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9/11, Combine Derbies, and the Gideons

Orginally published on Monday, September 11, 2006 at 9:01 AM
by Todd Rhoades

I realize the title of this post sounds like an old Karnak bit from The Tonight Show, but I have a few things I wanted to get off my mind this morning; I figured, 'why not bother you' with them!...

Wow, man… Todd’s on Codine!
Really, if I seem a bit incoherent today, it’s probably because my doctor says I have a case of bronchitis. That pretty much means a hacking cough (which is finally somewhat under control) and a very low voice. Thankfully, things are getting better, no doubt thanks to the codine-based cough syrup I’m on. Man, that stuff puts me out like a light. So, if my writing appears a little loopy, I’ll just blame the drugs. So, if my writing appears a little loopy, I’ll just blame the drugs.

Crashing Combines
One thing I did make it out to over the weekend was our county fair. I don’t know if fairs are big where you are, but they are here. So Saturday night, my whole family went to the fair to view something very new to us… the combine derby. It’s just like a car demolition derby; only they use big combines (you know, that harvest crops). It was kinda fun to watch; but I couldn’t help but feel like a real hick lugging my family to watch a bunch of people ram into each other with farm machinery. Have any of you experienced this?

The Gideons
So, I’m still at the country fair, going to buy a famous milkshake from the county dairy producer’s stand, and I see someone I know wearing a suit and tie. (Actually this guy goes to my church). I asked him why he was so dressed up (you know, this being the county fair and all), and he told me that he had just finished his shift handing out Bibles with the Gideons. Not sure why that caught me as odd; but must one wear a tie at the county fair when handing out Bibles? Love the Gideons. Hate the dress code!

9/11
I can hardly believe that it’s been five years since 9/11. I watched some news reports this morning, and it seems like only yesterday. And who would have thought back then that we’d go five years without another major attack on our soil?

Off to California
I’ll be off to sunny California later this week for a couple of days. Please pray for my safety and time away from my family for this important trip. Thanks!

Karnak
OK… since I kind of started off with Karnak… here are a few classic Karnak jokes as you get your day and week started today…

A: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Q: What were some of the earlier forms of Preparation H?

A: Shoo-be-doo-be-doo.
Q: What do you look for when you’re tracking a shoo-be-doo-be?

A: Catch-22.”
Q: What do the Kansas City Royals do with 100 pop flies.

A: Big Ben, Joe Namath and a candidate’s campaign promises.
Q: What is a clock, a jock and a crock.

OK… time to take more cough syrup. Have a great day!

Blessings,

Todd

This post has been viewed 1392 times so far.

TRACKBACKS: (1) There are 11 Comments:

Posted by kent

Monday, September 11, 2006 at 9:23 AM

a better life through Pharmaceuticals
Posted by

Monday, September 11, 2006 at 2:58 PM

Todd,
We are now in the middle of the “worlds largest county fair”. No joke, the Clay county fair in Spencer, IA. The town pretty much shuts down for this. I will spend the next few days wandering around looking for Sunday’s sermon topic amid the nutty bars, midway, and farm equipment. Wish I had some of that codine.
Posted by kent

Monday, September 11, 2006 at 3:12 PM

My first church was in Harcourt Iowa, south of Ft. Dodge and it took almost nothing shut that town down. 350 souls. Great place to start. You didn’t need codine in “Hard Core” Iowa.
Posted by Brian La Croix

Monday, September 11, 2006 at 3:31 PM

I used to be a Gideon, and yeah, the dress code could be a pain (the only reason I’m not a Gideon now is because I’m a pastor, and it’s a layman’s group, with no pastors allowed - and I kinda like that!). I can see the reasoning behind it, however. It’s a “professional” man’s organization, made up mostly of those in professional and managerial occupations where such a dress code was everyday business wear.

My understanding is that now they allow the dress code to more accurately reflect the culture they are trying to influence. For instance, when a Gideon gives a yearly report on an Indian reservation (which I grew up on, BTW), then they will rarely if ever wear a suit and tie; My guess is that it sends the wrong message (uptight white guys trying to get money for their white guy God...).

Brian
Posted by mark o wilson

Monday, September 11, 2006 at 3:34 PM

Hope you feel better soon!
Posted by

Monday, September 11, 2006 at 5:13 PM

On the subject of 9/11, someone else remarked to me today that he couldn’t believe it had been 5 years, it seemed like just yesterday. I asked him what had happened to him in that time and he said not much, he was still working the same job, living in the same house married to the same woman with the same kids.

I told him I thought it was a matter of persepctive. I was in the Army Reserve on 9/11 and in the 5 years since then I had been mobilized, deployed, injured, medically discharged and deemed disabled by the VA, I had gotten married, bought a house and we had a son, and while I had always been a Sunday morning Christian I had gotten saved, become a 24/7 Christian and am now helping to plant a new church. So, I think it’s a matter of perspective, maybe it’s not the time that’s passed as much as the events that occured in our lives.
Posted by

Monday, September 18, 2006 at 9:27 AM

Todd,
Actually, Preparation H stands for Hemroids that it helps shrink. FACTOID
Also, if you go and do something like cutting up peppers or other hot and spicy things, and your hands get to burning like crazy, rub Preparation H on them. My wife did that and the burning an swelling went away real quick.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE THIS IF TAKING CODINE.
Posted by

Monday, September 18, 2006 at 9:30 AM

Bart,
The “worlds largest county fair” is Los Angeles County Fair. It goes for 21 days, averages over 1.5 million visitors and covers over 3.5 sq miles. Not acres. Just a fact.
Posted by

Monday, September 18, 2006 at 10:56 PM

Of course, as usual, I’m so late to the discussion I will likely be writing only to me. I am also a former but somewhat pro Gideon. My problem was they couldn’t work out their differences on versions to be printed and, thus, how may opportunities were/are missed by giving out editions that are so hard to understand. I also had a problem with the dress code...just doesn’t make sense as they don’t look at their work from the eyes of those they’re approaching but how they appear to other Gideons.
Posted by Deadbolt

Monday, March 10, 2008 at 5:55 PM

Yes its been a while since 9/11. Hard to imagine its been so long.
Posted by avandia lawyers

Saturday, February 07, 2009 at 6:17 AM

This is truly innovative and insightful information- thanks a lot for the post.

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.