That’s What She Said

The other night, at the dinner table, I heard Kim say the following: “Clark, stop putting that fork between your toes and put it back on your plate.”



In her defense, she’s now claiming she said that last part with a smile on her face. I’ll let any of you mothers of small children make the call on that one.



Do you think Karsyn's misery is the source of Clark and Quincy's happiness?

An Odd Fear of Gravy

The memory is really quite vivid. We’d be sitting there in church in Quincy, Illinois trying to be still. Songs were being sung, trays passed, prayers prayed. Then it would happen. We’d begin this slow and low song, almost like a funeral dirge... and I’d start to cringe. Though the verses passed at a snails pace, I knew the chorus would hit us with a rush… a very scary rush. Before we’d even hit the chorus, I’d see it: a huge, almost pond-size, bowl of gravy with a lone hand reaching up as if grasping for a life preserver. Then it would start. “Up from the gravy he arose, he arose…” Scared me to death! And I don’t mind saying, it made me quite leery of those mashed potatoes and gravy we’d be having soon after.

My friend James Glasscock was always afraid of some mysterious stranger named Andy and questioned why he would want to walk with him and talk with him. Once again, it was due to these crazy church songs. “Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his own.” That’s enough to frighten any small kid away from church.
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On another note, my mom begins a new journey today. My folks now have internet in their home! So welcome to the web family mom.

That means you guys need to watch your language from here on out.

Baby Ana

This last weekend I overheard a part of a conversation going on in our backseat between Quincy and his friend Allison. They must have been discussing cousins because I hear Q say, “My cousin Ana died when she was a baby. But don’t worry cause she’s with God now. Well, I don’t know if she’s still a baby or not.”

It was two years ago today that Baby Ana passed away, breaking all of our hearts. Two years ago today she stepped into a realm that we don’t understand but can only imagine. We won’t know if she’s a baby or full grown until we, one day, are blessed to step through to that same realm. (I’m guessing full grown, however that plays out with a redeemed body. I’m betting she looks just like her mom.)

Until then, our prayers are with Wendy, Chris, Hayden and Ana’s twin sister, Campbell-bell. May God bless you today with much peace. We love you.

What you might have missed.

Does anyone know what Adolph Hitler, Colin Powell, Jessica Lange, Luthor Vandross, Don Mattingly, Carmen Electra and Joey Lawrence all have in common? If you said they were all born on April 20th, you win the prize. (Angie, tell them what they’ve won!) Whoa! (Said with my best Joey from Blossom voice.)

It seems that April is a busy month for birthdays. Also celebrating were Jed Clampet, Axel Foley, the 6 Million Dollar Man (Or was it just one million?) and Superman’s dad (Marlon Brando). You have to wonder what the party would be like if Chuck Connors, Jackie Chann and Steven Seagal celebrated together. I’m pretty sure I’d rather go to the party for Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brian and Jerry Seinfeld.

Lew Alcinder could come too. (Real name anyone?) Peter Rose probably wouldn’t get voted in and no one would know where to send Saddam Hussein’s invitation. Perhaps we could get Barbara Streisand to perform, though I hear she’s shy.

Even Shirley MacLaine celebrates one of her birthdays in April!

And after all that partying, surely someone would end up in the Betty Ford (also April) Center.

Also celebrating would be Kris Smith and Greg True; both April 1st babies. (You have to watch out for anyone born on the first.

Jeff Gearhart’s birthday was in April. Jeff, can you believe Herbie, not John, Hanckock’s birthday is on the 12th!

Paul Miller celebrates in April and boy is he getting old!

Anna and Campbell (a.k.a. Campbell-bell) Chapel were born in April.

And on April 15th, when everyone else is celebrating the paying of taxes, we in the Rush house party in honor of Kim who just turned 30! (She’ll always be 29 to me.)

Imagine all the stories Tom Clancy (also an April baby) could tell.

Sensational Journalism

Is it just me or are others bugged with the sensational journalism that seems to enjoy whichever current tragedy or massacre?

I heard CNN teasing a later story this morning by saying, and this is not a lie, “Would the Virginia Tech tragedy have been avoided if students were allowed to carry fire arms?” And then something along the lines of following up this “debate” from the state where it is allowed.

People! Is this really a “debate”? And, please don’t let that state be Oklahoma.

While I was away...

While I was in Tulsa, Kim’s sister and her two daughters came to Guadalajara. Kelcey brought Kira and Kia to Mexico so that Kim wouldn’t be alone. I came home to find Kira turning my little Karsy into a cover girl.

Kira told Karsyn how to pose, and Karsyn did it.

I’m thinking Kira has a future in photography...

...these photos were taken by her.

...and Karsyn might be a future model.

So it's been a while.

I got back from Tulsa on Tuesday. What a fun trip! The singing at Memorial on Wednesday was the best I’ve heard in recent memory. …just to be topped by the singing at AIM-a-palooza on Friday night.

The classes were great. So fun to hear what God is doing in his church all around the globe. And the fellowship was a once-in-a-lifetime treat. So many friends, so little time.

And then there’s family! Even my grandma was there. I hadn’t seen her in 3 years.

I even got to golf. I’m horrible and only golf for social reasons. But it was great spending 3 hours chasing my stray tee shots with Dad, Dusty and Shawn Mays. (Shawn and Arleen are recent additions to the family. Well, Arlene was voted in, but Shawn is in somewhat of a probation period as he’s a Cub fan and can’t kick the habit.)

Which brings us to tonight. The first pitch is less than an hour away! Is anyone else suiting up?

Off to Tulsa!

One more sleep!

Tomorrow morning we take Q to school and then head right on out to the airport. I should be in Tulsa by 5:00 p.m. I do have my doubts though. I'm not sure I can make it through customs in Houston during the hour provided, back through security and on to my gate. I'm betting I get the next flight.

Kim heads back out to the airport about that time, here in Guadalajara to pick up Kelcy and her two daughters. I'll be back in time to spend a couple of days with them before they make their way back to California.

Hope you all have a great week. I'm really looking forward to seeing many of you in Tulsa.

Baseball Season!

Today we had our second baseball practice! The team, it turns out, has been practicing since August. Cory Burns found out about the team two weeks ago so Josiah and Quincy have practiced with them today and last Thursday. We're not sure if they'll get to play in the games or not.


We're really not even sure how many more times they'll attend practice. It is a blast, but they are behind the rest of the kids and don't have the attention span. The practices last for over 2 and 1/2 hours. The boys have a blast... for about an hour and a half. I think we'll keep going back as long as the boys want to, but will try not to push them for our entertainment. (And it is entertainment!)

It's hard to make out the ball, but Quincy is connecting in this photo.


Josiah takes off for first after hitting the ball.


One of the funnest things is coming home and re-living the day. Q and I sit down at the table to eat and he tells me about all the great things he did. (As if I weren't there to see them.) So far, the real highlight has been getting hit in the face by grounders and not crying. Happens more than you'd think.



He didn't exactly catch it, but notice how he stays in front of the ball. We all know he didn't learn that from his dad.

Quincy's not exactly the biggest kid on the team... but he's looking good!

Rush Family Update

This is our most recent newsletter. We've been having problems sending it through our AOL Groups. So if you no longer receive it but want to, let us know and we'll add you to the list.

Also, thank you so much for your prayers for us. We know that the work we are a part of is so richly blessed because so many are watering the fields with prayer.

Growth in Jocotan
Almost immediately after Omar’s baptism, he began talking about those he wanted to share his story with. Since making the decision to change his life, almost a year ago, Omar began escaping to his home after work, avoiding the streets along with the people and the temptations in them. Just recently, though, he’s begun reappearing, and reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances. Many (if not all) are asking him what’s different. Why the change? Some have even asked, “Are the brothers paying you to change?” To which he’s responded, “No. I’ve just started reading the Bible, and it is changing me.”

Many are making fun of Omar for not joining with them as in the ‘good ole days’. Others see Omar’s changed life and want the same. It looks like God is positioning him to impact more and more old friends. Please keep Omar in your prayers. As exciting as this is, it is often slow and taxing. Right now, Omar feels alone in his neighborhood among his friends.

José Julian
One of the first ones Omar began talking about reaching out to was José Julian. José Julian is the husband of Omar’s sister Lilian, though they’ve been separated for three years. José Julian is an alcoholic and wants to change. Omar feels responsible for José Julian’s lifestyle as they were friends even before they were brother-in-laws. And Omar’s influence was one of the factors that lead José Julian into drugs and alcohol. Now, Omar wants to influence him for Christ. We can’t tell you how fun it is to hear Omar talk like this without prompting from us. He really wants to share the gift that God has given him in changing his life for the better.

On one Sunday morning, when just Omar, José Julian and Tim were sitting together, Omar was confessing his desire over the weekend to return to his old way of life. José Julian, who was with us for just the second time and hadn’t said much up until this point, began encouraging Omar, “Cuňo (short for brother-in-law), don’t give up. See these changes you’ve made. You’ve made me think I can do it! Cuňo, I want these changes for my life too! Don’t go back now.” Tim sat in awe of what Jesus was doing among this family.

With the steps toward God that José Julian is making, Lilian is more and more open to reconciling their marriage. Jesus is actually causing healing in this broken home! As you pray with us, please focus on the marriages in our body: for God to unify the couples and bring them closer together as families as they draw closer to him. It is exciting seeing how the transformative power of Christ has become a testimony of God’s power and that it will also increase their influence for God in their neighborhood. It seems like God is already answering our prayers about the feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Baseball
Around the corner from our home is a children’s home called Ciudad de los Niňos (The City of Children). For quite some time we’ve wondered how we might be able to minister to them. However, they are a catholic-run orphanage and we were told by others that they didn’t allow volunteer work from non-catholics.

Tim passed by the other day and saw some of the kids out throwing a baseball around. So the next day, he stopped by the office and asked if he could help them out coaching baseball. Tim was passed on to Juan Pablo who has just recently organized a baseball team among the kids and is very eager for some reinforcements. Thus, Tim is now helping, twice a week, coach 13 to 16 year olds. His first practice was last Wednesday and he LOVED it. The kids have hardly any baseball experience, but still had a blast.

Q School
Good news on the school front: we’ve found a school for Quincy that we really like that is very close to our home. Thank you so much for praying with us about it. When Kim took Quincy for the entrance evaluation (that’s very normal in Mexico… even for the 1st grade), she met a neighbor of ours who’s son will be in the same class as Quincy. Her name is Carina and Dario is her son.

Other Prayer Requests
Please keep praying for the leadership growing among all the churches in the area and for the time the emerging leaders spend together each month. Omar has been attending these meetings with Tim and we pray for more contact between our church and the others in the area.

Tim will be traveling to Tulsa for the workshop there at the end of March. Please prayer for safe travel, renewal, and God’s working during that week. He will be speaking Thursday morning about what God is doing in Guadalajara. Kim’s sister and nieces will be here while he is gone.

Quote of the Day

"The only statistic I can ever remember is that if all the people who go to sleep in church were laid end to end they would be a lot more comfortable."

Attributed to Queen Victoria, taken from The Shaping of Things to Come by Frost and Hirsch

Blood Diamonds

Has anyone seen this movie? Very intense. Too much violence. But the violence is different when you get the feeling the story is truer than you might have imagined. Thus, how true is it? Someone in Tulsa ask our Africa-expert Clint what he knows.

If you haven’t seen it, I’d suggest you go right now.
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For those that might not know, Dennis Wilson left today for Cozumel, Mexico. He and Theresa and family are moving there to take over a children’s home. He will spend the month of March in a complete emersion language school. Theresa and kids will arrive after the school year ends. Please keep this wonderful family in your prayers.
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Quincy keeps asking us when baseball season is going to start. I was pretty proud of that until I realized his true motive for asking. We turned off our cable after the World Series and do not have plans to start it again until baseball season starts. He must have put two and two together and he really misses Discovery Kids.

I’m missing American Idol and Law and Order myself.

Comings and Goings

I woke up this morning worried about two things; both involving travel. (I have to admit that I’m much more of a worrier than I should be.) First, I was thinking about how grateful I am that we won’t be driving out of Mexico this year on furlough. It seems that Nuevo Larado and the border in general is becoming more and more of a war zone (drug wars). And it is so frightening passing through there with the family.

The other is the drive we’ll make in a couple of hours through Jocotan to be with our church in that neighborhood. It is a very poor neighborhood with all the stereo-type action… lots of drunks wandering around, lots of unattended kids playing in the streets. And to get to the family's home, we have to back down a dead-end street. I hate it! I’m always afraid a small kid is going to run, unseen, behind the car. This scares me for the child, but also for my own. If we were to hurt one of theirs, getting out ourselves wouldn’t be a certainty.

So this morning, God had this to share with me (from Psalms 121).

“I will keep you from all harm – I will watch over your life; I will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

Again, I’m in awe that this all-powerful God, can communicate to us on even the most obscure level, speaking to fears that are ours TODAY.

TULSA!

This is what I’m looking forward to in Tulsa…

I love listening to my dad talk about what all happened during the day; the behind the scenes look. I love listening to Dusty talk about what he heard and what he thought about what he heard. (I have to admit, Dusty is about 5 years ahead of me, spiritually speaking. He tells me what he’s thinking and it takes me that long to understand/ come to terms with/ agree with what he said. He might be a prophet… or I might just be slow.)

I can’t wait to have breakfast with Angie Burns. I can’t wait for AIM-a-palooza at the Thornton’s on Friday night. I’m going ahead and planning on tearing up during the flag presentation on Friday evening. The standing ovation gets me every time.

I’m stealing Jay Jarboe, and Sherry too if she’ll come, for a cup of coffee at some point. Jealous?!

What about you? Favorite memory? What excites you?

New Favorite Quote

My new favorite quote comes from Leonard Sweet, talking about fundamentalism in The Three Hardest Words in the World to Get Right (p. 22):

“A yearning for yesteryear, a hankering after the palmy days of the past, a nostalgia for what never did happen, is at the heart of fundamentalism. The Bible challenges us to “remember the days of old,” to honor the “years of many generations,” but not to live in them. Alpha and Omega are yoked, but Alpha is not Omega.

Reminds me of something my brother mentioned 3 to 5 years ago. I can’t quote him, but the gist was this: the problem with the restoration movement is that Jesus never called us to move back… he calls us to move forward according to what the Spirit is telling us Today.

Tulsa Workshop

I made my tickets last week and I can’t wait! The workshop starts on Wednesday the 21st. Are you going? If you follow my dad’s link to the right, and go down to his post from Wednesday, February the 14th you can see a schedule.

To the ex-AIMers out there, you might be interested to see that our own Angie Burns will be speaking on Friday. And, not mentioned on the schedule, the first annual, AIM-a-pa-looza will be held after the Friday night session in the home of Jason and Heather Thornton. (Reunion for ex-AIMers.) Angie will be in charge of the stories. (Angie, do you think you can get Paige to come and help you out with that?) Stuart will be in charge of the door prizes. (Can someone let Stuart know?) And Jason will be in charge of the singing. I’ll be in charge of eating nachos. (Could someone bring nachos?)

Can’t wait to see you all there!

Allergies, Colds and Tulsa

Feels like forever since I’ve blogged. Pat Sheaffer came into town a week ago last Wednesday so I was pretty busy having a big time with Pat. After taking him to the airport on Monday, I decided on my way home that I might be coming down with something.

BUT, I had an appointment with the Allergy doctor on Monday so I couldn’t get sick yet. I don’t know why I’ve waited 34 years to make this appointment. He gave me the little scratch test, and surprise, I’m allergic to everything. I’m not just saying that… there was nothing that didn’t swell up. In fact, there are still some red spots on my arms 6 days later. Is this normal? I somehow felt vindicated. (Like when you get hit real hard but don’t bruise and you think, hey I wish I had something to show for the pain… I watched my arms swell up and I was so glad.) Now, it’s time to get well. I started the shots on Tuesday but they may take 2 to 3 months before they start making a difference. I can’t wait!

My cold that started on Monday took its sweet time migrating into my chest, where it has stayed. Gotta love it. But the great thing about Mexico is the self-medication. Today I finally started some antibiotics.

I’ll post more on this later, but is everyone making plans to attend the Tulsa Workshop in March? Just a month away! There’s still time to make it work.

Cline Paden

I received the following letter today and thought many of you who read this blog might be interested to know how Cline is doing. What a great man!

Dear brethren,

I am sending this email out widely and asking you to forward it to those on your email list, if you feel that it is appropriate.

As many of you know, Cline R. Paden has been very ill in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease for quite awhile. Recently he has taken a turn for the worse and has apparently been near death on a couple of occasions. In the last couple of days he has rallied a bit but this may be temporary.

We want to open a channel of communication with as many as possible, since Cline is such a beloved brotherhood figure and since he has influenced so many across the years. Here is what we are asking:

Check our website at www.sibi.cc. You will see a picture of Cline and can click on it to get a current report on his condition.

Send an encouraging email to Cline. You may want to share some story of his influence in your life or just share a scripture, prayer or some comforting message. I will take a stack of emails when I visit Cline and read them to him. This will mean more to him than you can know. Send your emails, addressed to Cline, to tadair@sibi.cc or just respond on the website update page.

Share the news of the website update with others and be prepared to forward the notice of Cline's VICTORY, when that time comes. Selfishly we hope that is a long time coming, but many of the medical signs indicate that it may be near.

Thanks for your interest and concern and your prayers for Cline and the whole Paden family.

In Christ,
Truitt Adair

8 Years!

On Sunday, as we drove to our friends’ house to watch the Super Bowl, Kim and Quincy were squealing with delight over the beautiful rainbows along the way. At one point, when I thought they were done, Kim got a fresh glimpse and shouted so suddenly that I thought we were about to get hit by a car. After I let her know we almost drove into oncoming traffic, she told me to lighten up. “After all, that’s why you love me.” …referring to her getting excited over simple things like rainbows.

So today, in honor of our 8th year anniversary, I thought I’d share a few more reasons why I love Kimberly Gwin Rush.

*The other day Quincy asked her to sing a song for him, so she does… in Russian! After finishing she looks at me and says, “Huh, I didn’t know I knew that song.”
*I love that she gets excited that Clark might be left handed (like her).
*I love that she can’t watch a movie at night without falling asleep.
*that she reads the Daily Bible to the kids at breakfast.

*that she’ll take batting practice with the rest of us.
*that movies like Meet the Parents stress her out.
*that Karsyn is a miniature version of her.
*that she’d rather eat veggies than chips but doesn’t give me a dirty look when I have one more piece of pizza.

*that when she’s pregnant she craves Long John Silver’s
*that she’s not pregnant!
*that she is SOOO Beautiful.
*that she can do more than one chin-up.
*that she adores my family. (Sure, who wouldn’t like Mom, Chris, Wendy and Crystal… but Dad and Dusty too?!)
*that I tried to sneak down stairs this morning without waking her at 6:30 and there she was reading her Bible on the couch.

*that she would ever date me, much less marry me.
*that she played in the Baseball Rapido League with me… and was good!
* have you heard her sing? She’s definitely not a Rush.
*that to her, playing scrabble in a coffee shop is romantic and my running and playing with the kids is attractive.
*that she’s smarter than me but doesn’t make an issue out of it. (She was valedictorian of her class at LCU.)

Resolutions and Christmas

So it’s one month and five days since resolutions were made. How are you doing?

I’m not getting any skinnier, but besides that one, I’m doing ok with the resolutions. And I’m re-upping to try again this month to loose a few pounds. (I’d tell you what my other two resolutions are, but over a cup of coffee. I feel better about people laughing in my face as opposed to laughing at their screen.)

And how are we doing with our Christmas presents? Still loving them or are they hiding away in the closet?

We always make fun of my dad for getting us presents he always wanted when he was a kid. But now I understand. I don’t even get my kids presents I wanted. I get them stuff I WANT!

Thus Clark got a batting tee this year and Quincy, Clark and I each got puffy balls that we can whale on in the house without breaking anything. Thus, can you tell in the pictures who’s having the most fun?

Some families read together at bed time. Ours takes batting practice.