about that particular Saturday over the years.  I don’t believe that Jesus had to stay in the grave for three days; He had the power to rise, but there was still some work to be done.  I’m not sure what it was; it is one of those mysteries.  Paul wrote that He took “captivity captive.”  Now, what does that actually mean?  We can’t be dogmatic ’bout it for sure.  No, no, Pard, dogmatic isn’t some special breed of dog; it’s bein’ downright certain of something, so certain that you can’t change yur mind on the subject.  But some theologians say that Jesus went to the underworld, the place of the dead.  Some of them were lookin’ forward to the comin’ of the Messiah and now He was there in front of them, preachin’ to them.  But then I remember the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross, “today you will be with me in Paradise.”  

       Let me get a swaller, ‘fore I continue.  Mmm, tastes ‘specially good this mornin’.  Now, back to what I was a-sayin’.  The thief would be with Jesus in “Paradise.”  Where was Paradise, I ask yuh?  Many believe and I among them, that Paradise was that part of the underworld where the saints prior to the crucifixion were being held.  There was a gulf between Paradise and the place of torment.  Now, jist take a moment to consider this.  Do yuh think Jesus took time to speak some with Adam?  Maybe He told Adam that I’ve finally come to fix what yuh set in motion when yuh disobeyed in the Garden.  He might have even glanced over at Eve.  Remember, He was in the tomb for three days.

       Pard, jist hold on, I’m not through with my vocalizin’ on the subject.  Take another sip and listen.  The words by that preacher of the past, Robert Lowry, come to my mind, “Death cannot keep his prey Jesus my Saviour!  He tore the bars away Jesus my Lord!”  Now, we know these weren’t physical bars like down at the jailhouse.  O’l Lowry was usin’ the words symbolically.  Bars, hmmm, not in Scripture, but the folk in the place of the dead were in some kind of bondage.  Perhaps, now, jist perhaps, that Jesus did tear those bars away.  Maybe He walked, smilin’ among them, noddin’ His head, and releasin’ them from the chains of death.  Then, He motioned for them to “come on” it’s time to get on up to the Father’s house.  Perhaps, He placed Moses at the head, so he could lead them into the realm of glory.  Yuh know, it might have taken three days for that number to walk on up that golden staircase.  

       It’s another one of those spiritual mysteries.  There had to be a reason for three days in the grave.  Jesus always had a purpose, and He still does.  But as for you, Pard, yur jist plain dumb sometimes.  Yuh come over, drink coffee, jaw a spell, but then go out and forget to check yur cinch.

       Vaya con Dios.

                    –Patrick Lindsay  (Dead Man’s Treasure)

 

No, Pard!  I wasn’t referring to yur coffee.  But to tell yuh the truth it could do some improvin’.  Go ahead, don’t shy away from my brew; it’ll tickle all the way down yur gullet to yur gizzard an’ if yuh have enough of it, yur toes might even tingle.  Is the coffee in the bean or the brewin’?  Now that’s somethin’ to ponder.  Is it in the water or in how long yuh set it to brew?  My ain’t life full of questions?

       Speakin’ of good coffee, we’ve had a week of good friends from the past.  It started last Saturday with the celebration of life for a person from our church forty years ago.  We saw several of the ol’ crew.  Then the other night some dear friends were in the area from San Antonio.  Yuh know, and I’m goin’ to say somethin’ here, so hang onto yur cup handle.  I’m a-thinkin’ that good friends are even better than good coffee.  Coffee can make yuh feel good in yur inner parts, but good, solid friends can make yuh feel good in yur soul and spirit.  

       Notice I’m stayin’ away from all the politickin’ and publicizin’ and media spoutation.  The coffee is too good to spoil my gizzard with the lies and doin’s of the media, and the politicians.  When are we ever gonna realize that we live in a world of lies, evil, deception, an’ wickedness?  But Pard, go on take another swaller.  Sure does make my heart good to see yuh enjoyin’ my coffee.  But what I was gonna say, we need to realize that this ol’ world is an evil place, but I recall the words of that ol’ preacher-man John that, “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.”  It’s found thar in 1 John 5:19.

       So don’t be surprised at what’s goin’ on.  Don’t be a frettin’ over the future.  Don’t get yur gizzard all riled because of the sickenin’ folks and lifestyle yuh hear and read about.  Just keep prayin’, keep readin’ yur Bible, keep raisin’ the younguns right.  Have yur gun oiled, loaded and ready, keep a smile on yur face.  Enjoy a cup of coffee, and be sure an’ check yur cinch.

          Vaya con Dios.

                    –Nathan Wright  (The Return)

 

Sorry for my mutterin’ and shakin’ my head when yuh came in.  The coffee’s hot, come on in and get a cup.  While yur a-pourin’, I’ll say out loud what I was mutterin’ — Pard, there’s strange things happenin’ in the land.  Go ahead and take a sip, while I tell yuh what I was ponderin’.  Strange!  Strange, ’cause it’s unnatural, plus the fact that’s it’s downright immoral.

       What am I talkin’ about?  Let me take a swaller, and I’ll tell yuh.  I don’t watch the news as it gets the bile a runnin’ in my gizzard, and seldom read the news for it causes my liver to quiver, but I came across a couple of things this past week.  The fellow’s name is Kirby and he’s some kind of spokeman, maybe for the Department of Defense.  He made the followin’ statement, “LGBTQ+ rights are a core part of our foreign policy.”  My mercy, Pard!  What happened to Biblical morality as bein’ a core part of our foreign policy?  Sendin’ out missionaries…?

       I need another swaller ‘fore goin’.  I saw a photo and my ol’ gizzard jumped up in a conniption fit.  Thought I was goin’ to spew it out like the Lord said He would do in regard to the lukewarm church in Revelation.  The “thing’s” name is Leigh Finke and it was named the “Woman of the Year” for Minnesota.  My, my, it/he/she was prancin’ around with pink hair, earrings a-danglin’, and lipstick.  Talk about depraved minds.  Makes me wonder, how long, Lord, how long?

       If’n that wasn’t enough to get my innards all riled up, we have to be concerned about the bankin’ system.  Pard, they’re after yur money, but more than that they’re wantin’ to set up a system.  A no-good system at that.  Good ol’ Ted Cruz is tryin’ to combat it by introducin’ a bill to prevent the government from establishin’ a central bank digital currency.

Pard, the “mark” is comin’ sooner or later.  Sure ‘nough makes a body want to have their guns clean and close t’ hand, as well as their soul clean and ready for the comin’ of the Lord.

       Well, all of that bein’ said, I made it through the week.  That’s enough of that stuff.  Where are the prophets?  What has happened to the pulpit?  But, all that cryin’ aside, it has to be.  All these things must come to pass before the trumpet sounds, but I think the ol’ archangel is gettin’ ready to shout.  Pard, yuh be sure that yur spiritual cinch is tight for there may be a whirlwind before the blast of that trumpet.

        Vaya con Dios.

                         –Ernest Haycox  (Canyon Passage)

 

Mmmm, mmmm, let that aroma just flow.  Take a whiff of that coffee ‘fore yuh go to guzzlin’ it.  Enjoy sippin’ it whilst I tell yuh a story.  Remember when yuh were a kid, and fairy tales were told to yuh, like “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick…” and “Mary, had a little lamb…” and “Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep…”?  I don’t know why, but “Wee Willie Winkie” used to scare me.

       Hold on, I need a swaller, ’cause of what I’m gonna tell yuh.  I read ’bout a fairy tale bein’ told by the Pope.  Yep, that’s right, that fella that sits over in the Old Country in that place they call the Vatican City.  But here’s the tale, that he spoke the other day.  Once upon a time, that’s me tellin’ the story ’cause all fairy tales start out that way.  The old man on the throne who is the supposed, and self-proclaimed mediator before God spoke these words, “Hell is not a place.”  Say hold, on Pard, that ain’t the end on his tale, he went on, “It is a state, there are people who live in Hell continuously.”  Hmmm, maybe he finished with and “they lived happily ever after,” but Pard that ain’t the way it is.

       Now, I agree, up to a point that some folks have a hellish time here on earth, but it ain’t a fraction of what it will be if’n they go on down the road to Perdition.  I may be a dumb ol’ fence post, but I reckon the good Lord knows a bit more than the Pope and He sure ‘nough declared there is a Hell.  Now, I’ve heard that talk before comin’ from folks, but it shows to go yuh that even a religious leader can be an out-and-out fool.  Yuh know, if’n yuh read the prophets, Isaiah, Amos, and the like yuh’ll see that the priests were fools back then as well, leadin’ the people into false worship.  If’n people believe that they’re so blind they couldn’t see through a bobwire fence.

       Looks like we each got a cup a piece left in the pot.  Go ‘head an’ pour yurs, then yuh can fill my cup up.  Ahhh, mighty tasty this mornin’.  Let me go on pontificatin’ — I used that word a purpose.  Ol’ Haycox mentioned the hearth.  That’s where the coffeepot goes, well, maybe not literally, but figuratively.  The hearth is made by the woman of the home, she makes it comfortable, she nurtures the kids and even the husband, she keeps it warm with her love.  Yep, the hearth warms the home and it comes from the heart of a wife and mother.  Now, I said this, to let yuh know that my wife has made our house a home, and it was her birthday yesterday.  Sure been a grand ride livin’ my days with her.  She’s one reason that I check my cinch before mountin’, I gotta keep myself safe so’s I can be providin’ and protectin’ her.  An’ maybe if’n I give her a wink, there could be a pie in my future.

         Vaya con Dios.