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Murdock Newsletter
July 23, 2008
Inspiration 
Homemade Brownies 
Last week, I walked into my office to find a sandwich bag on my desk containing three chewy, tasty, Home-made chocolate brownies. Some thoughtful and anonymous person who knew my love for tasty homemade brownies had placed them there, along with a hand written short story.
I immediately sat down and began eating the first chewy, tasty, homemade brownie as I read the following story:
Two teenagers asked their father if they could go the theater to watch a movie that all their friends had seen. After reading some reviews about the movie on the Internet, he denied their request. "Aw dad, why not?" they complained. "It's rated PG-13, and we're both older than thirteen!" Dad replied: "Because that movie contains nudity and portrays immorality as being normal and acceptable behavior.”But dad, those are just very small parts of the movie! That's what our friends who've seen it have told us. The movie is two hours long and those scenes are just a few minutes of the total film! It's based on a true story and good triumphs over evil, and there are other redeeming themes like courage and self-sacrifice. Even the movie review websites say that!"
"My answer is 'no,' and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over, and watch one of the good videos we have in our home collection. But you will not go and watch that film. End of discussion."
The two teenagers walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As they sulked, they were surprised to hear the sounds of their Father preparing something in the kitchen. They soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and one of the teenagers said to the other, "Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he's going to try to make it up to us with some fresh brownies. Maybe we can soften him with lots of praise when he brings them out to us and persuade him to let us go to that movie after all."
About that time I began eating the second brownie from the sandwich bag and wondered if there was some connection to the brownies I was eating and the brownies in the story. I kept reading...
The teens were not disappointed. Soon their father appeared with a plate of warm brownies, which he offered to his kids. They each took one. Then their father said, "Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you both so much.”
The teenagers smiled at each other with knowing glances. Dad was softening. "That is why I've made these brownies with the very best ingredients. I've made them from scratch. Most of the ingredients are even organic: the best organic flour, the best free-range eggs, the best organic sugar, premium Vanilla and chocolate."
The brownies looked mouthwatering, and the teens began to become a little impatient with their dad's long speech.
"But I want to be perfectly honest with you. There is one ingredient I added that is not usually found in brownies. I got that ingredient from our own back yard. But you needn't worry, because I only added the tiniest bit of that ingredient to your brownies. The amount of the portion is practically insignificant. So go ahead, take a bite and let me know what you think."
"Dad, would you mind telling us what that mystery ingredient is before we eat?"
"Why? The portion I added was so small. Just a teaspoonful. You won't even taste it."
"Come on, dad; just tell us what that ingredient is."
"Don't worry! It is organic, just like the other ingredients."
"Dad!"
"Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is fresh organic...dog poop."
I immediately stopped chewing that second brownie and I spit it out into the waste basket by my desk. I continued reading, now fearful of the paragraphs that still remained.
Both teens instantly dropped their brownies back on the plate and began inspecting their fingers with horror.
"DAD! Why did you do that? You've tortured us by making us smell those brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell us that you added dog poop! We can't eat these brownies!"
"Why not? The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients. It won't hurt you. It's been cooked right along with the other ingredients. You won't even taste it. It has the same consistency as the brownies. Go ahead and eat!"
"No, Dad...NEVER! "
"And that is the same reason I won't allow you to go watch that movie. You won't tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your movies? We pray that God will not lead us unto temptation, so how can we in good conscience entertain ourselves with something that will imprint a sinful image in our minds that will lead us into temptation long after we first see it?
I discarded what remained of the second brownie as well as the entire untouched third brownie. What had been irresistible a minute go had become detestable! And only because of the very slim chance that what I was eating was slightly polluted. (Surely it wasn't . . . but I couldn't convince myself.)
What a good lesson about purity! Why do we tolerate any sin?
On the day of the Passover , the Israelites were commanded to remove every bit of leaven from their homes. Sin is like leaven - a little bit leavens the whole lump; faith and sin, don't mix. 1Corinthians5:6,7
What's Happening Around Our Community
 Quilt Auction - July 26, 2008 
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Carol Joy Holling Center
Saturday, July 26, 2008, 9 am to 5 p.m.
All are welcome! We'll auction more than 300 beautiful quilts,  plus enjoy an array of great family activities!
Quilts on Display 9 a.m.
Live Auction begins 10 a.m.
Silent Auction Bidding 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Barbecue Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Hayrack Rides/Camp Tours - available throughout the day
• FREE Parking & Admission
• HUGE Barbecue Lunch - Adults - $6, Kids - $3 |
" The Sound of Music " Revisits the Lofte
Performance dates are July 18-20, 24-27, 31, and August 1-3. Curtain times are at 7:30pm except for Sundays which are 2pm matinees. All tickets are $15 and reservations can be made by calling the Lofte box office at (402)234-2553 or visiting the Lofte website, www.Lofte.com . Several dates are very nearly sold out already so early reservations are strongly encouraged.
FOURTH ANNUAL LAST HOT SUNDAY IN JULY 
AUTO/TRUCK SHOW-N-SHINE MAIN STREET LOUISVILLE, NEBRASKA
SUNDAY, JULY 27th NOON – 4:00
NO fees, NO classes, NO judging NO trophies
JUST MUSIC, FOOD, FUN, DANCE DEMONSTRATIONS & MIXED MARTIAL ARTS PRESENTATION
DASH PLAQUES and GOODIE BAGS FOR FIRST 50 ENTRIES
SO REGISTER ON LINE NOW OR Register at 11:00 on Main Street
ART CARS ON DISPLAY MAIN STREET BUSINESSES OPEN SHOP, EAT, DRINK & RELAX
Questions? Call Nancy 402-234-3715 or Dee 402-234-7705 or visit www.louisvillenebraska.com
Sponsored by B.U.I.L.D. and supported in part by a grant from the Cass County Visitor Promotion Committee
Harmonica Workshop for Beginners
Dates: Saturday, August 2, 2008
Times: 10 AM - 12 Noon
Locations: The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, Nebraska
Admission Prices: $20.00
Description: David Seay, Master Artist with the Nebraska Arts Council, will be offering a Harmonica Workshop for Beginners on Saturday, August 2, from 10 AM - 12 Noon in The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, Nebraska. Participants will receive their very own harmonica, as well as handouts to get them started. Seay will teach a few songs and techniques, and help folks get in touch with their inner harmonica.
Pre-registration is required. For more information, contact g-s@greenblattandseay.com ,
or call 402-275-3221 .
Contact name: David Seay
Contact Address: PO Box 671, 504 Garfield St., Avoca, NE, 68307-0671
Web site address:
www.greenblattandseay.com
Elmwood Volunteer Fire and Rescue Weekly Winner
Janet Teiso of Murdock
Interesting Facts:
Do you know everything?
This is a quiz for people who know everything! I found out in a hurry
that I didn't. These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with
straight answers
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants
know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several
growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What
are
the only two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside
the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it
hasn't
been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ' dw' and
they are all common words. Name two of them.
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least
half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned,
processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the
letter 'S.'
I thought about making you wait until next week for the answers J
Answers To Quiz:
1. Boxing
2. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)
3. Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. Strawberry.
5. It grew inside the bottle (The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.)
6. Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.
7. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8. Lettuce.
9. 'S' Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings,
stilts.
Website of the Week
You are invited to join us from July 30th - August 3rd 2008 for a week packed full of exciting events.
www.sarpyfair.com
2008 SARPY COUNTY FAIR
WED – SUN July 30 th thru August 3 rd
Springfield, NE 5 miles South of I-80 on Hwy 50
Ticket office open Wed, Thurs, & Fri: 11am to 1pm & 4pm to 9pm, Sat & Sun 2pm to 9pm
Wednesday July 30
8:30 am Rabbit Show
9:00 am Poultry Show
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Tractor Weigh-In
5:00 pm Opening Ceremony (Kersten Memorial)
5:15 pm 4-H Building open to public
6:00 pm - Midnight Carnival Open
6 - 9:00 pm Buildings Open to Public
7:00 pm Garden and Tractor Pull-Free (Arena)
Open Air Auditorium Open Auditorium
6:00 pm 4-H Fashion Show
7:00 pm Been There Barbershop Quartet
8:00 pm Sweet Adelines
Thursday July 31
8:00 am Swine Show (Livestock Pavilion)
9:00 am Sheep Lead show-Open Air
10 am-9 pm 4H & Open Class Bldg Open
11:00 am Sheep Show (Livestock Pavilion)
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm Open Tractor - Pickup Weigh-In (North Parking Lot)
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Commercial Bldgs Open
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Kiddie Train Rides
6:00 pm - Midnight Carnival Open (6-10 $15.00 Wristbands - Unlimited Rides)
7:00 pm Stock Pickups, Open Tractor, Modified Pickups Pull (Arena) $7.00 12 & Under Free
Open Air Auditorium
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm 4-H Pageant (Open Air)
6:30 pm 5 6 7 8 Dance Studio
7:00 pm PHS Dance Team
7:30 pm Stringbeans
Friday August 1
8:30 am Goat Show (Livestock Pavilion)
10am-10 pm 4H & Open Class Bldg Open
1:00 pm - Midnight Carnival Open (1-5 $15.00 Wristbands - Unlimited Rides)
11:30 am Bucket Calf Show (Livestock Pavilion)
1:00 pm Beef Show (Livestock Pavilion)
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Commercial Bldgs Open
5:00 pm - Midnight Free Mechanical Bull Rides
Open Air Auditorium
6:00 pm Praise and Worship Concert
7:30 pm Mark Irvin
9:30-11:30 pm Kidnapper Karaoke
RODEO EVENTS
6:30 pm D eadline for Registration Mutton Bustin'
7:00 pm Drawing for Mutton Bustin'
7:30 pm Parade of Champions
7:45 pm Limited Mutton Bustin (Arena)
8:00 pm Mid-States Rodeo $10 Reserved Seating
Followed by the Wild Cow Milking Contest
First 500 Kids Receive FREE Bandana
7:00 pm – 1:00 am Beer Garden Open
9:00 pm – 12:30 am Band Camp (Beer Garden)
NO MINORS, NO COVER $2.50 Beer
Saturday August 2 
8:30 am - 10:00 am Grand Parade Check-In at St. Joseph's Church
9:00 am Kiddies' Parade Check-In at Springfield American Legion
9:00 am Tractor Driving Contest
9:30 am Kiddie Parade – Main Street
10:00 am Grand Parade – Main Street
10 am-10 pm 4H & Open Class Bldg Open
10:00 am Kids casting contest Sarpy Bass Masters (Livestock Pavilion)
11:00 am – 3:00 pm OPPD RESPECT Demonstrations
12:00 Noon Carnival Rides Open
12:00 pm - 10:00 pm Commercial Bldgs Open
1:00 pm Foot Race, Animal Scramble, Ladies Soaped Pig Contest Kids ages 6 and older-Arena
2:00 pm – 6:00pm Red Cross Blood Drive
4:00 pm Ice Cream Making Contest (4H Bldg)
5:00 pm - Midnight Free Mechanical Bull Rides
Old West Reenactment “Wild West Creations
Open Air Auditorium
12:00 pm Heartland Hoedowners
3:30 pm Sues Stepperettes
4:15 pm Tae Kwon Do Demonstration
5:00 pm Reflections of Soul Dance Studio
6:00 pm Prime Time Pickers
9:30-11:30 pm Kidnapper Karaoke
RODEO EVENTS
6:30 pm Deadline for Registration Mutton Bustin'
7:00 pm Drawing for Mutton Bustin'
7:45 pm Limited Mutton Bustin (Arena)
8:00 pm Mid-States Rodeo $10 Reserved Seating
Followed by the Wild Cow Milking Contest
7:00 pm – 1:00 am Beer Garden Open
9:00 pm – 12:30 am Monica Eby (Beer Garden)
NO MINORS, NO COVER $2.50 Beer
Sunday August 3
11:30 am Antique Tractor pull (South Parking Lot)
11:30 am ATV Rodeo (Arena- Free}
Noon - 4:00 pm Buildings Open
1:00 pm - 10:00pm Carnival Open (1-5 $15.00 Wristbands - Unlimited Rides)
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Stuffed Animal Show (4H Bldg)
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm GPS Clover Hunt (4H Bldg)
1:00 pm 4H Shooting Sports Competition
2:00 pm - 6:30 pm Demolition Derby Check-In Compact Car Figure 8 Check-In
3:45 pm 4-H & Open Class Buildings Close
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm 4-H Exhibits Released Open Class Exhibits Released Open Class Premiums Paid
7:00 pm Demolition Derby and Compact Car Figure 8 Racing $10 Reserved Seating
Open Air Auditorium
10:00 am - 11:00 am Church Service
11:30 am Cake Auction (Open Air)
1:00 pm Pedal Tractor Pull
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Boxing Match- Victory Boxing Club
Monday August 4
9:00 am –9:00pm 4-H Exhibits Released and Building Clean-Up
www.sarpyfair.com
News to the Editor
- Please send all your Murdock area news to me. Birthdays, anniversaries, announcements, events or news are welcome and will be added to the upcoming newsletter. Thanks in advance for all your help!
Teri Bowman
Editor@murdocknebraska.com
