“You cannot step twice in the same river, for other waters are always flowing on to you.”      –Heraclitus

“Don’t dwell on what can’t happen; you will never reach your goal.
The ragin’ rivers always in your way.
You can’t predict tomorrow and your yesterday’s are gone.
All you control is time you have today.”
–Red Steagall

Rivers along the trail can present a myriad of troubles. Travelers always had to be concerned when it came to the crossing of a river, or even a creek. Whether it was an individual crossing a rushing mountain stream, wagons fording rivers along the Oregon Trail, or a herd being driven north to market, these waterways constituted the greatest dangers along the trail.
Along the Chisholm Trail, lightning strikes and drowning were the most common way for a cowboy to meet his Maker. Those riding to the downstream side of the herd had to be careful that a steer didn’t bump into them and knock them into the river’s current. Those on the upstream side had to worry about the rise of water as the cattle would dam up the river. At any point, if a cowboy fell into the water he would be hard-pressed to survive, especially if he became entangled with the herd.
There are other dangers that may be present: quicksand that can cause an animal to get bogged down, debris floating down and striking the horse and rider. There may be a strong current that cannot be observed looking at the surface. There may be a rock and other items in the river. Dozens die yearly in the waters of the Rockies because of hitting their heads on rock as they are swept off their feet by the rushing current; rocks that are not seen, but are underneath the surface. If you saw, or read Lonesome Dove, you may recall that quirk of an event when the rider and his horse were struck again and again by moccasins; hidden under the surface. Sometimes a person just never knows when crossing that river.
Yet in life we must cross the rivers in front of us. To not do so would leave us in a quandary, leave us with no forward motion and we may falter back into despair. The obstacle is there; the river may be raging, or it may be hiding its mysteries under the surface. The current may be swift or it may be swirling, but there is no choice so into the water we must plunge. Our training, our experience, our knowledge, our courage and the hand of the Lord will be with us. The promised land awaits, but the rivers of life must be crossed.

      Ira Paine

“Afterwards measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.”      –Ezekiel 47:5 (KJV)

It says right on the sweatband, “Made Exclusively for DON ADKISSON, by Art Henderson” and on the other side, “Weather Hat Shop, July 4, 1974, Colo. Spgs, Colo”. Now how about that? It was made by hand by Art Henderson and it was a Pikes Peak Special Hat. The style is called “Black Mesa” and I guess I should wear it more often.

“And since then it’s varied endlessly in color, shape, and size
From the cow man’s ‘Open Road’, to the Nebraskans ‘Open Skies’
For each region has its own vogue, like the buckaroo’s flat brim
Or the ‘Oklahoma Sandy’, or the high ‘Montana Rim’
And the show ring has its favorites, as do those in rodeo
Though they change in shape and style as the fashions come and go.”
–Waddie Mitchell (quotations from Mitchell’s poem, “Lid”)

Now I’ve a few hats I’ve picked up over the years. I have a couple of Stetsons. One is black and is represented of the old Tom Mix; it was given to me by my youngest. The other came from my wife. It is a tarnished silverbelly and I first saw it up in Saratoga, WY. I have a Baily straw, which is nice, but I seldom wear straw. I even own one of those with the “Montana Rim” which some call a campaign hat. But my special one I have no clue the brand for it has long been gone. It’s worn, crusty, dirty and in some places stiff from sweat, weather, and such. I used it to fan a hundred fires, and it just fits all of the lumps on my head.

“Some folklore claims that villains all wear black while heroes white
But that’s just a bunch of bunkum and ain’t even close to right
And those gallons are another thing that’s simply just a myth
Cuz a good hat isn’t something that you water horses with
But it isn’t any folklore myth, as more than one dude knows,
If you mess around with someone’s hat, you risk a broken nose.”

Once I had me one of those comfortable hats; the type that fits just right. It was very similar to my work/camping/hunting hat and it was dear and near to me. I had it when I was a teen and took it to college with me. But one day, Annie and I were making our move to Florida and somewhere in West Virginia the thing blew out the window. It just couldn’t happen, so I pulled the car over and walked about a mile back to pick it up. Sure glad the wind wasn’t blowing.

“You will find a lot of uses when you wear one long enough
Like you’ll keep from getting sun stroked and a lot of other stuff
It will shield your head from hail and sleet which causes lot’s o’ pain
It will keep your soul from waterloggin’ when it starts to rain
It can cover up that nest of hair that you forgot to comb
Or will hide your baldness under it in town when on the roam.”

Back to my old hat. There have been numerous times and in sundry places that folks have offered to buy that hat right off my head. They say it has character (or maybe it is a character who is wearing it). I haven’t sold it, nor do I think I will. Sometimes I think that folks with me are some embarrassed when I wear it, but, well, it’s just like an ol’ friend. And it sort of protects my ponderings. That brings up the moral of the story. You need to ask yourself by what hat do folks know you? It may be battered and even torn, but is it a hat of righteousness or one that leads down to perdition?

Ira Paine

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”      –James 1:12 (NIV)

I know my pea-brained get confused at times, but it seems that I recall somewhere in my education experience that in a democracy the majority is supposed to rule. Hmmm, there is something wrong with the picture I am getting out of Washington. Oh, excuse me, we are a republic. Well, a republic is a type of democracy in which we elect people to vote the will of the majority. Hmmmm, still something wrong with what’s going on in Washington.
Folks, you better listen and listen tight–you ain’t seen nothing yet. Things will be happening right fast up until January of next year, and if Hillary gets elected they will continue. With this Oval Office and the way it is, there is nothing to fear from outsiders invading as the country has been given over to the liberals and their agenda.
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Have you ever noticed that Christians can stir up animosity among those in the world? Conflicts and persecution will come and that’s a fact. There are difficulties from all quarters of life. Now our own stupidity can cause up severe problems but there are some other reasons why Spirit-led people may suffer. I came across the following by Elliot Johnson.
1) Our message of the cross is foolish to lost people who refuse to repent. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
2) Lost people hate Jesus and the Father without reason. If they hate Him, they will hate those who follow Him. (John 15:18-16:4)
3) Lost people disobey Jesus and the Father. Saved people obey God’s Word. Those who obey God are an indictment to those who reject Him. (1 John 3:21-24)
4) Lost people don’t have the same spiritual Father as Spirit-led people. Their spiritual father is Satan, the father of lies and of unbelief. (John 8:42-47)
5) Lost people who dismiss Jesus as irrelevant can’t see the Kingdom of Heaven. They want everything now, without denying self. Saved people postpone gratification until the rewards of Heaven. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
6) Lost people don’t comprehend their imminent peril of eternal separation from God. When warned by saved people, some think we are fanatics. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
7) Spirit-led people don’t belong to the save evil world system that dictates to lost people. Our marching orders come from above.(1 John 2:15-17)
8) Spirit-led people smell like death to lost people. They don’t like being convicted of their sin by the lifestyles of saved people. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)
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“More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of.”
–Alfred, Lord Tennyson
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With all the depravity and the tension and the terror and the evil continue on with the fight. Continue on with the high calling of Jesus Christ. And have you ever thought of thanking Him for the situation that is happening around you? Who is in charge of your life anyhow?

“Keep on thankin’ and fightin’.”      –Zane Grey

I’ve been pondering some things and some Scriptures over the weekend and thought I’d share them with you. Be sure to take your time and read them.

“The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.”
–Proverbs 12:5-7 (NASB)

“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,”
–Romans 1:28 (NASB)

“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
–John 9:43-44 (NASB)

“For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
–2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (NASB)

Wait a minute, you didn’t ponder these. Go back and read again.
Lies, liars, wicked they are part of the spirit of the antichrist. I’m not talking about the person, but of the attitude of the age. America is definitely on that trek, and the leadership is already there. We are just getting used to and accepting lies. We have accepted them for the past eight years, and if things don’t change we will have the queen of liars in office.
Go ahead and forfeit your vote. Let the spirit continue to run rampant. Not saying it will be much better, but at least a know liar will not be elected. Never thought I would see the day when things that have happened in the last six years have happened. Better get ready for if Hillary is elected more is to come and even worse.
Oh, go back and read them once again.