Bed & Breakfast Bounce — Mississippi to Tennessee to Arkansas and Back

Saturday, February 18, Bonnie and I awoke in Collierville, TN at our daughter’s home. We arrived the night before, poising ourselves for Bonnie to attend the ladies’ inspiration day with the Collierville Church of Christ Saturday, before aiming our car toward Sunday appointments in Arkansas. Rebecca also extended hospitality to Bob and Martha Noland at her bed and breakfast; the Nolands spent a few days with Bonnie and me in Winona, MS following the Freed Hardeman University Lectureship.

Early Saturday evening, we arrived at the home of Garry and Melissa Polk near Center Ridge, AR. They are farmers and the parents of four grown children. Formerly dairy farmers, they are now beef farmers. Garry is a hopeless romantic; he gave Melissa a new hay rake for Mother’s Day and a new John Deere tractor with an enclosed cab for Christmas. Melissa was thrilled with both.

We are always well received by the congregation, and we enjoy our time with them. For Bible class, I presented by PowerPoint Into All the World in 2011. For worship, I preached Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear. Following lunching with the Polks on a delicious pork roast and trimmings; Melissa was a little concerned that the preacher may have led to overcooking the roast, but it was fine.

Sunday afternoon, we argued with the GPS as it directed us southeast to our northeast evening destination. Lo and behold, going over the mountains instead of around them immediately cut 30 minutes from our travel time. Since when does the selection “fastest route” permit the device to opt out of hilly, curvy roads? Sometimes, GPS doesn’t have a clue! One time in Alabama, we literally ended up traveling through a cow pasture with cattle up close and personal because there were road signs on either side of the path.

Sharon Murphy had homemade cookies awaiting us upon our arrival at her and Gevan’s home outside of Imboden, AR. That evening I updated the congregation there with Into All the World in 2011. Afterward, we returned to our own bed and breakfast, Rebecca’s home in Collierville, TN. Monday, we went back to our base of operations in Winona, MS. In the weeks ahead, we will be in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.

On the road again is routine for us!

On the road again is routine for us! Sunday, February 5, Bonnie and I spent the Bible class and worship hours with the Milledgeville, TN Church of Christ. Counting the two of us, the highest attendance was 12. Kindly, brethren treated us to lunch in Lexington, TN and gave us a support check, too. I made my PowerPoint presentation Into All the World during Bible class, preached Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear in the morning and preached The Three Bears of Galatians 6 in the evening.

Monday through Thursday, we attended the annual Freed Hardeman University lectureship. We, along with coworkers from Winona, MS, set up and manned two tables in the display area – one of literature for sale (we also gave many books away) plus a display table and free literature respecting our worldwide mission work. Graciously, a brother outside of Henderson, TN lodged us in his home for the week.

Jerry and Paula Bates hauled a trailer to Henderson, but since Jerry left the lectureship early for an overseas mission trip, Bonnie and I pulled the trailer back to Winona. We did a little shopping on the way back, not the least of which was buying groceries. Very little foodstuff remained at home; we didn’t buy much before our planned, weeklong absence. Sunday, February 12 found Bonnie and me in the morning with the Huntsville Church of Christ outside of French Camp, MS. We enjoyed the fellowship meal following morning worship. Sunday evening, we were with the Union, MS Church of Christ.

Bob and Martha Noland came to spend a few days with us following the FHU lectureship. We spent some good time with them in Henderson, and we are enjoying their time with us in our Winona home. Of course, I drug them with me on my Sunday appoints February 12^th.

Phase One of Kitchen Makeover is complete!

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Phase One of Kitchen Makeover is complete! Well for the most part; there are a few spots that we have revisited with crack filler and that will need either some white or light blue touch up with paint. The brown cabinets are now shiny white, and the wood paneled walls are now a light blue (nearly white for my slightly color deficient vision). Last, we accented the cupboards with bird mirrors. Compare the before and after pictures for yourself (“before” pics appeared weeks ago).

What an improvement in lighting! The dark cabinets and walls previously, accented with one porch shrouded window, made the kitchen a dismal cavern before the makeover. With the small lights over the sink, the stove and the side of a cabinet, the kitchen is nearly as light now as it was previously with the ceiling lights on, too. The kitchen is so much brighter now that one can fix cereal, for instance, in the morning without turning on a light – which was hardly possible before.

We upgraded the light above the sink. Remaining to do are the floor and the counter. We are planning to lay porcelain tile on the floor and possibly the countertop, too. Though I have muddled my way through many home projects over the years, laying this type of tile is new ground for Bonnie and me. Not a new house, but a makeover will be an improvement – for us as well as for the maintenance of the residence.

Cat Haven (Heaven)

Sunday, January 29 found Bonnie and me at the Mastin Lake Church of Christ in Huntsville, AL. The night before, as usual, we were the happy guests of sister Joyce and brother Howard South – at their home and cat haven (maybe even heaven). They have their downstairs cats, upstairs cats and outside cats (and a couple of raccoons). Even the fraidy cats have gotten used to us and don’t secret themselves away from us when we visit. One even tapped me on the elbow with her paw while we were at the table, trying to persuade me to share some of my vittles.

The attentive crowd for the 9:30 a.m. auditorium Bible class responded with questions after I made the PowerPoint presentation about our 2011 mission trips abroad. For the worship, I preached Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear – maybe running a little later than we meant to extend the services. Quickly downing some Subway sandwiches in the basement of the meetinghouse, afterward we scurried to a nursing home in the area for an afternoon worship service; some members of the church reside there.

Bonnie and I did some shopping, the likes of which cannot occur in Winona, MS before aiming the Gospel chariot towards home. We meandered the four and a half hours homeward, pausing for supper at one of the last opportunities for supper other than fast food. We rode into the carport at around 9:30 p.m.

The day was very encouraging both from the opportunities to worship with God’s people and to renew friendships. Several brethren ceased not to encourage us, and some provided monetary gifts for the work in addition to uplifting us in our labors. Bonnie and I are resolved to take the light even as brethren enable us by their determination to send the light.

Two Tuckered Out Pilgrims

Sunday, January 15, Bonnie and I worshipped with the Lake Forest Church of Christ in Walls, MS, where David Fisher is the preacher. During worship, I presented Into All the World in 2011 PowerPoint presentation about our mission trips abroad. Imitating some black Gospel preachers that I have heard do this occasionally over the years, I finally uttered aloud before the assembly, “Amen, walls!” What made it amusing to me was that I was standing in Walls, Mississippi when I said it; I had secretly wanted to do that ever since I first spoke at the Lake Forest congregation. Of course, I explained myself and the unlikely dialogue to the congregation present that morning. David Fisher, Gary Wilburn and a couple from the congregation shared lunch with Bonnie and me at a country buffet in Horn Lake, MS.

After a little shopping, Bonnie and I headed for Batesville, MS where I was to speak for the Sunday evening worship of the Lord’s church there. Since we were early, we did a little more shopping and followed that up by resorting to Cracker Barrel for dueling hot fudge sundaes. Still early, we waited in the car at the meetinghouse for the Batesville Church of Christ for the key holder to let us in. I was getting a little antsy while we paused before evening services were to begin, anticipating the arrival of the audio/visual person to facilitate lining up my PowerPoint, Into All the World. Honestly, Bonnie and I do not – I repeat, do not – plan our annual visit to the Batesville congregation based on what time of the month it hosts an evening fellowship meal. However, every year we come, the church is having a fellowship meal, to which we are invited to stay and enjoy. Some of the members are joking about and suspecting that our visits purposely coincide with their potluck feasts. In our defense, this was not the church’s regularly scheduled evening for the fellowship meal, and so we had no way of knowing about it.

Monday morning, Bonnie and I began deconstructing the kitchen at the house. We have undertaken painting the wood paneling and cupboards; our aim is to lighten the walls so that what little light makes it through the roof-shaded, single window reflects better. Doubtless, the overhead light will be more effective, too, with lighter walls. In addition, we plan to lay porcelain tile on the kitchen floor and sink countertop. We are doing everything ourselves, which in some instances makes for some new experiences.

To be frugal, we used leftover paint from painting bedrooms, the hall, living room and dining room for the base coat. Consequently, the kitchen walls and cabinets were indiscriminately pink, blue and peach at the same time! (The kitchen has been in total disarray for a week during the painting and repainting process, but it is beginning to come together.)

We put progress on hold temporarily to meet and greet guests at the warehouse/office for World Evangelism. Arthur and Shirley Burnett from Hamilton, MS called me that they were on their way to Winona to pick up some books for their ministry. Pleasant interaction concluded after a while, they left and Bonnie and I resumed putting a fresh face on an old kitchen back at the house.

Tuesday, Bonnie and I finished tweaking Volume 71 of The Voice of Truth International magazine. Wednesday, we turned the digital material over to Betty Choate for her final adjustments before being sent to the printing company. I find myself behind again respecting Gospel Gazette Online; I am working on the January 2012 issue – the commencement of year 14 of publication on the Internet. Thursday, we loaded a trailer full of literature to be taken by Jerry and Paula Bates to a container in Texas, which will eventually make its way to Tanzania.

Friday afternoon, Bonnie and I drove nearly four hours to Killen, AL to be in place for the School of Missions on Saturday, hosted by the Killen Church of Christ. We chanced to make a last minute arrangement with Wayne and Janet Barrier to enjoy supper together as they were out and about in Tuscumbia. We retired for the night to a little Indian-run motel on the threshold to Killen. Saturday morning, we were at the School of Missions by 8 a.m. Perhaps 50 or so missionaries and would be missionaries were crammed in a little room where we edified each other respecting missionary preparation. Several men presented interesting and uplifting lessons over the course of the morning and through 12:30 p.m.

Bonnie and I lunched at a fabulous and affordable restaurant (Demos) in Florence, AL. The food is terrific, reasonably priced and the service is courteous as well as efficient. We did a little shopping (as we customarily do when out of the anti-metropolis of Winona, MS) and defended ourselves from the cool midafternoon with hot chocolate drinks and Crispy Crème doughnuts. Shopping and eating establishments plus more spoils me when I am in Florence; I feel like a little boy in a candy shop!

Sunday, January 22, Bonnie and I spent the day with the Antioch Church of Christ, which assembles in the countryside outside Killen. For Bible class, I made my PowerPoint presentation of Into All the World in 2011 about our mission trips abroad. For morning worship, I preached What Is Jesus’ Plan for My Life? Sunday evening, I preached Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear. Between services, we were hosted to a tasty country plate dinner on the outskirts of Rogersville, AL. Thereafter until time for evening worship, I worked on the January issue of Gospel Gazette Online.

About four hours after worship services of the Antioch Church of Christ concluded, Bonnie and I rolled up into the carport of 705 Devine Street, Winona, MS. It was nearly 11:00 p.m. Just when we thought that we would transition for an hour before going to bed by watching a little television, an explosion outside our home simultaneously signaled the loss of electricity – so we went to bed! What else was there to do on a dark, stormy night for two tuckered out pilgrims?

Winona Work Day

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What did you do with your Saturday? Today, 27 people, from kindergarten age through retired adults, worked about 4½ hours at the World Evangelism buildings in Winona, MS. They helped Jerry and Paula Bates and Louis and Bonnie Rushmore do what they cannot manage to do along with the daily activities of World Evangelism.

Literally, the teams visiting from the Collierville, TN Church of Christ and the Union, MS Church of Christ did in a matter of a few hours what would have taken the Winona bunch many days to complete. Four mailings were prepared, three for the USA and one for overseas. Boxes of books were packed for preachers abroad. Shrubbery in front of the building was cut back. A tract rack of bins was built and filled; tract box shelves were built and loaded. Two exterior lights were replaced. Pallets were custom cut to get books and packing material off the floor to protect from moisture. More labeling and entry into a computer database of archived printed material occurred, preparing for shrink wrapping and shelf storage. Shelving was cleaned and materials organized on the shelves. One of the warehouses was inventoried. The two youngest workers and an adult supervisor shredded old financial documents. Various other odd jobs were attended to as well.

One of the highlights of the day was lunch. Paula and Bonnie offered three homemade soups: chili, potato soup and vegetable soup, and they made four desserts. Bonnie made homemade bread. This was a wonderful opportunity for brethren who had never before met from congregations in two states to converse and enjoy a meal together.

Participation by brethren who drive great distances to help do the things we can’t get to is a great help to us and even greater encouragement. With all of us doing what we can, the churches of Christ can more likely accomplish good things for the Lord. This was an opportunity, too, for young and old to see some of the behind the scenes work that goes on toward the more visible activities related to mission work.

The Voice of Truth International is published quarterly and goes into about 80 countries in English plus several foreign languages and Braille. Global Harvest is published semi-annually, and it chronicles missionary activity by the churches of Christ. Gospel Gazette Online is published monthly on the Internet and is read worldwide. World Evangelism publishes about 350 books and tracts, which it ships stateside and around the planet. The Bates and the Rushmores travel thousands of miles monthly in the States, acquainting brethren with our mission work and presenting biblical lessons. In addition, they travel tens of thousands of miles abroad, teaching brethren, denominational people, Buddhists, Hindus, Animists and others.

Thank you to all who make possible what we do and to what we have dedicated our lives. May God bless you and us as well.

Early to Rise, Again!

Sunday, January 8, Bonnie and I got up early once more, but not quite as early the prior week, for our trip from Winona, MS to our appointment destination. Clinton, MS to which we went was an hour closer than was Dennis, MS last week. Still, we had to leave the house around 6:30 a.m.

Members of the Clinton Church of Christ received us in a stellar way. I presented Into All the World (PowerPoint) for Bible class. For worship, I preached “Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear.” Two families gave us generous gifts for our mission work. The eldership also volunteered to consider us for monthly support. Afterward, Ken and Johnnie Gardner treated us to Chinese food for lunch. Then, they entertained us in their Brandon, MS home for the afternoon.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, Bonnie and I met with the elders of the Siwell Rd. Church of Christ in Byram, MS – a suburb of Jackson, MS. Also present were a couple of deacons and the preacher. We hurriedly brought them all up to date regarding our ministry – stateside and foreign. The Siwell Road Church of Christ is our sponsoring congregation.

After evening services (where we were attendees rather than me being the speaker on this occasion), W.E. and Judy Walker took us to supper. Parting from them, we bought groceries before heading back to Winona. We arrived home around 10:30 p.m.

No Rice for 10 Days!

Holidays slow our traveling schedule a little. However, that gives time to pause and commemorate Bonnie’s birthday as well as the national holiday of Christmas – both on December 25. Our daughter Rebecca spent her time away from teaching school with us. We got the Christmas ornaments and imitation pine out of the attic and set up before she arrived, but she delayed her return home long enough to help us take everything down and stow it back in the attic. Of course, New Years is another close national holiday, but we all retired to bed early – though the neighborhood fireworks ensured that we did not fall off asleep before 2012 arrived. January 3 is my birthday, though we celebrated it early so Rebecca could be with us before school resumed for her. If we were hearty partiers, we could revel nearly non-stop from Christmas through the New Year to my birthday!

Friday afternoon we had a welcome visitor, Winsome – all the way from Myanmar (Burma). She is such a dear one to us, a sister in Christ and instrumental in so much that we and others do throughout each year in her country. Recently, we spent all day daily for many days together traveling throughout her nation. We were privileged to have her as guest for a couple of days.

She had been horribly mistreated by American brethren for the nearly two weeks before her arrival in our home. She exclaimed that she had not had rice for 10 days! Paula and Jerry Bates, coworkers of ours, as well as Betty Choate plus Bonnie and I fed Winsome breakfasts, lunches and suppers – some of which included rice. However, she also was introduced to French toast for breakfast and Bonnie’s homemade pizza for lunch; Winsome opted for a modest second helping of pizza.

Sunday, January 1, 2012, Bonnie, Rebecca and I with Winsome in tow left our home at 5:30 a.m. departed Winona, MS for Dennis, MS – about a three-hour car ride. I spoke at the Bible class of the Liberty Church of Christ, the longtime sponsor of the late J.C. Choate and still the sponsor of Betty Choate. It was my good pleasure to present a PowerPoint of pictures of Bonnie and my 2011 foreign mission trips, and I introduced Winsome to the congregation.

After seeking out lunch at a local eatery, we returned to the parking lot of the Liberty church. Before that, though we drove through Tishomingo State Park and got out for Winsome to inspect a frontier cabin along the roadway. Back at the church property, Jamie and Katie Barrier retrieved Winsome for the next leg of her US journey; surely, she must feel somewhat like a baton – passed from one to another. Winsome has traveled by car throughout middle to north Alabama and into Mississippi – shopping or visiting brethren. Her whirlwind tour – her first visit to America – will end shortly. She will return to Yangon (Rangoon) where with her mother they have hosted the Lord’s church in their home for the past 30 years.

Bonnie and I headed back toward Winona, stopping for some necessary shopping in Tupelo, MS along the way. Given the time of our arrival back in the part of Mississippi in which we live, and given the service times of various congregations, we happily worshipped Sunday evening with the Huntsville Church of Christ outside of French Camp, MS; few churches welcome us more graciously than this country church.

Wednesday, we assembled with the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, MS as we often do for midweek class. During the days, we are feverishly working on the next issue of The Voice of Truth International (volume 71) and various end-of-year matters; today I wrote my article for the next issue of Global Harvest, too. Correspondence has spanned the globe; oh, what a blessing email can be. Plans are being made for stateside and foreign travel even now. Gospel Gazette Online for January must wait its turn. Sticky notes on my computer screen (electronic ones!) each cry for their attention, and it seems that never will all of them be exhausted before more tasks appear alongside of items not yet completed. That’s a good thing in a way, because it means that there is always plenty of work for the Lord to do. We wouldn’t have it any other way!

13-Year Anniversary!

Sunday, December 18, Bonnie and I plus our daughter Rebecca worshipped in the morning with the Old Union Church of Christ in Carroll County, MS. I remember back when I first visited the congregation years ago. I tried repeatedly to find its location on different occasions, only to return to the house after a fruitless search. Only when I found someone who had visited it before and knew where it was well enough to give me directions did we finally locate it. The meetinghouse for the Old Union Church of Christ is nestled in the woods, only visible after traversing ribbons of clay cutting through the pine forests and seas of kudzu; the building itself sits at the terminus of its own quarter mile long little dirt road. The clearing in which the church building sits is populated as well with a church family and community cemetery, grave markers ancient and modern. The Old Union Church of Christ is one of the oldest congregations in the State of Mississippi.

As always, this time too, we were greeted warmly, and I was permitted to update the brethren during the 9:30 a.m. Bible class about our 2011 mission trips with a PowerPoint presentation. During the worship hour, I exhorted the congregation respecting the necessity of having awe and reverential fear for God especially while worshipping. Members commended the lesson and noted that biblical material of this sort needs to be presented in every congregation throughout the land (really, throughout the world).The church was generous toward us financially regarding our mission work, for which we are sincerely thankful.

Sunday evening, the three of us assembled with the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, MS. We usually convene with this congregation on Wednesday nights for Bible class. It was my pleasure to present again the PowerPoint Into All the World in 2011 about our mission work. Highlights of our recent 8-week mission trip to Myanmar (Burma), India and Sri Lanka included that combined Bonnie and I taught for nearly 200 hours to about 6,500 people; we taught Christians, Baptists, Christian Church, Methodists, Assembly of God, Buddhists, Hindus and Animists. Financial support from brethren in the States enabled us to leave funds in various nations for tens of thousands of tracts to be printed in eight foreign languages.

Any Church of Christ wishing to become better acquainted with our ministry of publishing Gospel literature and foreign missions may invite us to visit. We travel about 3,000 miles monthly by car in the United States and travel up to 50,000 miles annually by air abroad. I can be contacted at 662.739.3035 or rushmore@gospelgazette.com.

After returning home Sunday evening, from the comfort of our loveseat in the living room, I put the finishing touches on the December issue of Gospel Gazette Online (www.gospelgazette.com) and published it to the Internet. With this issue, we have completed 13 years of publication. Sometimes we wonder if it is making as much of an impact and is read as widely as necessary to warrant the time and expense. Then, someone corresponds with us to boost our morale and encourage us not to falter in its continued production. This resource remains free to users and in addition to each monthly edition, thousands of articles are archived, searchable with the site search engine. Give someone for whom you care a gift that will brighten their days and point them toward the heavenly horizon.

Catching Up!

Catching up the blog – three weeks’ worth! Catching up with the workload awaiting our return to Winona, MS. Alas, though, catching up is not the same as caught up! I’m not sure I ever want to be caught up, for I might become bored too easily or feel unneeded.

November 27’s Sunday morning appointment was rescheduled the day before as Bonnie, Rebecca and I were en route from North Carolina to Mississippi; Robert Johnson from the 10^th Ave. Church of Christ in Columbus, MS bumped my Bible class and preaching back two weeks. I decided to take a hotel in Northport, AL, which would permit us to worship with the Northport Church of Christ that I had wanted to visit; we went as visitors, students to the Bible class and worshippers. We were edified in both circumstances, and we left some copies of The Voice of Truth International and Beverage Alcohol. I look forward to the possibility of speaking for the congregation at some future date, either about our mission work or biblical lessons.

Sunday evening, we kept my appointment with the Starkville, MS Church of Christ, whereupon I delivered my lesson What Is Jesus’ Plan for My Life? Bonnie set up a table of free materials (e.g., The Voice of Truth International and Beverage Alcohol) as well as books for sale. Afterward, we headed for Collierville, TN to take our daughter home, so she could teach school the next day. Later Monday, Bonnie and I arrived back in Winona, MS for the first time since September 29 when we left for Asia.

Thursday, we were out of the office again in Jackson, MS for dental cleanings. We left The Voice of Truth International and a couple of new titles there, along with two worn out suitcases, which will eventually make their final excursion out of the country carrying medical supplies – after which they will be discarded. Friday, I made a special PowerPoint presentation at Rebecca’s school about samples of culture in three Asian nations. (Each PowerPoint presentation and every lesson presented anywhere requires behind the scenes preparation, and I have spent many hours working on these PowerPoint and others lessons since our return to the USA.)

Sunday morning December 4, I presented the PowerPoint of our 2011 mission trips, Into All the World,  to the Collierville, TN Church of Christ for Bible class; during worship, I preached Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear. That evening, I showed Into All the World to the Elliott, MS Church of Christ. Three days that week I worked feverishly on producing the next issue of the Rushmore Newsletter, and we got it into the mail.

Saturday, a new Christian visited the office of World Evangelism in Winona, and we gave him the grand tour as well as provided him with his very own empty cardboard box – into which we invited him to place some books from our repository of good Christian literature. Madolyn and Gene Gibson operate a student center at Moorhead where they came in contact with the young man and taught him the Gospel of Christ.

Sunday morning December 11 was a short trip. We arose early enough to travel the hour and a half between Winona and Columbus, MS. It was my pleasure to present Into All the World during Bible class and preach Worshipping Almighty God Acceptably and with Godly Fear. After a quick lunch, Bonnie and I drove to the Florence Blvd. Church of Christ in Florence, AL for a meeting with its mission committee, followed by a special presentation via PowerPoint at the worship hour of our visit to foreign mission works in which the congregation has invested prayers, moral support and financial assistance. Afterward, we hooked up with Janet and Wayne Barrier who had been speaking at another congregation in the area, and we enjoyed a tasty meal at a restaurant Bonnie and I had not experienced previously. Then, there was the three plus hours drive back to Winona, arriving after midnight!

Over these three weeks, including today (Monday), packages were prepared and shipped to various locations through the States. Delivery vehicles from time to time brought us packing and office supplies, and one day we loaded a pallet of literature on a tractor trailer, which literature will eventually along with other pallets of literature awaiting this final pallet board an oceangoing ship destined for ports overseas; from there, the literature will make its way to non-Christians and Christians who have requested it. Besides this, many odds and ends in behind the scenes necessary work to the overall program of evangelism to which we devote ourselves required their share of attention.

It is fair to say that we are catching up, but it would be a serious overstatement to suggest that we have or are even close to being caught up. The December issue of Gospel Gazette Online has not been begun yet – late, late, late! I need to update the online book catalog of new titles available – and inactivate one or more titles that are now out-of-print. Oh, No! The next issue of The Voice of Truth International is supposed to go the printers the first week of January, and we are a long, long way from having it that far along. Phone calls and more phone calls I must make to schedule additional weekend appointments. Etc., etc., etc. I’m just glad that the solid bed of pine needles on the lawn and the cooler weather overrules the need to mow the grass (and equally delightful is that the Mississippi climate precludes the need to shovel the driveway).