Monday, March 20, 2006

Let's All Go Down to the River.....

A minister was completing a Temperance sermon. With great emphasis he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."With even greater emphasis he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river." And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said , "And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."

Sermon complete, he sat down. The song leader stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, nearly laughing, "For our closing song,let us sing Hymn #365, "Shall We Gather at the River."


That joke made me think about when my Mom got baptized. The church didn't have a place to baptize folks, so we had to go to the creek. There was a couple of other people that were getting baptized that day. I don't recall how old I was but the best I can recall I was around 10 years old. The preacher did some preaching and it was very hot. I remember standing there and thinking how tired I was and wishing he would hurry up. I kept shifting from one foot to the other. Finally I looked down at the rocks and everything just went black. Next thing I knew someone was holding me and saying, "Little girl, are you okay?" The man behind me had caught me before my head hit the rocks. My Dad got his handkerchief out and ran to the creek to wet it and came back and put it on my forehead. Then they let me lay down in the back seat of the car while the baptizing continued. I don't know why I passed out. They didn't take me to the doctor. I recall my brother telling them after that that they shouldn't let me go out "riding that old horse by myself. She might pass out and be dead before we'd find her." (Me, not the horse.) They did make me stick pretty close to home for awhile but I didn't pass out anymore so soon I was back to normal routine and riding far and wide again!

It has been snowing hard today. It was so pretty as it came down thick with huge fluffy flakes. Soon everything was covered. Now it has changed to rain and is melting. A great mix to herald in the first day of spring!

16 Comments:

Blogger Seeker said...

That song leader had great timing...

I'm glad we didn't get any snow today. Ready for spring!!

5:01 PM  
Blogger Cliff said...

I've had that feeling to lay down during sermons on many occasions.
Glad you survived.
Good story, thanks for the reminder. Glad you didn't get too much snow.

5:23 PM  
Blogger Lynda said...

We are suppose to get snow tonight. It is was hot, it could have been the heat that made you faint? Maybe? You probably will never know though.

Happy Spring!

8:49 PM  
Blogger David said...

I knew that punch line was coming. LOL

And you made me think of my father in law. I have several pictures of him baptizing people in the river.

5:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great joke. ;o)

I was thinking, while you were telling your story about getting overheated at the baptism, that the story would end with you jumping in the river! Pretty scary that you passed out.

It sure doesn't seem like spring around here, either. The robins and the crocuses have arrived, but they're all pretty shocked by the cold!

10:25 AM  
Blogger Jamie Dawn said...

If all that alcohol was in the river, I guess everyone would be pushing & shoving to get in line to be baptized.
I've been to many baptisms. I was baptized as a little girl. I remember it fairly well.
I saw this lady get baptized once who was afraid of water. It was quite something. The dunking part had to be done in super fast motion.
I suppose you fainted because it was hot. I'm glad you didn't hit your head on the rocks!

1:42 PM  
Blogger Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

A lot of baptisms are still done in the rivers, but most bigger churches do it inside.

Good thing your dad was there to catch you when you fainted...you probably got to hot, since you never had anymore symptoms.
*HUGS*

3:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Rachel! Most of the snow missed us--we had a dusting that is almost all gone now. Most of what we got was rain :) That is a cute joke. Thanks for the chuckle. Have a very blessed rest of the week!

4:15 PM  
Blogger Ralph said...

Good joke and story. Years, and years, and years, ago before I was married I sat next to the preachers daughter in church. About halfway through the sermon she would put her feet together and raise them six inches off the floor. She finally told she did it to stay awake. Seems like when she would start to doze off her feet would hit the floor and would wake her up. Truth is I tried it a few times - it works.
Ralph

6:08 PM  
Blogger Pirate said...

what a good story. Sorry about the bump though. What river?

3:05 PM  
Blogger OldLady Of The Hills said...

Love that joke...Glub, Glub, Glub...LOL!
Isn't that something that you fainted..do you think it was the heat? Glad they didn't keep you away from your beloved horses too long, Rachel...

Snow! When do yiu thibk it will be over?? I remember one year...the year my mother died actually, it snowed a few days before she died and a little bit after, and that was the very beggining of April! Hope it stops before April for you, dear Rachel...so all those lovely spring flowers can show their beautiful faces!

9:52 PM  
Blogger Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Rachel...you must live pretty close to where I live.

12:51 PM  
Blogger Cliff said...

Do you need me to stop over and move some snow Rachel??
I can do it but I'll need paid in homemade cookies and an iced tea. No sugar.

5:52 PM  
Blogger Rachel said...

Pirate - actually it wasn't a river, but a creek and I don't recall the name of it. It was close to Boonesboro, Ky though! Maybe the same creek Daniel Boone once walked through!

Abandoned in Pasadena - yes you live in the county I grew up in. What wonderful memories I have of that place. I have 2 brothers living there now. You are an hour drive from me!

Cliff, the snow is gone. I can make you some cookies though. Iced tea with no sugar?? Yuck! I guess you drink your coffee black too.

6:19 PM  
Blogger Rachel said...

Oh, banana cookies Cliff???

6:22 PM  
Blogger Rhodent said...

If that was a joke it was a good one. If it was a true story... so much funnier! Thanks for the chuckle!

5:18 AM  

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