These were a strange lot, these Texans.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (Badger Boy)

    “Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly.”
              –Proverbs 15:21(NKJV)
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I’ll be loading up the steel mount today, and headin’ out for the homeland tomorrow.  I had some heavy, deep thoughts that I was ready to unload on you this morning, but decided to keep them for a later date.  Right now I’m thinking of that ol’ song written by (Gene Autry/Carson J. Robinson) take your pick.  For sure, besides the wife, my “best friend is my bronco and my gun…Texas is my home.”
    Sure had a nice visit with Shauna and her family.  We don’t get to see them all that often so it was a treat.  Then Annie got to see several of her family–brothers, nephews, in-laws, and soon-to-be’s.  The weather was great, can’t complain about that, but I learned a long time ago not to complain about the weather.
    With the good Lord guiding our trail we’ll be goin’ back to Texas on the morrow.  Going to get back where they don’t get all shook up with the corona blues.  Back to where the folks can see my cheerful smile.

         “Way out west in Texas around that old camp fire
          We’ll sing the songs of long ago and strum on my guitar.
          My heart is ever yearning, but I will be there soon,
          I’ll settle down in Texas when the cactus is in bloom.

          Well, a way out west in Texas, round up in the spring
          You’ll hear me sing this little song while ridin’ on the range,
          Broadways lights (hue to you?) moonlight suits me fine,
          I’ll settle down in Texas, I’ll leave my blues behind.”
                   –Gene Autry

We’ll get ourselves unpacked and then next week go vote.  My mercy, the times we live in so have to sure and vote the way the Bible teaches.  This nation is up for grabs–stay true to our biblical roots and morals or turn it completely over to the devil.  Listen, and this is as deep as I’ll get today–there is a war happening in the spiritual realm.  This war will affect the lives of all of us, and the future of my grandchildren.  They MUST, imperative!, be grounded in God’s Word!
    Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m just a sojourner in Texas.  I’m biding my time until the trumpet sounds then I’ll be going to my real home.  For you know this world is not my home, I’m just hanging my hat in Texas until that time to move on to my heavenly abode.
    So those back in Texas, look for us when you see the dust a-flying.  We’re on our way back to that home in the woods.  Praying for the Lord’s protection and guidance along the road.

It is hope which makes us move.”
              –Ernest Haycox  (Long Storm)

    “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.”
              –Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)
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There is a time in the history of every country, every nation, every empire when there begins a demise.  Sometimes is takes centuries as in the case of the Roman Empire, or often it comes rapidly because of warfare.  I look at the state of our nation today and am reminded of the words attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville:

         “Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the greatness and genius of America. America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good America will cease to be great.”

Our nation is currently facing several crisis, one of which is to debunk and slander the men and women who have made this country great.  People who were flawed, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NKJV) for certain, but in the midst of their flaws and failures they had something deeper to give.  It may be the leadership of a Washington in the early days of the development of our nation.  It may be in the calm leadership of an Eisenhower during the course of defeating a vicious menace to the world, or an audacious Patton in that same war.  
    It may be seen in the courage and the determination of a man who is much maligned today–Christopher Columbus.  He is mocked and scorned today because he supposedly began slavery.  What a lie!  Slavery has been around since almost the beginning of time.  Then there is the cry of “disease” brought over by the Spaniards.  Interesting, I find it that those who scorn Columbus for bringing disease from the Old World are the same ones who decry the President when he said that the corona came from China.  Hmmmm…
    Whatever one says about Columbus, they can not take away his courage.  Few men would dare to do what he did in his day–the exploration to the West.  One cannot doubt that he wanted to gain wealth, privilege, and power with his explorations, but he was also very concerned about spreading the gospel of Christ.  Look at his prayer as he landed on what he named San Salvador (“Holy Savior”):

         “O Lord, Almighty and everlasting God, by Thy holy Word Thou hast created the heaven, and the earth, and the sea; blessed and glorified be Thy Name, and praised be Thy Majesty, which hath designed to use us, Thy humble servants, that Thy holy Name may be proclaimed in this second part of the earth.”

    The Great Commission of Jesus was also part of the purpose of Columbus’ explorations.  It was just at the right time in history that America was discovered and began to be developed.  We often forget that God is in charge of history.  What happens falls into the category of His divine sovereignty.  His purposes will be fulfilled.
    Of course, those that mock Columbus and others will also mock the idea of God.  I wonder, these scorners, what their lives would be like if the Almighty had not “sent” Columbus to explore?  What would life be like, say for instance if the Chinese had settled America?  Buddhism perhaps?  
    In the midst of the hatred, bitterness, and scorn, I will choose to salute a great man.  One with undaunted courage; one who dare to explore and to bring the Gospel to a new land

Night closed down upon the canyon…  He saw the fading red embers of his fire, the great looming pines, the black shadowy wall; he smelled the smoke and the tang of the forest; he heard the sound of the wind, the brawl of the brook, the wail of the coyotes.”
              –Zane Grey  (30,000 on the Hoof)

    “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.”
              –Psalm 125:2 (NKJV)
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The water from the rushing stream was so cold that it made my hands ache.  Upon following the stream to its source we found that it came directly from a large snow bank and further up the trail was a lake.  Annie and I had camped just below timberline on a level portion in the wind blown trees.  One thing about camping at timberline is that there is always plenty of wood to be found lying around.
    The nights up there were cold, but it was cozy sitting around the campfire drinking coffee and just being in one another’s company.  The moonlight shown brightly upon the stream as it splashed over rocks and the stars, my…one could never begin to count them.  In the comfort of our sleeping bags we could hear the sound of the cascading water and below us the cries of marmots.
    When morning came the sun shone brightly from the east upon our little camp.  I started the fire, put the coffee on while Annie prepared breakfast of eggs and bacon.  It was a time early in our lives when things were new.  Now it is something to recall, to reflect upon and think of the goodness of God.

         “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?”
                  –Psalm 121:1 (NASB)

Does our help come from the mountains?  Be careful, think through this before answering.  For sure it is not to the mountain that we pray.  It is not the mountains in which we put our trust.  However, mountains represent the government of God and when we are in need we look toward His abode and wait for Him to come sweeping down.

         “My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.”
                  –Psalm 121:2-3 (NASB)

    I heard a powerful sermon last Sunday regarding the mountains and valleys of life.  They are continually in our life, more often than not we are in the valley, but we do have those times in the mountains.  Listen and ponder this:  “God explains Himself on the mountain; He exposes Himself in the valley.”  God takes us up on a mountain, as He did Moses, to learn of Him.  But we live in the valley.  We cannot bear the storms of the high country; the majesty, power, and magnificence of it would overwhelm us and as we learn of God we hear Him say, get back to the valley and use what I have taught you.  Remember that Peter, James, and John wanted to build tents and stay on the mountain, but Jesus said that there was work to be done down in the valley.
    Use the lessons of God on the mountain as you live and work in the valley.  God does not change.  He is God whether on the mountain or the valley or the desert or the sea.  Consider the following lyrics:

         “For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
          When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
          And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
          The God of the day is still God in the night.”
                    –Bill & Gloria Gaither

Being one who is apt to accept the situation and take it from there, I considered.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Lonely on the Mountain)

    “Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways!'”
              –Haggai 1:5 (NKJV)
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One thing that is clearly seen in the Scriptures, and is on the lips of almost every prophet is the phrase, “Thus saith the Lord.”  In these perilous times it is vital that we know what God is saying.  We need to know the Word of God so we can stand on those words, “thus saith the Lord,” or as modern translations put it, “as the Lord has spoken” or “has said.”  Do you know His Word well enough to be at rest in the turbulence of the times?

           “‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
            Just to take Him at His Word;
            Just to rest upon His promise;
            Just to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’
                  –Louisa M.R. Stead

I find  myself often sighing when I see the goings on in the world and in the nation.  When I see the lies and the hatred of the media and people.  One reason for the sigh is that I know in Whom I have placed my trust.  My Lord will never fail me, and if worse comes to worst (death), I will be ushered into His presence.  Another reason for the sigh is the grief and pity for those who live daily not knowing that Jesus is the answer to their problems and their needs.

           “O, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
            Just to trust His cleansing blood;
            Just in simple faith to plunge me
            ‘Neath the healing, cleansing flood.

            Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
            Just from sin and self to cease;
            Just from Jesus simply taking
            Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.”

In the midst of death that is around me, I have life.  In the midst of unrest, turmoil, and rioting, I have rest and peace.  In the midst of all the hatred and bitterness, I have joy.  When I get away from self and turn to Jesus and keep my eyes upon Him the world is so much brighter and the toils of life so much lighter.

           “I’m so glad I learn’d to trust Thee,
            Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend;
            And I know that Thou art with me,
            Wilt be with me to the end.

                  Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,
                  How I’ve prov’d Him o’er and o’er.
                  Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!
                  O for grace to trust Him more.”

Faith is not hard, it is simply trusting Jesus.  It is relying upon Him–trusting Him.  He will be there in the midst of our lives.  Try Him, trust Him, lean upon Him, dare to rest in Him.
    The other day, Annie and I were discussing the chorus.  She thought that the last phrase should be “O for faith to trust Him more.”  We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8).  I started to ponder that.  Then I thought I might have caught a glimpse of what the author was saying.  In the midst of the lies, give me grace to see and lean upon the Truth.  In the midst of the hatred, give me the grace to love my enemies.  In the midst of the bitterness, give me the grace to have peace and rejoice.  Oh, give me the grace to not fall into the trap of the devil, but the “grace to trust Him more.”