LIFE WITH THE SIX GUN (Fiction)

LIFE WITH THE SIX GUN  (Fiction and all here)

I begin a new Series of Continued Stories.
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My mother objected with my playing with a six gun at an early age. I couldn’t pull the trigger early on but would put the barrel in my mouth to chew on while my early teething was occurring.  She named me Louis but always called me Little Lou.

My father had a lot of guns around the house for he was the sheriff and he kept the guns he took off drunken cowboys.  There was a gambler he caught cheating who had a derringer that he brought home, and when I saw it I claimed it for my own.

So from the time I was three I had as my most prized possession, “my derringer.”

I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to take it out and fire it. My pa once caught me putting bullets in it and tanned my hide as well as jarring the earth with that big voice of his. I feared his pronouncements far more than his giving me the strap.

He never took the bullets away from me he just put them on the mantel where they could still be seen. Even with them within my reach I never touched them until one day much later he took me shooting.

He had bought me a small caliber six gun which cause me to lose much of my interest in the derringer. He loaded it (the derringer) and let me see what it was like to shoot it but I wanted a real gun you carried on your hip and not something you hid away.

Pa said I would be far better off learning to fish than shooting a gun but even after that he spent more time teaching me to shoot than taking me fishing.

Most of my early training was spent on learning how not to shoot myself or something else, like our dog or a pig.

Don’t shoot around the house or barn and also nowhere you can’t see where the bullet might go. By following Pa’s early training by the age of twelve I never either wounded or killed anything I didn’t intend to.  (The thing that happened at the jail didn’t count). Perhaps I should explain that cause it wasn’t really my fault.  

I liked to spend time at the jail where I would look at the wanted posters and pin a deputy badge on my shirt.  My ma would swat me for making holes in my shirt but since she didn’t whup me like pa it was worth the doing of it.

But anyway I was about six years old and alone in the jail with only one prisoner in the cells.  This supposedly bad man was saying some bad things to me while I was playing as I always did. I just ignored most of his talk until he said some nasty things about my ma.

I told him to take it back but he just said some worst things. I knew he wouldn’t have said them if my pa was there for Pa would have fixed him where he couldn’t talk. I would have left, cept Pa said not to stir from the jail till he returned.

I had my derringer with me and I told the bad man to shut up and I wasn’t going to tell him again to which he lit in once more with his filthy talk about my ma.

Things aren’t too clear about what happened next for I was madder than I had ever been.

I went to where the prisoner was and pulled out my gun and shot him through the ear while grazing his cheek. He started cursing me and I parted his hair with the second bullet.

 

While I was reloading he suddenly shut up and when I took aim at his knee cap he began begging me not to shoot him again. He crawled under the bed in the cell and continued to beg. I told him to say some more nasty stuff about my ma as I aimed at his side.

My pa had come in and heard me goading the bad man telling him to continue to speak against my ma.  Pa took my gun away from me and the man come out from under the bed and started cursing me.

My pa opened the cell and checked the man over and punched him in the mouth. When the man came to Pa said, “Now tell me what you said about my wife?”

The man was shaking and wet himself. He was begging before but now he was pleading for his life.  Pa gave him a very hard kick in his rear and told him to leave town and never come back. Oh yes he smashed the man’s gun hand and said this will keep him from getting his nerve back in case he finds a bottle.

After this disturbance was over my pa just stared at me for some time. Since he didn’t say anything I’m not sure what he was thinking but I think he was evaluating what had happened and what I had done and what action he should take concerning me.

Finally he said it’s time for your supper so you better head home and leave that badge here. I never thought much about what I had done for it was done in anger but I determined that no one could talk about my ma the way he did without suffering some consequences.

Our town wasn’t as rowdy as Dodge City or Coffeyville or some of the other towns but my pa had to settle a fight now and then.  He taught me there were a few things to watch out for.  Most of them were associated with the saloon.

He said stay away from the saloon and you will avoid most of the problems of life. Later I come to understand he was right on that one.  He said gambling, drinking, wild women, and harboring old grudges are the source of most of the beatings and killing in most towns.

He said half of the time some innocent person catches the brunt of the altercations.  Since we were not a rail head we didn’t have the influx of trail herds coming to our town but once a month cowboys get paid and come to town to blow off steam.  On those times my pa had a couple of part time deputies available. The worst that usually happens is a fight between two or more drunks where the bartenders breaks it up with a club he keeps behind the bar.

It has happened where the damages cost the cow hands to lose three months’ wages to pay for the damages they caused.  No rancher wants to hear that his hands have made a fool of themselves.

Like most cow towns we had the saloon gals but most card sharks didn’t last but a day or two at most.  My pa couldn’t stand cheats of any sort and sent them on their way after teaching them a couple of lessons on honesty. The lessons usually consisted of several days of hard labor with the proceeds going to the injured party.

During planting and harvest times pa was especially alert for any infractions of the law.

I heard him say one time; “cheats serve some good purpose.” That was when the harvest season was over and the prisoners were released. I thought the saloon gals were pretty but as I grew up I realized it was the makeup that caused them to stand out.

That and the fact most of the country women didn’t use anything but a little face powder and not very often did they do that.

I was around twelve when I became aware of how ugly some of them were. The saloon owners would get a fresh crop of them in every so often.  Being the sheriff’s kid they all soon knew who I was and teased me unmercifully. They would say things like; come on up to my room, I’m so lonely or it’s time for you to become a man.

It embarrassed me something awful for I knew what they were hinting at. They kept it up till I had enough. I went into the saloon and told the one that had been ragging on me the most and said, “I am ready let’s go.”

The whole saloon became quiet. No one was making a sound till the bar man said. “Alright kid get out of here now.”

The gal was ashen white for they all knew what my pa would do to them if it went any further. He would have run every one of the out of town and smashed the saloon to pieces.  That was the last teasing I received from the saloon bunch. Once in a while I would see one of them on the street and they would say; hello Mr. Louie and give a smile as they passed.

Pa told the town council he was going to quit unless they hired a full time deputy. He wanted to be at home more than he had been. I think he wanted to spend more time with my ma. She was a little over thirty and he was under forty so they were still pretty lively.

Every so often they would tell me to go over and visit a girl near us named Marsha. I would stay for an hour and then leave. I visited Marsha quite a bit over the years.  Her folks didn’t seem to mind but whispered to themselves and grinned a lot for some reason.  Marsha was a pleasant young girl and we talked about a lot of things when together. As we grew up our conversation became more grown up and we talked about stuff that boys usually talked about. As it turned out she was my best friend for we were comfortable with one another.

When we were almost finished with high school there were a number of other boys visiting her and I must admit I didn’t like it. I knew I was destined for college and there wasn’t anything I could do about taking the next step in our friendship. I wanted to forget about college but my ma wasn’t having any part of that.

I usually held hands with Marsha but hadn’t really tell her of my deeper feelings for her.  Finally it came to the place where I couldn’t hold back any longer but whereas we had always been able to talk about anything I couldn’t get the words to come out.

I managed to get started and I told her I loved her. I almost choked as the words came out. After I got my breath I said I wanted to marry her but my future education was a hurdle to get over.

She wasn’t making it any easier for she just stared at me. “Well say something,” I almost shouted. She said, “You know you are like a brother and you haven’t kissed me or anything.”

I said, “That can change in a second.”

She still looked at me so I took her and kissed her more times than I could count. She really looked shocked at that show of emotion.

She laughed and said, “You are beginning to seem less like a brother all the time maybe you should work on it some more.”

After that afternoon I was a different man. Those repressed feeling once let loose changed our world.

We went to my house just as my pa came home and we told Ma and Pa we wanted to marry as soon as we graduated.

They weren’t as shocked as we thought they would be.

Pa said, “What about school?”

I said, “Nothing has changed about that I will go and get my degree.”

I said, “Marsha will live here and I will come home when I can for the school isn’t far from here. Marsha will work in her folks store and I will get me a job near the college.”

Ma said, “What if she gets in, you know the family way?”

I said, “You will have a grandchild to love and help care for.”

Ma smiled and said, “Well that will be alright.”

We got a bigger response out of her folks when we told them of our plans. Her father teased me saying; “I thought we were going to get rid of you when you went to college.”

We were married as soon as we finished High school and in my second year at college we had our first child. We moved to the big city upon my graduation and I got a good position where I could support my growing family. It was growing by number and by age.

We go and see the folks as often as we can. My pa will soon retire from being sheriff and my ma will be glad of that. She was afraid he would get shot by some drunk but she under estimated how smart he was.

My story isn’t what you might call exciting. Some of the stuff I left out would have juiced it up a bit but I’m glad it was the way it was for who needs all the disappointment and struggles of people with exciting stories to tell.

Finis

This post is shared at “Tell Me a Story.”

More Than Love

 

The words “I love you” have little more meaning unless they are followed up by evidence of that love through actions.

If the saying is only a way to improve one’s status in another’s eyes it is deceptive and meaningless. When you look into someone eyes and say; “I love you” is it real or just meaningless words?

At the point of saying it; do you intend on following those words with actions that support them and give real meaning to them.

1 John 3:18 International Standard Version

“Little children, we must stop expressing love merely by our words and manner of speech; we must love also in action and in truth.”

This has a double application; it means in our interrelationship with others and also our relationship with GOD.  It isn’t enough to say we love GOD we must honor Him by our actions.

1 John 2:5        New Living Translation

But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

Whether it is a person or GOD saying “I love,” it isn’t enough. We must take the second step and follow through with actions that prove the words spoken.

1 Corinthians 13:1  Aramaic Bible in Plain English

If I shall speak with every human and Angelic language and have no love in me, I shall be clanging brass or a noise-making cymbal.

Do I really love ?

CALEB- THE PROACTIVE

We are Able said Caleb

 

Joshua and Caleb had a vision of what they could do with GOD’S help.

After the ten spies gave their grasshopper report, the men who had gone with them said, “We can’t attack those people! They’re too strong for us!”  So they began to spread lies among the Israelites about the land they had explored.

They said, “The land we explored is one that devours those who live there.  All the people we saw there are very tall.   We saw Nephilim there. (The descendants of Anak are Nephilim.) We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that’s how we must have looked to them.

CALEB and JOSHUA saw things differently; Caleb said, “Let’s go now and take possession of the land. We should be more than able to conquer it.

Because the people rejected GOD’S command to take the land for a possession He declared that they would not go into their possession. Joshua and Caleb were stuck in the wilderness with the faithless Israelites who were operating under the allusion of being able to return to Egypt.

How often are men of GOD hamstrung by the lack of faith of others? Finally after forty years and the faithless ones died off Joshua and Caleb took a greater part of their inheritance promised to Abraham. Then stepped forth Caleb who said he wished to get his part of the Promised Land. In theory it was his but in reality it wasn’t.

Such is the state many Christians today. In theory the promises of GOD are theirs but the reality is they do not possess them. Caleb went forth and fought for what was his and won the battles (which were many) and took the land for him and his descendants. 

Numbers 14:24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to and his descendants will inherit it.

A couple of points to consider here; Caleb took what was promised to him not that which was promised to someone else. Trying to claim what belongs to someone else will lead to failure.

While reading the promises in scripture and having a desire to claim them there is still one more step to take before you engage into battle for them. Ask yourself does this apply to my situation or do I meet the requirements for receiving this promise.

Some pray for power to minister in areas they have not been called to. Others pray for things they don’t have faith to receive them.

Mark 11:23-24"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Keep this in mind that asking without faith (belief) is just talking to yourself.  Each and every answer to prayer is a spiritual battle won. It can only be won by having unfettered faith. It involves the whole Spirit, Soul and Body wholly being committed to the task at hand.

Matthew 26:41Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  In the midst of the battle it is possible to be deterred from task at hand.

If there is no struggle for victory in the prayer you are praying then what you are praying for isn’t worth the effort for you will be resisted by the enemy of your soul if your prayer has merit.

When you pray, keep Caleb in mind.  He had a direct promise, he put actions to his words by doing his part and he was victorious both for himself and his descendants. He allowed GOD to prepare him for the battles of life by obeying the words GOD spoke both corporately to the nation and to him personally.

Romans 6:13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

Do not be too judgmental when others pray but if you sense they are “just talking” instead of fighting the battle for victory then you have an opportunity add your faith to the need for help.

This post is shared at “Tell Me a True Story.”

 

Praying by the rules

 

One of the last things we want to hear about when we pray is you must pray according to the rules.

Most time when we pray it is a situation where we need an answer and want it now. yet GOD has specifically laid out the rules for answered prayer. Mark 11:23-24 is an example of what I am saying;

Mark 11:23-24 King James Version (KJV)  

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 

24 Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Do not Doubt - and Believe - - 

John 15:7 King James Version (KJV)

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 

It is important to Abide in Christ and allow His words to be in you - -

 

Matthew 18:19 King James Version (KJV)

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

It is a good thing to have someone agree with you in prayer - -

So what shall we do?

Since faith is an issue and faith comes by hearing the Word of GOD; find scripture that increases your faith; and then follow the rules attached to the promises of GOD.

Commitment??? NO WAY

Commitment - No Turning Back

 

The sixties and the philosophies of the educators that grew out of that generation created a spiral downward of commitment.

The rejection of the mores of society perhaps was the beginning but the spiral continued until today a large segment of supposed rational people can’t even commit to themselves. They constantly do things that they know is harmful to themselves.

We are far beyond committing to career, marriage, or faith and have substituted fantasy and prolonged adolescence in commitments place.

Charles Colson says an uncommitted Christian is an oxymoron or self-contradictory individual. While this doctrine is gaining in popularity the result is the ten commandments is little more than suggestions and one is free to make up their own list of conduct that is acceptable to them. Of course the lists vary from one individual to another but they give the listener some sense of spirituality.

On the whole they feel no sense of spiritual or social obligation to anything or anybody. This self-focus leads to obsession over ourselves and leaves no room for a relationship which is the crux of the Christian experience.

The anti-war protestors of the sixties theme was; “After all, if nothing is worth dying for then nothing is worth living for.”

The Christian experience demands total commitment to Christ Jesus and his commandments. It is continuous from the new birth until our seating in heaven with Christ. There are no blank spaces.

Contrary to the Hippie generations summary of life there IS something worth dying for and in turn worth living for.  It is to live for Christ. One is to commit themselves totally to Christ holding nothing back.

I hate to add this but are you still hanging onto something you should give up?

Release it for your sake and for Christ sake for he is being judged by your conduct.

Time to commit.

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This post is shared at “Tell Me a True Story.”

 

 

 

 

Lead me to Calvary

 

Could it be that I’m the only one who has experienced what it feels like to be fully redeemed and yet have let the dynamic of the new birth - - yet seem to be little more than what all people (Even unsaved) are experiencing in their daily life.

When the transforming power of the gospel seems to have lost its energizing force in my daily walk.  Where spiritual truths are less influencing than the daily news on the T.V. 

My theme song is “Them dry bones” speaking spiritually.

What do you do if that is the case? Perhaps it is time to recall the words of the song “Where could I go but to the LORD.” Yes that’s the place to go alright but why have I come to a place where this is necessary.

The problem might be that being blessed by GOD has become so common place that we don’t remember the difference between being saved and unsaved. Having no condemnation is normal and the Holy Spirit not convicting you of your spiritual death condition causes the reality of salvation to longer energize us. 

Is it possible to become so used to being in a saved condition that we can’t appreciate our transformation from death unto life? Is it possible for this to happen to a seemingly successful church member? Andre Crouch’s song take me back speaks of such a one;

Take me back, take me back dear Lord

To the place where I first received you.

Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I

First believed.

What I need to remember is; I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day. Still praying as I’m onward bound, LORD plant my feet on higher ground.

Walking with GOD is a proactive pursuit and no passivity allowed.

The next time I begin to slow down in my onward pursuit I must obey the scripture found in Jude 1:20-21a But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcPzkNGp_oo

This post is shared at “Tell Me a True Story.”

LINKAGE

 

There are many things that are linked together, that is where one is present the other is always nearby.

One of the easiest to observe is where there is lying there also will be deception.

A person wants to deceive and the lie is the vehicle that accomplishes the deed. A clue in discovery of this dirty duo is the oft times smile that is used to detract from the lie/deception act.

We find this duo in play in all avenues of life and the practitioners of said device are expert in the practice of them. One of the most prevalent places we find the linkage is use is in politics.

It is there where it has been taken to the scientific level.

There is another level where this linkage prospers and that is where our enemy Satan and his familiar spirits find the welcome mat out for them.

The lying/ deception spirit inspires the person to higher levels of deception to the point where lying and deception is so natural for them it is woven into their personality.  It is so delicately that it is hard to discern except by the revelation of the reborn spirit of man.

I perceive by the spirit that within the presidential race there is one or more candidates who have embraced this vile spirit of lying and are in the process of trying to deceive the spiritually dead in America.

Should you perceive that this is the case in your spirit then use the power found in; Matthew 18:18 Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

In other words; Bind the spirit of lying and loose the spirit of truth. Let the Spirit of God direct you in doing this!