There was a pot of stew and he ate hungrily, then ate from a stack of tortillas. Then he sat down, looking at the moonlight’s refection on the dark water, listening to the night sounds and drinking coffee.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Burning Hills)
Whatcha lookin’ up in the sky for, Pard? It ain’t gonna rain, though we surely need it. I don’t reckon yur listenin’ for those heavenly hoofbeats either. Just waitin’ for me to open the door an’ invite yuh in; well, if that’s all, get yurself in here. The pot’s on the stove; I’ll get the cups.
I been ponderin’, and after readin’ what that ol’ hombre L’Amour wrote I’m sure I’m right. I don’t think, no, I’m positively positive that we don’t thank the Lord enough. We don’t tell Him that we appreciate all that we have, and how grateful we are for His keepin’ and guidin’ us. Why, just look at that cup in yur hand. Be thankful for it, and be thankful that yuh can hold it. Jist think, it yuh couldn’t hold it, or if yuh didn’t have it, how would yuh be drinkin’ yur coffee?
And there’s another thing–how thankful for yuh for the pot in which it was brewed, and for the coffee itself. Ahhh, jist yuh take a sip now.
Now, I know that we don’t have to be sittin’ ’round thankin’ the Lord about every little thing, but sometimes, it might jist do us a world of good if we would. Remember that ol’ song we sang so much in church, “Count your blessin’s name them one by one…”? Here’s what I’m tellin’ yuh, Pard. Take time an’ thank the good Lord for all His blessin’s to yuh.
We need to be thankin’ and a fightin’… fightin’ the good fight. Thank the Lord for the opportunity He gave yuh to be fightin’ the fight of faith. Whooee, now there’s somethin’ to be ponderin’!
We’ll be headin’ on up to that eastern state of Maryland next week. Plan on stoppin’ at a roundup in Louisiana if’n things goes as planned. Now, you take seriously what I was a sayin’. Thank the Lord that yuh remembered to tighten yur cinch; thank the Lord He put a cinch on that saddle or else yuh would be findin’ yurself layin’ on the ground somewhere.