Elmer Kelton

“I admired him as an author and citizen of the Concho Valley,” said Rep. Drew Darby. “He will be missed.” Fazlur Rahman said San Angelo has experienced a great loss. “He was a wise man, not only a great writer,” he said. “He had a great life, and brought honor and prestige to our community.” (from Friends Mourn Elmer Kelton, Brandi Ramirez, GoSanAngelo.com)

That's not too bad for a country boy from West Texas who got his start as the farm and ranch editor of the San Angelo Standard Times and later the Sheep and Goat Raisers magazine and Livestock Weekly. Obviously he was much more than an editor of some small West Texas publications, in many people's eyes he was the greatest western author ever.

Elmer grew up around Crane, Texas and graduated from Crane High School. After high school he attended the University of Texas and then joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman and saw combat in Europe during WWII. His wife Ann is a native of Austria, they settled in San Angelo and raised a family while he edited papers and wrote novels on the side.

I know Louis L'Amour is the most famous western novelist of all time, and he is great, I am not disputing that. The difference is that Louis' westerns sound more like stories that are ready to be made into Hollywood movies. Elmer's westerns sound more like the stories you would hear about your neighbors while hanging around the feed store or meeting for lunch after church on Sunday.

The characters are written to be real people with real problems and not sure about the solutions. In Elmer's novels there is no great hero riding in on a big stallion with a white hat and six guns blazing. Maybe that is the reason only one of his novels has been made into a movie.

That movie just happens to be my second favorite western of all time. The Good Old Boys is absolutely fantastic. It comes across less like a movie and more like a documentary of people living in West Texas at the turn of last century. The jist of the story is Matt Damon's, Cotton Calloway, character is a farm boy looking to leave the country and help build the future in some big city, Tommy Lee Jones's character, Hewey Calloway, is an old cowboy living in 1906. The cattle drives are gone and barbed wire is strung up everywhere. Cattle are shipped on rail cars, electric power lines and automobiles are springing up everywhere and he knows he is losing the life he loves to progress. In the mean time they both have to figure out how to save Hewey's brother (Cotton's dad's) farm.

The Good Old Boys is just one of many fantastic tales about regular people in Texas. I have also read The Smiling Country, Bowie's Mine, and parts of The Time it Never Rained and The Day the Cowboys Quit. One of these days I'll get around to finishing all of them.

There was a line from The Good Old Boys that Tommy Lee Jones said at an old cowboy's funeral. After naming off all the things that he and men like him did in their lifetimes he said "...Well here he is and we all better take a good look at him because they aint makin' no more like 'em!" That goes for Elmer himself and I would add that goes for an entire generation of men and women who grew up in the depression, fought in WWII, raised families in the 1950's and '60's and later spoiled grand kids who are now about my age. If you are a native Texan or just a fan of the real west, you should pick up an Elmer Kelton novel. R.I.P.

God and Texas,

Jason Watson

Shane

Last week I posted my top 25 westerns and one movie that was noticeably absent was Shane. I have talked to people from time to time about that movie and told them what I really thought about it. I know it is one of the most legendary movies ever made but for me it just didn't cut the mustard.

People may ask why, well the simple answer was, I never really liked it. I don’t mean to make anyone mad. I know many people love that western. For me, I don’t know, maybe it was just Alan Ladd himself. I just wasn’t sold on him being a westerner. Authenticity is probably the biggest factor in how well I rate a western. For starters, that hat he had on was right out of 1950’s central casting and those clothes looked like a Davy Crockett starter kit.

I think if Jimmy Stewart, Audie Murphy or Gary Cooper had played that part I would like it a lot better. Come to think of it 'Coop would have been great in that role! I will say this for it though, it had Ben Johnson in it which automatically makes any western better. Jack Palance and Edgar Buchanan were also nice western touches.

The first hour of the movie just seemed to drag on and on and on. I know they were trying to build the story line but that thing could have put insomniacs to sleep. It didn’t really pick up until Jack Palance shot that old boy in the street. Gosh, I hate to think that someone had to get killed just to wake me up. Anyway from there the story did seem to pick up a little bit.

The story does pick up from there. The settlers have decided they have had enough and decide to fight back against the cattle barons. Shane has tried to start a new life but he realizes he can run from who he is. It’s like Popeye used to say “I yam what I yam”. The movie does have a pretty climactic ending with the obligatory shootout and Shane rides off in the moonlight.

If any of you have ever seen the movie “The Negotiator” with Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey they actually discuss this movie. They are arguing whether or not Shane died at the end. Sam Jackson said he lived. Spacey says no he died. After watching the movie; I think I have to agree with Sam I don’t think Shane was dead, just winged a little bit.

Anyway, for what it is worth this is my explanation for Shane. I think it was a great story, it was an ok movie. I recommend Hondo over Shane any day. They are not the same movie but there are a lot of similarities in both of them

God and Texas,

Jason Watson

Top 25 Westerns

Everybody loves a top 25 list because it gives everyone something to argue about. This one should be no exception. If you love westerns the way I do this can keep you arguing for days. One thing I have learned in this cowboy endeavor is that I definitely need a top 50 list so I guess I'll have to post that one in the future. I hope you enjoy.

1.Lonesome Dove

This is the best, hands down, Robert Duval and Tommy Lee Jones look and sound exactly like old time Texans. The most authentic western ever made. If you could time travel and watch real old timers this is pretty much what it would look like. Except for Gus's hat, That "Tom Mix" style didn't come out for about another 20 years.

2. Good Old Boys

This is not one of the more popular westerns but it is really as good as it gets. Just like Lonesome Dove it is painstakingly authentic. Tommy Lee Jones delivers another truly authentic cowboy performance. It doesn't hurt using one of Elmer Kelton's novels either. If you're from around San Angelo and west Texas you can really relate to this one.

3. Barbarosa

Willie Nelson's best performance. Very funny and poignant great storytelling. Represents everything Texas is known for, German immigrants, outlaws, Mexicans etc. etc. Also one of Gary Busey's early performances before he became a total psycho and born again Christian.

4. Rio Bravo

The Duke is the man! He is by far the most represented man on this list. This movie was made in response to High Noon because Duke felt like no self-respecting law man would go around town begging for help. Two more of my favorite people in here too. Dean Martin and Walter Brennan almost steal the movie from Duke.

5. Tombstone

Great Story, again it looks authentic, which is the key with me to a great western. Kurt Russell has always been underrated. This is his best performance. Powers Boothe, Stephen Lang, Harey Carey Jr. and Buck Taylor are great in support.

6. The Cowboys

If I didn't pick Rio Bravo, I would have put this one as the best Duke movie. Where do you even start with John Wayne? I love this guy, hell I was named after him, at least that's my dad's side of the story. I guess I picked this one just because I love stories about actual "Cowboys". Just because a story took place in the 1800's it doesn't mean they were cowboys

7. Conhager

If anyone ever looked the part of the American cowboy; it is Sam Elliott. He does not disappoint at all in this adaption of Louis L'amour's novel. Barry Corbin and James Gammon give great performances. Excellent western!

8. The Shadow Riders

Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott are a tough combination to beat. Throw in my favorite character actor; Ben Johnson and you have a winning combination. Louis L'amour really knew how to write a western but it takes guys like Selleck, Elliott, and Johnson to bring it to life.

9. The Sacketts

Same cast, same author same result. One heck of a western. Tom, Sam and that other brother along with Ben Johnson again. This time it has great western actors like Glenn Ford, Slim Pickens and Jack Elam in it. Don't confuse it with the Shadow Riders they are two totally different movies.

10. The Undefeated

You really have to understand how hard it is for me to pick John Wayne movies. I guess this one is up there

because its about cowboys and it also has Ben Johnson in it. Not to mention Harry Carey Jr. and Dub Taylor, all great western actors.

11. Monte Walsh

Usually I like originals over remakes but this one is an exception. Lee Marvin and Jack Palance are in the original, and it is good but Tom Selleck and David Carridene knocked this one out of the park!

The themes of this story are very similar to The Good Old Boys.

12. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

I love, love, love Jimmy Stewart. Throw him in with John Wayne and you have a cant miss western. Great Story telling. Andy Devine, Lee Marvin and Denver Pyle help make a great cast. They just don't make movies this good anymore.

13 How the West Was Won

This is another type of movie hardly made anymore. An epic about the great westward expansion. It was known as Manifest Destiny. This movie is loaded with stars. Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Henry Fonda and the list goes on and on.

14. Centennial

This is very similar to the movie above it. Get ready though this movie is 27hrs long. It took me over two weeks to watch it all but the story is so good you never get bored. If you have ever seen "Into the West" you'll see where the inspiration came from. This movie starts with mountain men in the 1700's goes through settlers in the 1850's to cowboys in the 1870's to railroads and land grab schemes at the turn of the last century to the dust bowl of the 1930's and finally ends with Andy Griffith trying to solve a mystery in Centennial, Colorado in the 1970's. Great movie, great history lesson.

15. The Mountain Men

This is not the most famous western in the world but everyone should watch it. It really does justice to the mountain man era of the 1820's and '30's. Charlton Heston and Brian Keith play wild crazy mountain men (are there any other kind). Funny movie about a rough way of life.






16. Dances With Wolves

This list is getting harder to do. Now I start arguing with myself about which movie should be ranked higher. Kevin Costner told one of the best stories of the west and it showed another, better side of the Indians. It showed that they were real people not just a backdrop. Other movies have done this too but this one really shed light on it all.




17. Big Jake

Big Surprise, another John Wayne movie, this is vintage JW, kicking hind quarters and taking names. A word of advice, don't ever kidnap the Duke's grandson.

18. The Outlaw Josey Wales

I really like Clint Eastwood too,even though this is his only western in my top 25. I think he has a bunch of really good ones but I always thought this one was great. It is also a great history lesson about what happened after the civil war. The old Indian Chief Dan George steals this movie though!





19. Last days of Frank and Jesse James

There have been a ton of movies about Jesse James and his brother but I think this one is the best. If you love country music you'll love this one. Kris Kristofferson (looks just like J.J.) Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, June Carter Cash, Ed Bruce and David Allan Coe.





20. El Dorado

Howard Hawks (director) made a trilogy of movies that involved being held up in a jail. Rio Bravo was the first, Rio Lobo was the last. This was the middle one. The story is very similar to Rio Bravo but it stands alone as it's own movie. No Dean Martin this time but Robert Mitchum is no slouch himself.

21. Jeremiah Johnson

Most people know this movie more than "The Mountain Men" but I don't think it is quite as good. It is still an excellent western dealing with trapping and hunting in the Rockies during the 1840's. Most mountain men re-enactors consider this one a must own!







22. The Alamo

This one counts for John Wayne and Billy Bob Thornton's versions. John's glorifies it and Billy Bob's is meticulous but I'm sure Davy Crockett and Fess Parker would approve of both.

23. Texas

This is James Michener's second entry on my list (Centennial). This is not really historically accurate, because he builds his own fictional story around the Alamo and San Jacinto but it is very entertaining and well acted. Makes you very proud to be a Texan.







24. Red River

I guess this was the first great "cattle drive" movie. If you like Lonesome Dove you'll like this one. Be prepared though John Wayne is a total @#$ in this one. Walter Brennan is also in it. That is one guy that was made to be a sidekick in western movies.

25. Rooster Cogburn

Some people may look at this one and wonder how I could pick it over True Grit. Well the answer is simple I could not stand that girl in True Grit. I kept waiting for Duke to pull out that Colt and plug her just to shut her up. Then I'm supposed to believe that Glen Campbell is a Texas Ranger and the Duke is from Arkansas!
No, TG is a good movie but it is all out of whack for me. This sequel with Katharine Hepburn playing off the Duke was much, much better!

Well like I said in the beginning. I definitely will have to make a 26-50 list because I am thinking of a lot of western flicks that I love that aren't here. So whenever I get that info together I'll post it and we can argue about those too.

God and Texas,

Jason Watson

Who we are

I wrote this little essay the other night after I left a meeting at First Baptist Church here in Coleman. We are trying to organize a community fellowship by having a short devotional and then sports and snacks. We have invited every chuch in Coleman county. As of right now only First Baptist, Sacred Heart Catholic, Concho Baptist, Central Baptist and maybe Elm St. Church of Christ have shown any interest. Even with that my own priest has started to show some cold feet on the idea. Everyone is so afraid of celebrating what we agree on instead of what separates us. This can be a very good thing for Coleman if we can just get it off the ground. If your church is interested in knowing more about it get in contact with me.

We organized this community fellowship to join believers in the presence of the one true living God. For far too long we have allowed ourselves to be separated by a common God. The amazing thing about the Bible is that we can all read the same scripture and, being inferior human beings, we come to different conclusions.

We each tend to believe that we are on the straight and narrow path to God and that is good, he wants that type of devotion to him. I think from time to time we don’t realize that just because our brothers and sisters in another congregation don’t worship in the same manner, with the same rituals we use they must be missing something, perhaps we know something they don’t.
Most reasonable Christians will accept the fact that we are all on our way to the Father we are just taking different roads to get there. Each of us thinks we are on the interstate while our brothers and sisters are taking the back roads.

As far as the Roman Catholic church is concerned the leadership gathered in 1964 in what is known as Vatican II. Basically the church decided it was time to bridge the gaps with our brothers and sisters in Christ. The following quote is from the opening introduction on this subject “The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council.” For us Catholics this means we have a duty now to reconcile with our fellow believers. This is why we at Sacred Heart are so eager to participate in fellowship with our brothers and sisters.

I believe we must focus on what we all believe, we must concentrate on what joins us together. Too often when we want to know about our fellow Christians of another denomination we tend to ask people from our own church instead of actually getting in contact with the leadership of that denomination or with people who are very active in that denomination. It is very easy to come to the conclusion that the other guy is a clueless idiot if you only conferring with people who worship as you do.

I think we can all agree that there is ONE true living God. He sent his only son Jesus here to Earth to die for all of our sins and we are saved through his grace. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of those sins. After Jesus died he was buried and rose again after three days. He ascended into Heaven and he is not seated at the right hand of God. The Bible is the absolute word of God. It is infallible and it is not up for compromise. Make no mistake these are the positions of the Catholic church.

We must all keep in mind that just because we may not understand why our brothers and sisters do things in a different way we must accept that we can all back it up with scripture which brings me back to the topic that we can all read the same Bible and come to different conclusions.

God is perfect, we are not, Catholics and Protestants both over the generations have had leaders who have abused children, had extra-marital affairs, embezzled money, admitted to homosexual relationships and many other sins. This is where we have fallen short of the glory of God.
Some people may think that this fellowship of different Christians will not work because of our own personal prejudices. I believe all things are possible through Christ our Lord!

　
　
1 Corinthians 1:10-17
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius;
15 lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
　
God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV)
　
Here is a couple of thoughts from Billy Graham and Pat Robertson on the Catholic Church:

(from Larry King Live)

"Dr. Billy Graham said that that Pope John Paul II was the most influential voice for morality and peace in the world in the last 100 years.
Dr. Graham told Larry King he had the privilege of seeing the Pope on several occasions at the Vatican.
"And tonight, I have a very strange feeling of loss. I almost feel as though one of my family members has gone. I loved him very much and had the opportunity of discussing so many things with him. And we wrote each other several times during the years," Dr. Graham said.
Larry King asked Dr. Graham: "Did he actually say to you once, "We are brothers' "?
GRAHAM: That's correct. He certainly did. He held my hand the first time that I met him about 1981 -- he'd just been Pope for two years when I saw him first. Because when he was elevated to the papacy, I was preaching in his cathedral in Krakow that very day. And we had thousands of people in the streets. And watching the television today of Krakow has brought back many memories.
KING: You said that he was an Evangelist.
GRAHAM: He was, indeed. He traveled throughout the world to bring his Christian message to the world. And we see tonight the outpouring from the world that he touched. And I think he touched almost everybody in the whole world."

"I am deeply grieved as a great man passes from this world to his much deserved eternal reward. John Paul II has been the most beloved religious leader of our age – far surpassing in popular admiration the leader of any faith.
He has been a man of great warmth, profound understanding, deep spirituality, and indefatigable vigor. It was my great honor to meet with him at the residence of my good friend, Cardinal O’Connor, in New York, and to sit in the Consistory during the mass he conducted in Central Park. I told him at the time how much the American people loved him, and he merely smiled. That love was shared not only in America but by millions all over the globe.
He has been a steady bridge in the transition of Eastern Europe from communism to freedom. His personal magnetism brought together all Christians in new bonds of understanding.
I pray for the Cardinals of the Catholic Church that they might have God-given wisdom in selecting the successor to this great man. Their task will not be easy, but with God all things are possible."


Here a couple of statements from the Catholic Church on reconciling with Protestants:

1. VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The importance Pope Benedict XVI places on the search for Christian unity was evident in his decision to focus on ecumenism during a Nov. 23 meeting with members of the College of Cardinals, said two U.S. cardinals. Cardinal William H. Keeler, the retired archbishop of Baltimore who has been involved in ecumenical and interfaith activities for years, said the fact that the pope chose ecumenism as the theme for the meeting shows "that this is a very vital thing for the church worldwide." Cardinal Keeler, who was one of 33 cardinals to speak during the meeting, told Catholic News Service the discussion demonstrated that there are different experiences and levels of ecumenical dialogue. "Different ecumenical forms have evolved in different parts of the world, and the progress in each region is different," he said. "For the pope, ecumenism is not a subject for discussion, but a mandate," German Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the main speaker chosen by the pope to address the meeting, told journalists afterward.

2. This movement toward unity is called "ecumenical." Those belong to it who invoke the Triune God and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, doing this not merely as individuals but also as corporate bodies. (from vatican II)

3. Even in the beginnings of this one and only Church of God there arose certain rifts,(19) which the Apostle strongly condemned.(20) But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions made their appearance and quite large communities came to be separated from full communion with the Catholic Church-for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame. The children who are born into these Communities and who grow up believing in Christ cannot be accused of the sin involved in the separation, and the Catholic Church embraces upon them as brothers, with respect and affection. For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect. (vatican II)

God and Texas,

Jason Watson

Weekend at Christ's

Well I just returned from a weekend spent with God and Jesus. The Catholic church sponsors a retreat known as Cursillo. It was one of the most powerful things I've ever done in my life. My friend and mentor Carlos Barrios has encouraged me to go for over a year now and I finally see what all the fuss was all about.

I spent the weekend in San Angelo, Texas at the Christ the King Retreat Center. It is a beautiful little out of the way place on the Concho River just on the outskirts of town. I know not everyone who reads this is Catholic and may question it, but I plan to address all that in some future posts, but for right now take off your denominational hat and put your Christian hat on and stick with me.

The Cursillo was started in the 1940's in Spain by a man named Eduardo Bonnín Aguiló, after they suffered through their great civil war and the church was looking for ways to bring people back into the fold. From Spain it spread all over the world and has taken it's current form. It is offered for men and another for women. In this area they are offered in Spanish and English and many other languages around the world.

The Cursillo focuses on being in God's presence, reconciling with him, focusing on our strengths, improving our weaknesses and learning how to take the Gospel to all the people of the world. It also focuses on support groups to make sure we don't succumb to our old demons and not to get frustrated when we try to share the Gospel with a world that sometimes doesn't care.

Two topics really struck me over the weekend. One, to be a great leader you must first be a great servant. The sponsors of this event showed that by treating us like royalty all weekend. Everything from taking our bags at check-in to serving us food to taking away our dishes. They reminded us how Christ washed the feet of his own disciples. Second, they discussed what they called the tripod. Piety, study and action were the three essential things in being a Christian and showing it to others. Piety- we must live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God and not doing it just for show, but living that way because we want to. Study- we have to learn God's word. We have to know the Bible and be ready to defend our faith and have answers for the hard questions that will come. Action-we can't just talk a good game, we have to put it into action. We were given a quote from St. Vincent De Paul "It is not enough to love God if my neighbour does not love Him." Those two things really stuck with me this weekend.

For those of you that know me I don't want you to think that I've become some kind of Holy Roller that has lost his mind. I am still me. I was trying to live a good Christian life before I went to the Cursillo. Now I have come back with a better set of tools to work with to be a better father, husband, neighbor, co-worker, friend and patriot. I can only imagine where this will take me from here. If you want to know more about the Cursillo or just getting to know the Lord a little better I would be happy to help out any way I can. I'll talk to you all next week and I'll leave you with the official greeting of the Cursillistas, DE COLORES!

P.S. If you haven't ever clicked on my "Live Forever" video by Billy Joe Shaver you should really check it out. It's powerful!

God and Texas,

Jason Watson