Help Haiti with Compassion

It has been a whirlwind trip. As you know, I landed in the Dominican Republic Friday, January 29. I spent the night in Santo Domingo. I woke up at 6:00 am to a phone call asking me to be ready to leave at 8:00 am. Wondering to myself — “does he mean 8:00 am — or somewhere AROUND 8:00 am.”

I decided to get up and get a meal at the hotel restaurant — last meal before heading to the unknown.

I took a shower, packed up and headed to breakfast. It was great — a buffet. I LOVE breakfast, especially in buffet style. I had

Bus ride to Haiti

eggs, potatoes, a wonderful banana, bacon, and fresh orange juice. It was great. However, I was thinking to myself, “Self, you have an 8 hour bus ride to Haiti. What goes in must come out.” I’ll spare you the details. But, it was a concern.

I went back to my room picked up my luggage and headed to the lobby. I checked out at 7:55 am and prepared for the hour long wait. However, to my surprise, Ivan was waiting for me outside. It was great. He told me that I would be riding alone to Haiti. “Do you speak Spanish?” he asked. I said, “Nope — not a lick.” He said, “It should be a great trip to catch up with your reading because you’re not going to talk to anyone.” LOL

He was right. I sat near the front in assigned seat 12, next to a girl who told me right away, “No, English — none — no English. No talk.” That sounded like English to me. She was young, about 20 something. She was traveling to Haiti with several others — not sure if they were family or not. She did not enjoy sitting by me. Not sure why. She did have this thing for bees. She had a bee that kept crawling toward her on the window. She’s was afraid of it. But, she wouldn’t kill it. I tried to help her, but she wouldn’t let me. A tree hugger in Dominican Republic.

The bus was nice. Air conditioning, quiet, good springs. It was comfortable.

Men work on a load of food at the border.

It took about 4 hours to get to the Haitian border. Woe, what a stark difference between the DR and Haiti. It’s like night and day. On the DR side, trees, grass, water, pretty flowers and everything you would expect in a tropical island nation. However, when we got to the border it was just the opposite. Like a wasteland. No trees. The lake was full of silt. Pollution everywhere. It was just awful.

We made it to customs and it was chaos, at best. We were there two hours. Since I don’t speak the language, it was anybody’s guess what was going on.

We finally made it in to Haiti. The roads — bad. As we got closer and closer to Port au Prince we started seeing damage to buildings. As we finally made it to the bus terminal, I thought I had seen it all. But, I hadn’t been downtown yet. That’s when my eyes were open to the incredible amount of devastation.

The pictures speak for themselves.

Port au Prince, Haiti Earthquake 2010

Port au Prince, Haiti Earthquake 2010

Haiti Supreme Court Building 2010

Port au Prince, Haiti Earthquake 2010

Everything the Haitians knew as their power structure has been destroyed. The Presidential Palace, Supreme Court and the Military.

What’s great is Compassion International is there to help. No, they’re not doing it alone. They come along side the local church to empower THEM to do. Since they understand the community needs better than anyone, they uniquely qualified to identify the most needy. They’re the ones who become the heroes in the community, which gives them a platform to share their faith.

Compassion International had 74 staff. Now they have 73. Of the 73 staff members, 15 of their family members lost their lives. 16 program staff (church members) lost their lives. 61 sponsored children and young adults lost their lives. 233 were injured.

One staff member Eusua and his wife, lost his daughter. He told me, “I wasn’t even there. I was here working at Compassion when the earthquake hit.” His eye welling up with tears. He told me his wife was caring for his son and daughter when the quake hit. They survived the quake, “But when they ran away my daughter got away from my wife and a wall fell on her.” He asked me to pray for his wife who is taking it hard.

Can you imagine having your son in your arms, your other child running for her life, only to be killed by a falling wall?

Joshlyn Molone' with Dashna and Dashne, her nieces.

On the ground stories like Joshlyn Molone ring throughout Haiti. Her sister, mother of twin girls nearly two years old died in the earthquake. Now, Molone’, 21, will share the responsibility of taking care of her nieces with her 15-year-old sister.  They’re now reduced to living in a tent outside the ruins of the girls’ home — a tent purchased by the twins mother before the quake.

Rain is the enemy. With tent cities the only means of protection for those homeless will be ineffective. Typhoid, Cholera, and Malaria will take its toll on this population — 10-percent of which died in the earthquake.

In Laogone, Compassion International sent a medical team in to help the city of about 10,000. Few medical teams had made it into the region. They were able to find many walking wounded, including a young girl who was injured in the quake. She was cooking at the time. A wall came down on her hand, pinning it in the fire. When she was rescued, her index finger was lost. From January 12 to January 30, this little girls has been among the walking wounded. The team was able to get her to a hospital, and later evacuated to a hospital in Martinique.

Today, was Help Haiti with Compassion. I talked with several radio stations around the country — from New York to Chicago to California. All

Greg speaking to WMBI Moody Radio Chicago.

with one purpose, raising money to help Compassion International’s work in Haiti. The goal was to raise as much money as possible for the work of Compassion International in Haiti. More than 1,000 radio stations said they would participate. Some did more than others. But, all in all we were able to raise more than $1-million for the needs of the people of Haiti.

Well, it’s been an incredible couple of days. Keep praying for the people of Haiti. Equally as important — GIVE. http://www.HelpHaitiWithCompassion.org.

Also, if you’d like to see pictures of my trip, click here.

Brit Hume on Tiger Woods

Tonight, sitting in my living room, I couldn’t believe my ears. The tease on Fox News suggested Brut Hume, on national television, told the nation the Tiger Woods needed to convert to Christianity to get forgiveness. I HAD to tune in to find out what this was about.

Here’s the context, on Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace asked about what they called, ‘the biggest sports story of the year’ the Tiger Wood fall from grace. Here was Brit’s response:

Here’s the text:

“Tiger Woods will recover as a golfer. Whether he can recover as a person I think is a very open question, and it’s a tragic situation for him. I think he’s lost his family, it’s not clear to me if he’ll be able to have a relationship with his children, but the Tiger Woods that emerges once the news value dies out of this scandal — the extent to which he can recover — seems to me to depend on his faith. He’s said to be a Buddhist; I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be, ‘Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.’”

I decided to look into his comments. Does Buddhism allow for forgiveness of sins?

Let me quote Barbara O’Brien, a Buddhist blogger: “Buddhism doesn’t offer redemption and forgiveness in the same way Christianity does. Buddhism has no concept of sin; therefore, redemption and forgiveness in the Christian sense is meaningless in Buddhism.”

She goes on to say, “Destructive behavior is understood to be driven by tanha, thirst, which the Buddha explained (in the Four Noble Truths) was the cause of dukkha, unease or suffering. Buddhism itself can be defined as a path of practice that helps us see through the delusions that give rise to tanha.”

Unfortunately, Buddhism requires the individual to travel down the path to see through the ‘delusions’ that give us the desire to do bad. I’m guessing Tiger was already ‘on the path’ and on his own jumped off the path. If he can’t stay ‘on the path’ on his own, how is he going to see ‘the delusions’ on his own?

Now Brit Hume is receiving an incredible amount of hate mail, which I think he expected. Just suggesting that Jesus is the only way to forgiveness, will bring the wolves out in full force. With the world yelling, ‘tolerance’ that goes out the window when it comes to Christianity. Here are a few of the negative comments:

“This guy doesn’t think that Christians sleep around? How forgiving are Christians? They are the most judgemental group of people on this earth. They say one thing and do another. The hypocracy is too much.”

“I am so tired of pompous “Christians” recruiting and, in the process, demeaning [other] belief systems…Tiger needs to take an inward journey – under whatever guise he chooses – to figure out why having it all wasn’t enough. That’s a private journey and his privacy – in ALL areas – should be respected. Brit Hume needs to take the same journey to discover why he feels superior to others when he has no credentials to support that belief.”

“Typical Christian arrogance – to say “our religion is better than yours” just proves that there is a lack of respect for anything other than Christianity. If Christians were such moral people, they’d show respect for those who are of different faiths!! Of course christians claim that you will be forgiven for everything you do – the NEED to be forgiven themselves for their own actions and bigotry!”

It’s amazing the amount of intolerance in their tolerance.

Be praying for Brit Hume. I’m sure he’s receiving LOTS of hate mail. I’m also sure he’s receiving some positive comments, too. I’d like to encourage you to send Fox News a note of appreciation for allowing Brit Hume to talk about his faith — freely. That’s true free speech. Some many times Christians have been silenced.

Brit has it right — in an interview with Bill O’Reilly, Hume said, “Just mentioning the name ‘Jesus Christ’ brings with it a lot of passion.” He’s right — negative and positive. Some HATE Christ, because they know what He stands for. Others LOVE Him because they know what He stands for.

Let’s pray Brit’s comments will do more to point people to Christ, rather than push them away.

The Russians are Laughing?

I was sent this from a friend. Even if it’s not totally true, it’s eye opening. America, we’re too young to die.

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American descent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.

True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.

Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.

First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather than the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their “right” to choke down a McDonalds burger or a Burger King burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our “democracy”. Pride blind the foolish.

Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different “branches and denominations” were for the most part little more than Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more than happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the “winning” side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the “winning” side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America .

The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America ’s short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more than another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe .

These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?

These men, of course, are not an elected panel but made up of appointees picked from the very financial oligarchs and their henchmen who are now gorging themselves on trillions of American dollars, in one bail out after another. They are also usurping the rights, duties and powers of the American congress (parliament). Again, congress has put up little more than a whimper to their masters.

Then came Barack Obama’s command that GM’s (General Motor) president step down from leadership of his company. That is correct, dear reader, in the land of “pure” free markets, the American president now has the power, the self given power, to fire CEOs and we can assume other employees of private companies, at will. Come hither, go dither, the centurion commands his minions.

So it should be no surprise, that the American president has followed this up with a “bold” move of declaring that he and another group of unelected, chosen stooges will now redesign the entire automotive industry and will even be the guarantee of automobile policies. I am sure that if given the chance, they would happily try and redesign it for the whole of the world, too. Prime Minister Putin, less than two months ago, warned Obama and UK ’s Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our “wise” Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride.

Again, the American public has taken this with barely a whimper…but a “freeman” whimper.

So, should it be any surprise to discover that the Democratically controlled Congress of America is working on passing a new regulation that would give the American Treasury department the power to set “fair” maximum salaries, evaluate performance and control how private companies give out pay raises and bonuses? Senator Barney Franks, a social pervert basking in his homosexuality (of course, amongst the modern, enlightened American societal norm, as well as that of the general West, homosexuality is not only not a looked down upon life choice, but is often praised as a virtue) and his Marxist enlightenment, has led this effort. He stresses that this only affects companies that receive government monies, but it is retroactive and taken to a logical extreme, this would include any company or industry that has ever received a tax break or incentive.

The Russian owners of American companies and industries should look thoughtfully at this and the option of closing their facilities down and fleeing the land of the Red as fast as possible. In other words, divest while there is still value left.

The proud American will go down into his slavery without a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker.

God, Man and the Bible

This week my daughter in-law expressed an interest in knowing more about God. She’s a new believer, so I brought along a lesson we went through in our Sunday school class in church, called “God, Man and the Bible.” It’s written by Steve Raemisch, our associate pastor.

I’ve been going through it so I was prepared to take our family through it and I must say it’s so amazing. It’s amazing that God’s Word has survived throughout the centuries. It’s a amazing that the story of original has been preserved. It’s amazing that even before the foundations of time, God had His plan of salvation all laid out for sinful man. It’s amazing that God gives it FREELY to us and it’s nothing we can do to earn it. It’s amazing that he gives sinful people the desire to please Him and serve and to learn more about Him.

Although, going through it, I’m reminded that I have failed in my walk as a believer in Christ. I don’t have enough moments in His Word. I don’t pray enough. I don’t make enough efforts to share my faith with others. I don’t love people the way I should. I don’t always have a desire to love people.

Is this discouraging to me?  Yes, and no. Yes it’s discouraging to know that I fail Him. That I don’t always walk according to His word. It’s discouraging that I don’t do the things I want to do, but still do the things I don’t want to do. But, it’s encouraging to know that God is still working on me because He continues to give me a desire to follow after Him, read about Him and to please Him. It’s encouraging to know that despite my sin, He’s faithful to restore me, even though I don’t deserve it.

It’s Sunday. A day I should be with fellow believers, but today it’s nice to know that I’m abiding with my Father. I understand that He’s my guide. That’s He’s called me to be his follower. It’s a huge calling, but I’m up for the challenge.

Pray for my family this week as we go through this study. Pray that we won’t be distracted and that we’ll make great progress in understand the truths of His Word.

Greg

Vacation – yeah!

It’s day one of my summer vacation. I have been looking forward to this for soooo long.  For the past couple of year, vacation for the Yoder family has been traveling 4 hours away to the family cottage on the northeast side of Michigan along the coast of Lake Huron. I grew up coming to this cottage, built by my grandfather in 1955.

There are so many memories ‘up north.’ Each year, we have traveled to ‘the cottage’ along with my four grown kids, grand-kids, and my my nine year old daughter. It is heart-warming to hear how much they look forward to this one week in the summer where we can just relax, play games, swim, play in the sand and soak in the sun.

For me this is a time to not only renew myself with my family, but to renew my life to God. I spend almost every morning (weather permitting) with a frest cup of coffee, and read God’s Word outside on the beach. What a blessing to be able to take my time going through God’s word.

Stay tuned. I hope to blog about my time with the Lord all week.

Greg

Mission Network News is quoted on CNN

A friend alerted me that CNN had used a Mission Network News story in one of their reports.

You can see it here.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/05/21/todd.afghan.bible.burning.cnn

Obama, the smartest president?

The media continues it’s frenzied ‘worship’ of a man who Sean Hannity calls, “the chosen one.”  I’m amazezd at the kind of questions President Obama is getting from the national press and the coverage he’s getting. At a recent press conference, Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times asked President Obama very difficult question, “What has enchanted you during your first 100 days in office?”

“Enchanted”?  What’s that supposed to mean? I could think of more important questions:

1. Why did you think it necessary to spend more of the nation’s taxpayers money in the first 100 days of your presidency than the previous president spent in eight years in office?”
2. Why did the Obama administration threaten Chrysler leaders into bankruptcy?
3. Why did the Obama administration release top secret documents about interrogation techniques putting our country in more danger, but the administration won’t release pictures of the $300,000 plus Air Force One photos over New York City?

So far, I haven’t heard any substantial answers to any of these questions.

What has happened to the press that’s supposed to look out for the American people? Why have they cozied up to any political party. They’re supposed to be a part of the checks and balances system that makes the United States a Republic. Why have they abandoned their journalistic integrity?

Had President Bush made these types of decisions the press would have had a field day. They would have gone back through the history of the world and crafted reports telling the world about the failure of socialism and how President Bush was on a road to utter failure. They would have called for his impeachment for bankrupting the United States and pushing our economy into a depression. They would be asking difficult questions about why his cabinet selections were so corupt. Each decision would be under a microscope.

But, not this president. He gets a pass. Where are the tough questions? Where is the public outcry?

The amazing thing is that the media outlets that are, are going to be punished, are the ones who are doing their jobs — Fox News and talk radio.  They have asked the hard questions. Unfortunately, those who are asking the questions are being marginalized by the left. They’re either called right wing extremists who have lost touch with the American people, or they’re told their misinformed and lied to.

I’m also tired of hearing that Obama is smart and President Bush is so stupid. Obama graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School.  Bush graduated from Yale. Bush actually had BETTER grades in Yale compared to Senator John Kerry. Compared with Al Gore, they were about equal in their scores. But, unfortunately, President Obama didn’t release his scores. We know he graduated from Columbia, but without honors, which is below a 3.3 grade point average. However, he did graduate Harvard Law SchoolMagna Cum Laude, which, according to the Havard Law School website, is awarded to the top 10% of Harvard Law School students.

However, it does take a bright man to understand that you can’t spend money you don’t have. President Obama’s first 100 days in office have been expensive.  Since his inauguration, the President has signed into law $1.19 trillion in new spending.  That’s $11.9 billion of spending for each day he has been in office. And the liberals thought President Bush spent a lot. Is that intelligent.

I’m beginning to understand what happens in the end times when The Beast takes over the world. The person is worshiped. Even though it’s clear the evil this person commits, people follow blindly. It’s amazing that we’re seeing the beginning of blind faith that could lead this country to economic and political destruction.

The good news is that God is in control. Perhaps this is exactly what this country deserves. Throughout history He’s brough powerful countries to their knee because of the sin of the people. With the government support of same sex mariage, abortion on demand, so called Christians preaching ‘another gospel’, and more God can’t be pleased.

Pageant, politics and racism

I am frankly beside myself today. I have always thought we live in a free nation. The United States — the land of the free and the home of the brave. I now have a different view. While our country was founded on those principles, I now believe our leaders (President Obama and the Democrat controlled legislature) want that to end. The frightening thing about it is there are influential people who want our country to dramatically change as well. Even more scary is that most of the American people DON’T care. The Democrats are unquestioningly following. And, Republicans are afraid to do anything about it.

Let’s start with the Miss USA pageant over the weekend. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Miss California Carrie Prejean (a Christian candidate) answers a question from judge Perez Hilton about legalizing same-sex marriage during the Miss USA Pageant. “We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage,” Prejean said. “And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”

Looking at blogs and other commentaries, many say Miss California lost the pageant because of her answer to the question. Maybe I shouldn’t be so amazed. It appears the United States has reached a new ’sinful’ low. We’ve penalized a women for having strong character, who’s wholesome, ethical, and stands on her convictions. It’s amazing that she would be penalized for believing in something that may not be politically correct. To allow someone like Perez Hilton (an outspoken homosexual and blogger) be a judge on a television show that’s supposed to be an example to young women around the country.

I shouldn’t be surprised. Because, soon, it will be illegal to say anything negatively about homosexuality. News reports indicate a vote is looming this week in Congress on a bill that one conservative activist warns would not only silence Christian opposition to homosexuality, but also would legitimize deviant forms of “sexual orientation.” According to OneNewsNow.com A markup vote is expected Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee on the Local Law Enforcement and Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.  House Democrats only have to give 24 hours’ notice before the vote.  The measure (H.R. 1913) sponsored by Representatives John Conyers (D-Michigan) and Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) would add homosexuals and transgender people to the list of classes federally protected from so-called “hate crimes.”

Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition, says the bill is a serious threat to religious freedom.

“Your pastor could be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit a hate crime if it passes and become law,” she warns. “This so-called ‘hate crimes’ bill will be used to lay the legal foundation and framework to investigate, prosecute, and persecute pastors, business owners, Bible teachers, Sunday School teachers, youth pastors — you name it — or anyone else whose actions are based upon and reflect the truth found in the Bible.”

Now, a character on my favorite TV show has got me pretty ticked off. She’s called me and millions of other Americans, racists.  Janeane Garofalo, who plays Janis Gold on the television series 24, says the people who attended tea parties are racists with dysfunctional brains.  Here’s her quote:

“Let’s be very honest about what this is about. This is not about bashing Democrats. It’s not about taxes. They have no idea what the Boston Tea party was about. They don’t know their history at all. It’s about hating a black man in the White House,” she said on MSNBC’s “The Countdown” with Keith Olbermann Thursday evening. “This is racism straight up and is nothing but a bunch of *!(%#!~ rednecks. There is no way around that.”

I am not a racist, but I am opposed to Socialism and government spending MY money like there is no end to it. I am opposed to the president of the United States bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia and giving legitimacy to rouge leaders, i.e. Venezuela and Cuba. I’m also opposed the president giving aid to our enemies by releasing highly classified “Top Secret” documents about interrogation techniques. I’m also tired of hearing Obama apologize to the world for the United States. He’s caving in and it’s hard to stomach that Obama is going to give away part of the United States in order to make him look good. Those kinds of issues aren’t racist. Those are issues that violate the sovereignty our our nation. Obama is trying to re-write the constitution and American history. It’s sad.

Where does that leave us? On our knees before God pleading for mercy. Asking God to bring revival in a nation that’s rejected Him. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Obaminomics

In Honor of the 44th President of the United States , Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream has issued a new flavor, ” Barocky Road ..”

Barocky Road is a blend of half Vanilla, half Chocolate, and surrounded by Nuts and Flakes.

The Vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient.

The Nuts and Flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow.

The Cost is $100.00 per scoop.

When purchased, it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the Ice Cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you.

Thus you are left with an empty wallet, no change, holding an empty cone, with no hope of getting any Ice Cream.

Aren’t you feeling stimulated?

AND…..

Read and become enlightened!

I became confused when I heard these terms with reference to the word
’service’.

Revenue ‘Service’
Postal   ‘Service’
Telephone ‘Service’
Cable  ‘Service’
Civil ‘Service’
Customer ‘Service’
State, City &  County  Public ‘Service’

This is not what I thought ’service’ meant.

But today, I overheard two farmers talking, and one of them said he had
hired a bull to come ’service’ a few cows.  BAM!!!  It all came into
focus..Now I understand what all those ’service’ agencies are doing to us.

I hope you are now as enlightened as I am.

MSU wins now plays UNC

For the first time in my adult life, I have taken my family on a spring break trip. My sister and brother in-law are serving at a church in North Carolina. So, we decided to leave the cold of Michigan to travel to NC for a break.  To tell you about this, I have to go back a week.

A week ago (March 27). Because I was going to be away on a men’s retreat, my wife decided to go to New York to see our married son and grand kids. Unfortunately, when she go to Port Huron, MI (three hours away), the transmission in our car went out. Forutnately, the day before I decided to buy her a GPS to help in her navigation. When the car broke down she could just barely limp along. The GPS got her to a Chevy Dealer by taking the back roads. She got there safely. The dealer, gave her a rental, and sent her on her way.

Fortunately, the transmission was covered by an extended warrantee that we had purchased when we bought the car. But, because it was a Japanese transmission they weren’t able to get parts quickly. Long story short, it took them nearly a week to get the parts they needed and they weren’t able to get the car done in time. So, we had to take my 2001 Buick. It has nearly 100,000 miles. So, at 8:30 pm Friday, we started on our way…a 13 hour trip.

I love driving at night. I decided to would try to make a little past Cincinnati and look for a hotel. We made it there at around 1:00 am, but there weren’t any hotels available. Not thinking EVERYONE would be stopping around Cincinnati because of SPRING BREAK, we kept driving. We drove another hour before we found a Motel 6 who, “left the light up for us.”  We slept until 8:00 am and got back on the road.

We drove to Gatlinburg, TN where my wife, Ann, visited with an old friend. We had lunch and spent some time laughing and got on our way to NC.

We arrived at around 5:45 and traveled directly to the cabin we rented. Through the winding roads in the foothills of the smokies. We passed horse farms and streams. It was so beautiful. Our cabins are about 15 minutes from town, but it feels like it’s out in the middle of no-where. The great thing is the cabin has cable and wi-fi. So, as soon as I got the car unpacked I turned on the Michigan State vs UConn game. To my utter joy, MSU was in the lead.

What an exciting game. We watch the first half, leaving the cabin to go visit my sister and her family nearby. It took the entire half to get there and we arrived JUST in time to watch the second half. It was a great battle, but MSU got the upper hand with it’s up-beat style offense and tough defence and pulled off a great victory to win the semi-final game of the Final Four.

So, Monday will be a lot of fun. I’m in NORTH CAROLINA. I’ll be cheering for MICHIGAN STATE with my Green and White MSU hat and shirt. My goal is to go a location where there A LOT of North Carolina fans and be the ONLY MSU fan cheering my loudest for the Spartans.  Wait — no, I have a wife and kids.  I think I just watch it with my sister and her family. No, I’m not a chicken — I just don’t want to get hurt while I’m on vacation.

GO STATE!!!