Fun at the Carnival

​April 27, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius
When I was younger, I loved the carnival.  Every year, at Titonka Indian Days, the carnival came to town with all of its festivities.  For me, as a youngster, it was all about riding the fastest horse on the merry-go-round.  Once my steed was selected, I was Gene Autry and Roy Rogers all at one time.  Though my horse may have been the fastest, it never mustered enough speed to pass those in front of me.  As I grew older and bolder, I began to ride the scrambler and tilt-a-whirl.  Finally, my courage graduated to the loop-o-plane.  Since then, I've left Gene and Roy behind, with my horse tied up in the stable.  Riding even a merry-go-round today would make me sick.  I can't even turn around fast and stay vertical. 😊
 
As I grew a little older, and as they were assembling the rides, the “carney guys” would sometimes hire me to do little odd jobs for them.  One year I worked in a cotton candy booth, spinning cotton candy.  I didn’t like cotton candy then, don't like cotton candy now.  On another occasion, one of the “carney guys” showed me his revolver.  In retrospect, I should have told, “Top Gun” about this “carney guy,” and that he was pack’n.  By the way, “Top Gun” was the one-armed town cop in Titonka.  I don't think he ever carried a gun.
      
At the Kossuth County Fair in Algona, Iowa, there were always these ducks in a cow tank.  In case you're wondering, there is no such thing as a duck tank.  Within the tank was a little slide with the ramp upon which the ducks could walk up to the top.  Once those little ducks waddled up to the top of the ramp, there was this little kernel of corn for them to reach out for with their little bills.  Of course, that kernel of corn was always just out of reach and as they s-t-r-e-c-h-e-d forward, they would lose their balance and slide down the slide.  Once back in the water, those little ducks would swim around and begin their climb back up the ramp to repeat the whole process, over and over.  They provided hours of entertainment for a lot of little boys, I'm sure.  Now as a man, I think to myself, how many times have I done exactly the same thing as those little guys in the cow tank.  Just like I stood around and laughed at those little ducks as they tried and tried again, I know people have laughed at me as I too have come just within reach of a goal, and as I think I'm almost there, suddenly I am not. 
 
There are a lot of life lessons to be learned at the carnival.  Think about this the next time you're 100 feet up in the air on a ferris wheel.  A 13-year-old helped put that thing together.  Also, each of us needs to be more persistent like those little ducks in living our life, when you don't succeed the first time, try again.  When you sin and backslide, God provides an “on ramp” for you to come back to Him and once again stand at the top with Him.  Unlike that kernel of corn always just out of reach for those little ducks, God is always within reach.
 
I think I can.  I think I can.  God knows I can.
Pastor Allan
 
©2005 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved