November is here

I just realized when I looked at my blog that I had not written anything in over a month.  We had a great nite for hayride earlier in the month, and then we had a wonderful fall meeting with Ben Flatt during the month of October.  Most of the congregation went to the Thomas House in Red Boiling Springs for a meal on that Sunday, which was very enjoyable.  November generally means it is getting colder, but this week has been beautiful.  The mornings are cool, but each afternoon it has warmed up nicely.  The morning walk/run are very enjoyable at the park.  Last weekend we moved most of Olivia’s things to her new house that she is renting.  She now works at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville.  Her house is in Maryville.  Yesterday I took another load of things to her.

It is time now for the wedding of Mary Ann Reece and Zac Grubbs.  We have the rehearsal this evening and tomorrow is the big day.  I know they are excited.  The sad part is we will be losing two more members of the congregation.  They will be moving to Lebanon, TN.   Enough for today, I have got to go back outside and enjoy this beautiful weather.  Until next time.

Vacation

Vickie and I were gone on vacation last week.  We spent four days in Gatlinburg and three days visiting Vic’s family in KY.  Our vacation was really enjoyable. Tuesday evening we drove to Cade’s Cove and drove the loop.  We had the opportunity to see some bears (momma and three cubs) in a tree.  It was interesting to watch one of the cubs come down out of the tree and go up another one nearby.  I guess when it realized everyone was not following, it started crying for it’s mom.  Momma bear came down to the lowest branch of the tree, but never got down out of that tree while we were there.  We drove into Pigeon Forge and had supper at Calhouns.  On Wednesday we drove to Newfound Gap where it was raining and foggy.  We decided to go on to Clingman’s Dome where, if anything, the weather got worse.  It was 70 degrees in Gatlinburg and 55 degrees at Clingman’s Dome.  I decided I was going to walk it in the rain, which I did.  Could not see a thing once I got up there, but I still enjoyed it.  I returned to the car, soaked from the rain, even though I had a rain jacket on.  We drove back down to Gatlinburg and drove to Grotto Falls, where we hiked to it.  It did not rain on us, but the trail was slick from all the rain. The road up to this hike is an interesting road, very narrow and curvy.  When we finished our hike, we returned to our hotel, cleaned up and went to supper at No Way Joses before going to church in Gatlinburg.  On Thursday we shopped most of the day.  We had lunch at Chop House.  Friday morning we traveled back to Newfound Gap where it was raining and foggy again (it was clear in Gatlinburg).  We walked a short part of Appalachian Trail.  Then we traveled down to Laurel Falls and hiked that trail.  It was time to head to Kentucky, so we traveled through Pigeon Forge, where Rod Run was taking place.  Took about an hour from G’burg to interstate.  On Saturday we went four-wheeling (approx. 45 miles).  We traveled some on the road, a lot on strip mines that have been reclaimed, and some in the woods. We again got soaked from rain, but thoroughly enjoyed all of it.  Sunday we went to church at Lothair in Hazard KY, where I preached that morning. Sunday night we went to church at Mt. Zion in London KY.  It was time to come home, which we did on Monday.  We truly enjoyed our time away, but was thankful to be back home.  Until next time…

Copperhead on Trail

Strip Mine Reclaimed

PTP

I realized that it has been a month since I posted on this site.  This past week I had the opportunity to go to Polishing the Pulpit in Sevierville TN.  It has grown tremendously.  There were over 1400 registered this year.  It was a wonderful week.  When you have the opportunity to hear men like George Bailey, Tom Holland, Dan Winkler and Wayne Jackson, it is a wonderful occasion.  There were many others who were great speakers as well.   The week started on Friday and continued until last Thursday.  The day started around 8:00 AM and continued until 10:00 PM each evening.  It was one of those occasions where your body is tired but your mind keeps wanting to learn more and to hear more lessons.  I am truly grateful for the opportunity to attend PTP.

This past weekend I attended a family re-union in Hyden, KY.  There was a good number there (I believe around 75).  We had a good time visiting with the locals as well as folks from Michigan.  I returned home yesterday to be here to preach and teach class today. One other thing that was enjoyable was getting to watch UT football while having a family reunion.  There were not a lot of UT fans at this gathering.  Go Vols!

Debit Card

My wife informed me that I needed to share this story.  Approximately one month ago I ordered her some new shoes that were on sale.  They were Keen sandals and we got them for her trip to NYC.  The total for everything we ordered was a little over $100.  Several hours later I received a call from the Fraud department of my bank saying there had been some activity on my card and it was the order to this place that triggered the alert.  I verified the things I had used the card for in the last five to seven days.  We laughed because I figured there were so shocked that I was using the card at some place besides Wally World and that I was spending that much money.  I call it being thrifty!!!!  When I ordered Vic’s shoes, I also received a $25 gift card from this company.  Fast forward to tonight.   This evening I decided to purchase the same kind of shoes for me.  There were on sale even more and I had a gift card.  So I placed the order and told the man that the last time I ordered from them, my card was frozen for several days until I figured out what was going on and went to the bank to get it straightened out. I got the order placed, received the order # and hung up the telephone.  Five minutes after I placed my order, the telephone rings and it is the Fraud department of our bank.  I started laughing when she told me who she was and she stated that there had been some activity on my card.  I told her what had happened  one month ago.  We verified again the things I had used my card for recently.  She then told me that it was not my card, or the company I was ordering from, but people who steal cards frequent this company more than others.  They have nice shoes, clothes, outdoor gear, etc.  They keep a careful watch on those who order from this place.  I told her I guess I needed to quit buying things from them and she said no, don’t do that.  I thanked the lady for checking on my card to make sure it was me who was using it.  I guess I should have thought that they would find the better quality things to order when they steal cards and it is not their money. We had a laugh about it and she assured me that my card would not be blocked this time.  I will always associate our Keen shoes with the Fraud department of the bank.  Until next time…

Mixed Week

This week has been a mixture of emotions.  When I returned from camp last Saturday, we had experienced a wonderful week.  New friendships formed that will last a lifetime. I am still getting invitations to become friends with various one on my Facebook page.  Monday I conducted the funeral for Mitchell Smith.  Mitchell was an individual who would do anything you asked him to do in the work of the church.  He had been suffering from cancer for several months.  A good friend of ours, Charles Max Newport had died last week and his funeral was Tuesday of last week.  I was not able to go because I was at camp and was speaking that night.  Today, I took my wife, daughter and youngest son to the airport to fly to New York City to visit relative for a few days.  They will return next Tuesday, Lord willing.  All went well with their flight to NYC.  Zac and Kristin are camping this week at Fall Creek Falls and I am a little concerned about them tonight.  We are suppose to have a stormy night (lightning, thunder, heavy rain) and they are in a tent.  Zac told me the bathhouse was close by.

Summer is winding down for school students and it seems to me that it just got started.  I guess I have been so busy, I have not keep track.  I am looking forward to the weekend and Sunday when I will preach on Daniel’s three friends and Sheep and Goats from Matt. 25.  Hope you have a good week-end as well.  Until next time…

Trip to Vanderbilt

I made a trip to Vanderbilt today for several reasons.  My mom needed to go for a check-up, so, mom, my sister, and myself made the trip to Nashville.  She is doing very well.  While I was there, I went to visit Francis Kemp who is there as a result of breaking some ribs.  They were planning on moving her to Stallworth Rehab. if things went as planned.  I also made my way to Children’s Hospital to see one of Matt’s new babies, Scarlett, who is there as result of being born early and has some heart problems.  She weighs almost 3 1/2 pounds. I do not think I had ever seen a baby that small in person.  When she adds some weight, they will do surgery on her.  Her twin sister is in Children Hospital in Knoxville. I had some good visits at Vanderbilt.  Then we made our way home, but first we had to stop at Demos in Lebanon and have lunch.  When I got home, I worked on bulletin, then we had supper.  Tomatoes, cucumbers, boiled corn on the cob and chicken.  It was wonderful.  Fresh vegetables are a wonderful meal by themselves.  Chicken was good as well.

This week I prepare for another week of camp.  I must get sermons ready for this Sunday and next, as well as prepare lessons to teach on three of the days we are at camp.  The other teacher for my class (10th. graders) volunteered to teach two days, which will really help me.  We go to Cookeville Saturday to get some of the food (van load), and others will bring food on Saturday to the camp to get ready for a wonderful week.

Let me ask you to remember the Charles Max Newport family in your prayers.  He lives in Oneida with his family.  We learned this weekend that hospice has been called in.  Please remember Charles Max, Jo and their family.  Eight of their grandchildren were at Bible camp with us in Knoxville, plus a daughter and daughter-in-law. They mean a lot to us.

Hillbrook Christian Camp

I just finished what I believe is my 30th. year to work camp at Hillbrook Christian Camp.  This past week went really well.  We had wonderful weather and a great staff.  When you have that combination, things go so much better.  We only had about 65 children this year, perhaps because of the 4th of July being in our week.  We also had two baptisms our week.  Luke and Bianca were baptized this past week. Billy and Karen went to cook for us again this year.  Everyone enjoys them coming because they do such a good job.  Kerri also worked with us as a counselor.  Zac, Kristin and Olivia also came to work with us as well.  Olivia was our nurse this year. One young lady from the congregation came for the first time and two boys came.  We had a really good week.

We had just completed a Gospel Meeting before we left for camp.  Gary Hampton did a wonderful job.

This week we have Vacation Bible School each night (Monday – Friday), beginning at 6:30.  When that is finished, we have a week before we head off to camp again at Taylor Christian Camp.  I enjoy summer, but I sure am glad to see all the weekly activities finish up.  I am not sure if working camps helps keep you young or shows you how old you are getting.  I think the latter is more accurate.  Anyway, it is time to get ready for Sunday and begin a new week.  Have a great 4th of July.

Preparing for Gospel Meeting

Our Gospel Meeting will begin in a little over a week.  We always have a Gospel Meeting that goes from Sunday morning to Friday night, starting on Father’s Day.  As I mentioned some weeks back, we ran into difficulty with the speaker.  There was a conflict in his schedule (he evidently did not write it down), and he was scheduled to be out of the country that week.  Gary Hampton, director of the East Tennessee School of Preaching and Missions in Knoxville TN and formerly the preacher at Jefferson Ave. in Cookeville Tennessee agreed to come.  We are very much looking forward to hearing the lessons he presents.  Wally Kirby will be leading the singing and everyone enjoys that period of time together.  We mailed out  1,081 House to House/Heart to Heart this week. I received a recent update of mailing addresses, so I added them to the list that I already had.  Unfortunately, I got 50 of those back.  I had a net gain of 45-50.  I am hoping that individuals will also invite people to come to the meeting.  We begin at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning.  Sunday evening through Friday evening is at 7:30 PM CDT.  We begin singing each night at 7:00 PM.  If you are in the area of Montrose church of Christ, come visit us.  We are at 53 Lakeside Dr., Carthage TN.  The community is Defeated.

It has been a good week to walk early in the morning.  Each morning I have gone for a walk around 6:30 AM.  I always enjoy walking in the Defeated Park Campground.  This weekend there is a Bluegrass Festival at the marina.  We enjoy going to that and it gives an opportunity to support our local volunteer fire department.

A young lady from the community passed away this week.  I had heard about her numerous times, but never had the opportunity to meet her.  She became sick when she was just a few months old.  As a result of various complications, she was never able to walk or speak.  Christie was just a few weeks short of her 37th birthday when she passed away Sunday evening.  I know her mother and father and brother are going to have a big void in their lives.  Remember the Thompson family in your prayers.

Memorial Day Weekend

We have had a good weekend.  Saturday we went to Granville to a Festival.  That was an enjoyable way to spend the morning.  That afternoon we went to eat with a family from church, as well as meet the family of a young man (little Zach) who attend here now and is getting married in November. [Little Zach is probably 6ft. 1in and 300+ lbs.  He is smaller than our Zac, who is 6ft. 5in. 300 lbs] Sunday was a good day.  I thought we would have more visitors from the campground, but we still had good attendance.  That afternoon I went to Bagdad church of Christ (TN not Iraq), to help with distributing camp applications.  We received 36 applications for girls and 15 for the boys.  Hopefully the boys will pick up in the next three weeks.  Then we had a meal at church building and 4th. Sunday singing.  We had 95 present Sunday night which was a really good crowd.  Today I worked on the bulletin, then took the afternoon to help work on the garage some and cook hamburgers and hot-dogs.  I had to take time to go for a walk at the campground.  I managed to get four days of walking in last week, so I wanted to get started this week.  Finished my bulletins a few minutes ago, and now it is time to relax and get ready for bed.

Work Day

Today was a day set aside for the men of the Montrose church of Christ to work on trimming trees and pressure washing around the building.  We had about ten people to show up and we accomplished a lot of work.  We trimmed trees and bushes, which needed it very much.  Glen did a lot of pressure washing, which helped a great deal.  Some may be unhappy with the way we trimmed, but we got it done.  While we were working on the back of the house, one of the men noticed how much a big pine was damaging the roof.  We decided to remove the tree, so down it went.  It looks rather bare in that spot now, but we will get used to it. Men with chain saws and trimming equipment without female supervision is a dangerous thing.   We had a good work day.

I also took Riley to the airport this afternoon.  He was scheduled to fly to Brazil today for three weeks in the mission field.  He was excited, but nervous about flying.  It stormed all the way to Nashville, so that did not help matters any.  When we arrived at the airport, we got there at the same time another group from Freed-Hardeman University that he was traveling with  arrived. We could not have timed it any better.  Remember Riley and this group as they travel to Brazil and do the mission work they have planned.