This morning, I was the first one to arrive at the Old Union Church of Christ’s meetinghouse, out there in kudzu land traversing the gravel roads tunneling through the forest canopy in some places. When I first started dating Bonnie a few decades ago now, she lived with her family in the west Pennsylvania boondocks, accessible only via a series of dirt roads; now I find myself visiting her grave once more across dusty thoroughfares.
Arriving early afforded me a few moments to visit the site of her mortal repose. Strangely, the flowers from both urns and the flowers atop the monument were all lying on the ground adjacent to their respective placements. The strange part was that no other flowers in the entire cemetery were disturbed in the least. It was as though some rascal of a raccoon or a selective wind grasped the flowery adornments and lifted them from their resting places to simply deposit them neatly on the muddy earth. Puzzled, nevertheless, I reinstalled them in their locations, until such time as I can replace the soiled and weathered embellishments with fresh, artificial flowers.
Sunday morning, I worshipped with the Old Union congregation, and that evening, I assembled with the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, MS. A new babe in Christ was born again at West President.
Today, was not a good day for me. I thought I was past the extreme grief and that I could worship without being overcome with our Christian music that emphasizes through its hymns death and eternity. I was mistaken and reduced to quivering tears once more. Comfort from some brothers in Christ, with arms around my shoulders, stabilized me in my moments of renewed weakness. This dark journey on which I reluctantly find myself is not over, and lacking the overpowering distraction of applying myself all waking moments in some engrossing activity leaves me vulnerable. When, why and where are imperceptible. Daily, I pray for other widowed saints of whom I am aware and for myself that we might be lifted from our grief and loneliness. I don’t know sometimes what is worse, the grief or the loneliness.
Sunday, July 10 it was my good pleasure to speak for the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, MS. During Bible class, I made my PowerPoint presentation about “2015 Asia & 2016 South America Mission Trips.” Neither visas nor passports were required! I’m almost positive that no one suffered jetlag, and anyone who might have fallen asleep did so based on other issues. For morning worship, I preached with the aid of PowerPoint once more, “The Deity of Christ.”
Tuesday evening, I was privileged to speak for the Huntsville Church of Christ outside of French Camp, MS. Various speakers are participating daily in the congregation’s Gospel meeting this year, and I was delighted to be one of them. Brother Nathan Wright, preacher of the church, texted me to make sure everything was set for me speaking and to invite me for supper. I replied, “Tonight?!” I briefly considered texting additionally, “I’m in Alabama!” However, instead, I assured him that I was looking forward to supper and to the meeting. I was accompanied by sister Betty Choate as well as brother Jerry and sister Paula Bates; we are fellow team members of World Evangelism in Winona. Rebecca, my daughter, is still with me and attended the supper and Gospel meeting.
Those were the highlights over the past few days. In addition, I’m up to my elbows if not also up to my eyeballs in behind the scenes efforts for our Lord (e.g., printing projects, The Voice of Truth International, etc.). There is no lack of purpose in my life (and eternity), without which I would be adrift on so many levels.
What? No pictures? There are not necessarily pics for every occasion. Nevertheless, there crop up from time to time as I travel around the country some photo opportunities that bring about a pause and some idle reflection. Take for instance the outdoor, motel Laundromat wedged between a soft drink machine and an ice machine in a breezeway. At a remodeled Dairy Queen along the byways traveled recently, Rebecca and I deliberated about the advisability, esthetics and safety of hanging electric cords from ceiling lights throughout the establishment tied up and shortened with garbage bag twisties. I guess someone’s car suffered a burned out license plate light, which the driver resolved by taping a flashlight to the trailer hitch and aiming it at the car tag. Finally, I parked my car adjacent to a private driveway sign that reads, “Frog Parking Only! All Others Will be TOAD!” Smile.
Tuesday evening July 5th, Rebecca and I pulled into my driveway in Winona, MS around 4 p.m. She had spent her birthday in the car with me traveling back from two Sundays of my preaching appointments in Florida. Wednesday was a catch-up day on so many levels and in so many ways. Thursday began the 2-day World Evangelism Annual Team Meeting in Winona. Several brothers and sisters in Christ traveled hundreds of miles to share field reports and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow stateside and foreign missionaries. Among the diverse efforts discussed to disseminate the Gospel at home and abroad were jail and prison ministries, radio, TV, Internet, foreign Bible schools, and overseas campaigns.
Among those present were Betty Choate, Paula and Jerry Bates, Rebecca and Louis Rushmore, Barbara Oliver, Gordon Hogan, Larry Murdock, Janet and Wayne Barrier, James Lee, Barbara and James Jones, Joey Barrier, Baron Vander Maas, Ellen and Collin McKee, Madolyn and Gene Gibson, Robin Dunaway, Sadie and Therman Hodge, Dennis Larson, JoAn and L.T. Gurganus, and Gay and Byron Nichols. We are loosely affiliated, besides all being faithful members of the Lord’s church; amenable to the respective elderships under which we serve Jesus Christ in our various capacities and labors for the Lord, we nevertheless cooperate as opportunities present themselves to further the spread of the Gospel worldwide. Directly and indirectly through foreign brethren alongside of whom we work for the Lord, this crew makes the Gospel of Christ available to approximately two-thirds of the world’s population and participates in thousands of conversions each year.
Virtually every get-together for special occasions (and often without any special occasion) among Christians involves eating with one another. The Annual Meeting was certainly no exception to that norm. On Thursday evening, we carpooled 18 miles away to the Carmack Fish House – a longstanding, yearly tradition for us. Of course, lunches and breakfasts back at the World Evangelism Building were delightful as well.
In addition to general meetings in which field reports were presented and we encouraged each other, there were two special meetings in which core members of the World Evangelism Team participated. One of those was regarding The Voice of Truth International quarterly magazine that we publish in English and several foreign languages. The Editor, Byron Nichols is now 79-years-old, and he has opted to slow down some. Consequently, he has chosen to transfer much of his responsibilities to others. The outcome was that brother Nichols will become Editor Emeritus, Louis Rushmore will become the Editor and Jerry Bates will be the Associate Editor. These adjustments in duties will become effective with the publication of The Voice of Truth International volume 90; issue 89 is at the printers now. Brother Byron Nichols has edited VOTI for 25 years, and he will remain active with it for the foreseeable future.
The second special meeting concerned the Into God’s World curriculum effort that has been in the works for some time. Four quarters of Teen study books – a year’s worth of lessons – have been completed, and they are ready to print. The writer for the series is brother Kevin Cauley; Robin Dunaway is project manager and Louis Rushmore is responsible for layout and production. Initially, one copy each of the first quarter book will be sent out to hundreds of congregations to acquaint them with the study and elicit orders for use in 2017.
Louis & Martha Rushmore 
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