I hope everyone who reads this blog has a great New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and a wonderful year in 2008.
2007 has been a great year in many ways, despite a few stumbling blocks. I do believe that God has even greater things in store for 2008, although I don't know any of the details. But that's where faith comes in. I just have a feeling that something big is going to happen in 2008, something very positive.
It's not that any of us should expect a trouble-free year. We know that life has trials and tribulations, and that these build character and understanding. My pastor mentioned Ephesians 6 today during the sermon, the letter in which Paul writes about putting on the armor of God. He said to use the shield of faith to quench the flaming arrows of the devil. He didn't say that the shield of faith will prevent arrows from coming our way, in fact the wording implies that we should expect to be attacked. But faith will protect us.
Looking back on 2007, one of the things that I am so grateful for is good health, for me and for my family and my loved ones. In 2003, I experienced the tragic death of my younger brother Roy from an aggressive form of lung cancer in March, and then my father's passing in July. That was such a terrible time, I could not wait for the year to get over and for 2004 to begin and maybe time would ease the grief somewhat. Ever since then, I am glad to get through a year without any extreme suffering.
I am so grateful for what I've got. I worry about The Blade and I don't think the newspaper will ever return to the status it held just a few years ago, but at least the paper is still in business and I still have a job. I am, admittedly, bitter at the way things have developed there, and I feel that I've had to pay dearly for the dumb mistakes of others, both union and management. While I don't know what the future holds for this battered newspaper, again it's a matter of having faith. Hopefully, the paper will bounce back to be something good. Or else God will open a door for me elsewhere. I am just going to be patient, work hard, do the best job I possibly can, and keep my ears, eyes and options open.
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I went to a wedding yesterday in Grand Haven, Mich., which is on the western edge of Michigan's lower peninsula. It's a beautiful little beach town on Lake Michigan with only 1,500 residents, but in the summer the state park there has 1.5 million visitors.
At the reception I ran into two people who wanted to talk about my book. One guy said he's read it three times and that it is one of his favorite books ever. I think he was sincere. The other guy did not read the book and said he is convinced Gerald Robinson is innocent. I don't think anything will ever convince certain people that the priest is guilty. If they witnessed the murder, they would still come up with some excuse for Robinson. But I must say the guy was very cordial and listened politely to the reasons why I believe the priest killed the nun and why the jury convicted him. Still, he was not persuaded.
That's fine with me, honest. I know there are people like him and I think it's good to be skeptical. That's a trait of most journalists. However, I find it interesting that he knew very little about the facts of the case. His opinion was pre-set before the trial even began. I think most people who saw all the evidence and listened to all the testimony during the trial would feel that justice was served.
I'm looking forward to the next round of publicity when the book comes out in paperback. I have a publicist who is talking to producers for Oprah and Larry King, and the library is trying to get C-SPAN to send its Book TV crew to Toledo to film my Feb. 7 talk in the Author! Author! program. I still believe this is one of the most amazing stories ever told and once it gets some national exposure that people will be fascinated with it.
I go back to work tomorrow after more than a week off and then tomorrow night it will be time to celebrate the new year with family.
The only thing I want to say for now is ... Go Blue! I hope Michigan can beat Florida on New Year's Day but the way Florida decimated Ohio State last year in the national championship, the Gators are a little intimidating. U of Florida is one of the few schools I applied to, and which accepted me. But I opted for Duke, and I would say I made the right decision. But I've always had a place in my heart for Florida. Still, when it comes time for Michigan to play Florida in a bowl game, I'm pulling for the Wolverines all the way. So once again, it's "M Go Blue!"
(People often ask me how I can be a Michigan fan when I live in Ohio. Well it goes back to when I first moved to Toledo from Florida and my father in law was a true-blue Michigan fan. He had season tickets and took me to a few games at the Big House, as it's known, and I was immediately hooked. And besides, Ann Arbor is only 45 minutes from my house while Columbus, home of OSU, is 2 1/2 hours away. So although I live in Ohio I'm closer to Michigan.
Sylvania, Ohio
Dec. 30, 2007