–J.V. James  (Old)

 

That’s what I’ve been doin’ Pard, sittin’ and contemplatin’.  Thinkin’ of the foolishness and the stupidity of those out there protestin’ and riotin’.  Most are paid, most are socialist in nature, most favor anarchy, most are shiftless bums wanting to complain, magnify the flaws of the country.  They riot but do nothin’ to help the country.  They murmur, but they are not grateful for all this country does and stands for.

     Take a sip, ignore my agitation.  Guess that’s what Moses saw when the people complained about the bounty that God had waitin’ for them, but didn’t want to take to task the burden of facin’ the “giants.”  

     Pard, I was contemplatin’ the 4th of July and the freedoms that we have in this country.  Then my mind went to the word, “redeem”.  According to Vine, and I’m gettin’ a little scholarly on yuh, the term means “to buy out, especially of purchasing a slave with a view to his freedom.”  We have been redeemed of all iniquity.  Think of it Pard, redeemed means to free men from lawlessness, the bondage of self-will which rejects the will of God.  But we must know that redemption, true redemption only comes through Christ.  And one day, Pard, when we get to glory, we will have complete redemption.  No more frustrations over the fools about us.

     That’s what I’ve been ponderin’, that and sittin’ down to enjoy our time together and the coffee; of course, the coffee.  I’ve been ponderin’ that most of us do not understand nor fully realize how good we have it in America.  I’ve been ponderin’ the redemption of God that is offered to all, an’ then why, oh why, don’t the fools out there realize that it is there for them.  Guess that’s why they’re called “fools.”

     I was sittin’ there, drinkin’ my coffee, and the words of that wonderful hymn came up on the music I was playin’.  Ponder them, and try to get a glimpse of what the Lord has done for us.  

           “Mercy there was great, and grace was free;

          Pardon there was multiplied to me;

          There my burdened soul found liberty,

          At Calvary.”

Ol’ William Newell was on to somethin’.  Liberty comes only through the redemption provided by Christ on the cross at Calvary.  Whew!  What a thought!

     Well, Pard, time to be a-leavin’.  I’m glad to see yuh still have all yur fingers; yuh mustn’t’ve not shot off any firecrackers.  Yur gettin’ smart in yur old age, why I saw that when yuh mounted yuh even checked yur cinch.

    Vaya con Dios.

                     –Nathan Wright  (Marshal Warrix)

 

Mornin’ to yuh, Pard, grab a cup, the coffee’s hot and waitin’ to be drunk.  Get yurself ready for I’ve got some sermonizin’ for yuh.  Mercy, for sure there’s a great day a-comin’.  I don’t know exactly when, but something has to give sooner or later.  Take a sip first, that way we’ll start with something good.  Ahhh…

     First, Pard, I know my ol’ stalkin’ grounds has gone to pot, go ‘head an’ laugh that’s an intended pun.  Yep, thinkin’ they’re bein’ progressive and wise my home state of Colorado has a law that bans sex-exclusive spaces.  Go ahead, slap yurself upside the head.  I’ll tellin’ yuh what I read.  But let me give yuh a glimmer of hope.  A Christian camp won a lawsuit against the state when they said that boys would be allowed to stay in the girls’ cabins.  Man cannot continue to be ignorin’ God’s moral laws; it’s like tryin’ to slap Him in the face.

     Pard, take another sip, and I’m tellin’ this so’s yuh can watch yur backside in a crowd.  This here happened just last week.  Thank the Lord it wasn’t in our country, but if it can happen in France it can happen here.  I don’t know what these folks were thinkin’…well, they weren’t thinkin’ right that’s for sure.  Seems like 145 people at a music festival were stuck with syringes.  Authorities aren’t sure yet what was in those needles, but imagine idiots goin’ around pokin’ folk.  At the time of the article fourteen fools had been arrested.  Yuh see why I tell yuh to be wary when yur in a crowd?

     Whooee, Pard, then take a look at all the stupidity.  Duh, don’t folks know what the term “illegal” means?  Nope, yur right Pard.  It’s like callin’ my coffee–tea. Most of them are just riotin’ with no notion of what’s goin’ on.  Don’t any of them have jobs?  People are so moronic, they want to gripe, act like fools, but then when someone goes to stop them, they become the victims.  I sure do take my hat off to those officers and guardsmen that have to put up with such nonsense.  They must have some kinda special patience bone; I mean, I’d just want to slap them silly, maybe try an’ knock some of the foolish notions out of them.  Pard, I’m reminded of the words of our Savior when He said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”  Uh, that’s from Matthew 24.  Look it up, ponder it an’ see if’n it might not relate to all the evil we’re a-seein’ around us.  

     Coffee’s gone, it’s time for me to quiet my preachifyin’, but let me give yuh one more thought.  Pard, let me ask yuh, wasn’t it just twenty-four years ago nearly 3000 people lost their lives to attack led by Muslims in New York City?  Now they’re got this socialistic Muslim runnin’ for mayor.  Pard, sometimes the Lord allows our foolishness to punish us.  Some things are just too hard for my simple brain to be a-comprehendin’.  

     The mornin’s most over, the coffee is gone, an’ I know yuh gots to be leavin’.  Watch out Pard, don’t let no one stick yuh with a needle.  That could end up bein’ worse than yuh forgettin’ to check yur cinch.  For sure we must be travelin’ with the Lord.

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –Elmer Kelton  (The Pumpkin Rollers)

 

     Been waitin’ for yuh, Pard.  New coffeepot that the daughter gave me; makes a pretty good pot of coffee if’n yuh make it strong enough.  Now don’t go mixin’ it with anything; yuh know that ain’t proper in this kitchen.  Too strong?  If’n yuh must I’ll allow a little cow cream and sugar, but not cinos–yuh hear!

     Mixin’, something to be a-ponderin’.   There are things that don’t mix or if they do, they soon separate.  Vinegar and oil is good, but it won’t stay mixed for long.  Try mixin’ oil and water.  For sure guns and liquor don’t mix, especially in the camp.  One thing I’ve noticed over the last few weeks is that stupidity and violence don’t mix.  In all of my born days I’ve never seen such a gatherin’ of clowns and fools as I’ve seen in some of these so-called peaceful riots.  My mercy, and watch most of them, they’re belligerent until they face the law.  I recall ol’ Judge Dredd statin’, “I am the law.”  Well, no one can be a law unto themselves, for there is always a higher law and a greater Judge, and the more I see of the antics around the world, I know that soon there’s a great day a-comin’.

     Mixiin’, sometimes we try to mix the world into Christianity or we try to mix Christianity into the world.  Pard, it jist don’t work.  It’s one or t’other.  Like I wrote the other day, yuh can’t be mixin’ the things of the Holy Spirit with the things of the devil.  Yuh can’t be a-walkin’ on two paths at the same time.  Yuh need to take one, the straight one and stick to it come hades or high water.  Don’t be mixin’ yur mind with the ideas of the world, neither.  Hold fast to sound doctrine, that’s yur hope and walk.

     ‘Nough of that preachifyin’, let’s enjoy the coffee.  Ahhh, most things that are good are the simple things.  Like last Sunday, the family celebrated me bein’ around for ten additional years.  It was nice, simple, and sweet.  Yuh don’t need to be fanciful or have a lot of fru-frus, in fact, I’ll take simple anytime.  ‘Course I’m a simple sort of guy.

     Pard, did yuh stop to think?  Quit yur slurpin’ for a minute and ponder.  Yesterday was the first day of summer.  I know that some of the loonies out there go hug trees on the summer solstice, but there yuh go again mixin’.  I mean God is the creator, the creation is not God.  Yuh gotta keep ’em separate.  Pard, an’ if’n yuh hug a dogwood tree yuh’ll find that the bark is worse than the bite.  Hug it too long an’ it’ll rub yuh raw.  But again, what have we accomplished for the Lord this first half of the year?  Are yuh walkin’ rightly, ready, wary, and lookin’ upward?  

     Well, Pard, the pot’s empty.  Glad yuh stopped by for a spell; always good to see yur face.  At least I have someone who’ll take a listen to wait this ol’ fence post has to say.  Yuh know, Pard, life ain’t so hard if’n yuh trust in the Lord.  Oh, an’ for the likes of you, maken sure that yuh check yur cinch.  That reminds me, I was watchin’ the other day an’ this youngster didn’t take the time to mend his cinch and he went out a racin’ on his hoss, and well, yuh guessed it–his cinch broke and he fell on his noggin’.  Sure don’t want that to be happenin’ to you, why who’d come by and drink coffee with me?

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –C. Wayne Winkle  (Judd’s Journey)

 

Ohhh, “I care not today what the morrow may bring, If…” uh, sorry Pard, I didn’t hear yuh come in.  Well, since yur here, join in with me, “If shadow or sunshine or…”  What’dya mean I sound like a dyin’ coyote?  Pard, I’ll have yuh know that my singin’ is a pure delight–ha, at least in my own mind.  I’ll just hum some whilst I pour the coffee.  Don’t worry ’bout savin’ any since my daughter’s here, I’ll just make a fresh pot when she pulls out from under the sheets.

     Ohhh, “the Lord I know ruleth o’er everything…”  sorry, I forgot, but it’s the truth.  In fact, truer than that coffee yur about to slurp is delicious and will tickle yur gizzard.  Pard, take a sip an’ see if’n it don’t delight yur innards.  It don’t bring fear to me that Israel and Iran are goin’ at it.  God’s people are goin’ to be cared for in one way or another.  Why this fight has been goin’ on in one form or the other since ol’ Isaac and Ishamel parted ways.  Yuh just gotta be hangin’ on to the truth of God’s Word.  Don’t let all that hooraw in California be gettin’ to yuh.  You and I know it’s all a blusterin’ set up by the liberals.  Listen, that bard, James Wells, had it right, “the Master looks on at the strife.”  

     We never know what’s gonna be alongside our path.  Why I remember a few times when one of them snakes was there, just a-waitin’.  An’ that’s not to mention all the times the Serpent of all serpents was there lurkin’ to do me in.  Yuh know what I’m talkin’ about.  You’ve had it happen to you as well.  Once I was out walkin’ at night, one of those moonlight strolls, when Annie was just about to put her foot down.  Another couple was with us an’ he had a lantern.  He yelled, “Don’t put your foot down!”  Right there on the path was a copperhead.  If he hadn’t had that lantern, that light, well that ol’ serpent could have struck her.  Hmmm, Pard, don’t yuh see?  That’s the way the Holy Spirit works in our lives.  We walk along the trail on our journey to glory but there may be hidden snakes, but the light of the Holy Spirit warns us, “Don’t step down!”  

     Death, storms, battles, plus all the good times, the Lord is there, and if there may be something we can’t or don’t see, we can listen to the voice of our heavenly Guide.  Oh, by the way, I see yuh didn’t hesitate of swallerin’ all yur coffee an’ yur a-beggin’ for a refill.  Ha, go ‘head, let’s finish the pot.  Say, Pard, lest I forget, one of my ol’ pals crossed over the Great Divide a day ago.  I hadn’t seen him in several years, but ol’ Mike was one to ride the river with.  He just beat us to our heavenly home.

     Hmmm, pot’s empty, but for sure our soul ain’t.  Come on Pard, “Why should I then care, tho’ the tempest may blow, If Jesus walks close to my side.”  That’s it yuh don’t sound so bad, jump in here an’ keep it goin’ while yuh mount up an’ head out into the new week.  Ride straight, check yur cinch, and be a-listenin’ to the Master’s voice.  “Living by faith, in Jesus above, trusting, confiding in His great love…”  Oh, an’ Pard be rememberin’ that today is Flag Day–show the symbol of our great country some respect.

      Vaya con Dios.