Ever think what a comfort it was to squat beside a camp fire on a cold night, or drink a hot cup o’ coffee at three o’clock of a roundup mornin’?”
–Ernest Haycox (Grim Canyon)
Brrrr, Pard, the ol’ starter gets harder to start as it is, don’t need the cold a drivin’ at my bones. I can remember some cold nights around a campfire and even colder mornin’s. One time, over on the South Llano, we were campin’. It got down to 19 degrees. Now my sleepin’ bags at the time were good to around 28 degrees; needless to say, it was cold when I lumbered out of bed in the mornin’ to get the fire goin’ and the coffee started. Shiverin’ now just thinkin’ of it.
I see yuh made it out this mornin’. Cold again…but I’ve got the coffee on and it’s plenty hot and strong. Made plenty of soups this week, and a pot of chili verde the other night. Those sure helped to keep the innards warm. Go ‘head, drink it up, there’s plenty in the pot. We might as well finish it all up ‘fore goin’ back out in the cold. Hmmm, endless cycle–cold, then come in for coffee, the back out in the cold, then more coffee. Why just the traipsin’ back and forth helps keep a body warm.
Thinkin’ ’bout the cold brought to my mind a thought of those out there who are really sufferin’ from the cold; a cold of a different sort–coldness of the heart. There’s cold heart among spouses, cold hearts against former friends, cold hearts with family members, but the worsest sort of cold heart is that against the Lord. I recall that the good Lord said that because of the increase of wickedness the love of many will grow cold. Pard, I think that’s in Matthew 24. Aren’t we seein’ that ’round us today? Folks could care less ’bout what the Bible says, or they want to be givin’ their own opinion of it rather than acceptin’ it as the Lord intended.
Pard, as that coffee warmed up yur gizzard, be sure an’ get in the Bible to keep yur soul warmed. Might even have to stir the coals some to get the flame a-goin’, but yuh sure don’t want to let it grow cold. Why, Pard, a cold campfire ain’t no good to no one! A body can’t get warm, can’t get the water to boil for coffee–a cold, dead campfire is good for nothin’ but to tell someone that there used to be one there.
Yuh, be havin’ a good Sunday tomorrow, let the flame of the Holy Spirit warm up that spirit within yuh. Stay on the right trail, be wary of hostiles, guard the truth so be sure yur guns are loaded and ready, for the mercies’ sake Pard, check that cinch ‘fore yuh mount up.
Vaya con Dios.