Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Just for Fun . . .

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

You might be "country" if . . .

. . . driving into town for your once a week town day you realize that the envelopes you used to mail your bills in aren’t sealing so you use the roll of gray duct tape you happen to have rolling around on the mini van floor to seal them with before you drop them in the mailbox.

. . . your wife drops you off in front of WalMart so you can quickly run in and when you come out you immediately spot your van in the full parking lot because it is the only one you can’t see through the back window of because of all the dirt road dust on it.

. . . someone in a car knocks over a tree in front of the church you pastor and one of the parties involved says, “I’ve got a loader, I’ll just pick it up and haul it off.”

. . . you get your soundboard working again with tin foil after a fuse blows.

. . . a mouse joins you on the floor for youth group.

. . . you go to repair your church’s septic tank and find out it is a buried 55 gallon drum.

. . . you walk across 40 acres of grass and mud in your funeral clothes because the road is too slick to get home on.

. . . one of the fundraisers for your youth group has been a cow drop contest in which people buy tickets to get a square in a field and you then let a cow loose in the field and see which square it poops first in to see who wins the prize.

. . . the guys on the volunteer fire department with you are better armed than the police.

. . . you have a bumper sticker that says, “Fairy tales say a frog became a prince. Scientist call it evolution.” . . . on your tractor.

. . . you preach on the heavens declaring the glory of God and every person you are preaching to knows what you are talking about because they see a beautiful display of stars at their homes every night.

. . . you take your youth group to a winter camp and as counselors you are taking the pastor and his wife, an elder and his wife, the worship leader and his wife, the church secretary and her husband, the Children’s Church director and her husband, the youth pastor and his wife, the treasurer, and the missions head . . . and you’ve only taken five counselors.

Not that I know anyone these might describe, of course.

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for the laugh, I really needed it. Makes me miss living out there! Love you all!

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    1. I knew you'd laugh, Larissa . . . and relate all too well! We miss having you out here, too. Please give the family our love, and don't forget your roots!

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    1. Hi Ridin',
      It is a joy to live in the country, isn't it?! Thanks for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to right—kind of scary how quick all the memories flowed!—and I realized how unique it is to live in such a small, rural place. Have a wonderful second half to your week. God bless.
      Erick

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  3. Funny stuff! I can identify with most of these. I'm reminded of your first trip to Nebraska in 1988. You made fun of the "country ways". Now look at you! ;)

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    1. I humbly bow my head in shame at how I poked fun at the life I now love. But, you do have to admit, that what was a landmark "mountain" for you is barely a bump out here . . . Thanks, Dave, for being one of the first to introduce me in person (not just on TV) to the joys of simple country life and small towns. Love ya!

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    2. :) I don't think I ever called the hill a mountain - you did. In fact, we were "debating" that what I called a hill was even a hill to you. Then YOU evolved it into a mountain. Funny stuff and good memories. If I remember, it was about 5 am as we rolled into Central City, NE after driving all night - after training all day.

      Even funnier (to me) is when I came to you place (where you live now) and thinking "oh my. I thought I lived in a rural area. I didn't even know California had uninhabited places like this! :)

      Love ya, Brother!!!

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    3. I treasure the memories of that time with you and your family, and I have nothing in my heart by warmth for Nebraska (despite my teasing about its "hills"). Those were very special times in my life I hope I will never forget. My mom still has the picture of you and I and Rich together in KY in her kitchen. And, yeah, God must have been laughing hearing me tease you about rural knowing what He had in store for me some years later! God bless. May He pour His Spirit out over your special plans ahead!

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  4. enjoyed these and actually did laugh out loud! thanks for sharing! honestly, tho, the one about seeing the stars gave me a catch in my breath with the awesomeness of being able to view and enjoy God's creation and how seldom i actually do.

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    1. Hi! I take it you live rurally and have that kind of view of the stars? I love living in the country and being able to see that kind of stuff, or pull a disc behind a tractor and smell the earth being turned up, or the smell of wet, fresh cut fields as I mow a road through our property. I am glad I made you smile and I am glad I helped you remember a simple gift God has given us to be able to see His glory in Creation. Have a great week. God bless!

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  5. This is great! Many of the entries made me laugh; one ticked me off. ... Why haven't I ever been invited to a Cow Drop Contest? HUMPH! Just because I live in a town doesn't mean I'm not country!

    Seriously (seriously?), this is a great thumbnail sketch of some of the simple joys in your life. Thanks for sharing it with us!

    Love ya! Amy

    (P.S. In all my months at Roger Post Mortgage Company in Pacific Grove (way back when), not once did I open a bill payment that was sealed with duct tape.)

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  6. Glad you liked it, Amy. I thought many would laugh or at least smile at some of them. Cow Drop . . . why don't you start one up there? They are really quite entertaining. When we did ours everyone was bummed because the cow pooped so quickly. We'd all brought nice chairs and were looking forward to just sitting back and relaxing and it was over way too soon! As for duct tape . . . we may have to make sure you get one one day! We love and miss ya! Thanks for sharing.

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Thanks for your comments, I look forward to and value your sharing. Due to a large number of SPAM comments, you will need to enter a word verification before your comment will be sent to me for moderation. Your comment will be visible after I publish it. Erick

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