Keywords by David Yonke

The list of finalists for the Religion Newswriters Association's "journalist of the year" awards has just been released. I am glad to say I am a finalist in the mid-sized newspapers category.
I thought I had a strong portfolio for 2007 but you never know about such things. For one thing, I am always busy doing my daily job and don't have the luxury to spend a lot of time on any one story or series. In addition, I get virtually no travel budget to cover things out of town or out of state or out of the country, which often leads to some of the most inspiring stories.
But of course I realize many of my colleagues are in the same boat -- some, not all.
The other reason I don't get my hopes up is that I don't write with contests in mind. I write for the newspaper readers, not contest judges. I know some journalists who are always thinking of what they need to do to write something that will win a contest. Awards do give a reporter a certain amount of prestige and respect, which is good -- maybe even necessary -- for some people's egos. The competition is pretty fierce and there are many terrific religion reporters out there.
For me, contests are incidental. I do my job as a reporter/editor and when contest time rolls around, I go back and sort things out and hope I find something worth entering.
A lot of years, I don't even submit any entries. This system may be backwards in regard to contests, but I think it's the best way to do the job right.
Well, as they say in Hollywood, it's an honor just to be nominated. Time will tell if I come home with an award this year (unlike last year, when I was a finalist but came home empty-handed).
* * *
I wrote an article for tomorrow's paper about a new book by Bishop V. Gene Robinson, who wrote that he is willing to take a stand and put up with all kinds of personal attacks because he believes God is calling him to do something -- be the first openly gay and noncelibate bishop in the Episcopal Church.
I don't have the same interpretation of scripture as Bishop Robinson when it comes to homosexuality, but I do think that taking a stand and putting up with flak can be the only option for someone of courage and conviction. He said he wore a bulletproof vest to his consecration. That speaks volumes and I respect him for that.
In fact, I can relate to Bishop Robinson for standing up for something he believes will ultimately result in the greater good. He was willing to face death threats rather than take the easy way out and avoid the issue, or hope that someone else will step in and take the heat instead of him.
When people read news reports they don't like, the knee-jerk reaction is to blame the messenger. Attacking a reporter is always easier than facing up to the issues or fixing the problems. I don't mind. In fact, I consider it a sign that I'm doing a good job.
Toledo, Ohio
May 2, 2008

A small, largely overlooked article by the Associated Press was published this week that really should have gotten more attention. The headline said flatly:

ExxonMobil nets $10.9B

The world's largest publicly traded oil company announced that first-quarter profits for 2008 climbed 17 percent to $10.9 billion, "the second-biggest U.S. quarterly corporate profit ever".

According to my calculater, that is more than $121 million in profits EVERY DAY, or $5 million EVERY HOUR, or $84,000 in profits EVERY MINUTE.

The latest polls show that the No. 1 issue on Americans' minds is rising oil and gas prices, even ahead of the presidential race, war in Iraq, or global warming. Gas prices are affecting everyone, and those on fixed incomes or living in poverty are being hurt the most.

Meanwhile, ExxonMobil is basking in near-record profits. They must be laughing all the way to their Swiss bank accounts.

It's time to clamp down on the oil giants. How can people be forced to pay $3.60 or so per gallon -- up more than $1 a gallon in only a year -- while ExxonMobil is netting $10,900,000,000 in profits in just three months?

Average citizens are being forced to choose between buying gas or food; food prices are soaring, jobs are being cut, businesses are going bankrupt -- all of the economic strife that has been impacting our natino is now being exacerbated by soaring gas prices.
Our government ought to be ashamed of itself for letting ExxonMobil and other oil corporations rake in such obscene profits while the rest of the country is suffering and sacrificing. It's unconscionable and yet the situation continues. ExxonMobil's record quarter was the previous one, netting $11,700,000,000 at the end of 2007.
The higher the price at the pump, the higher the profits.
OK, I know economics are complicated and higher prices and profts are not a direct, simple, cause-and-effect relationship. But you can't deny the connection. It's time to stop making excuses and start taking action. If Bush won't do it, and I doubt Mr. Oilman will, hopefully the next president will do something. He or she will, but only if it's politically expedient.
* * *

Marc Dann is sworn in as Ohio Attorney General

More sad news, this time involving Ohio politics:
Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann is making a mockery of his office. He campaigned on a strong ethics and moral platform, blasting the corrupt Ohio Republican era and the Tom Noe scandal to help himself get elected.

Now the 46-year-old married man admits to having had an affair with a 28-year-old employee. In addition, his "roommate" and longtime pal, director of General Service Anthony Gutierrez, was found by investigators to have used his office to intimidate and a harass women employees and was fired by Dann.
It's pretty clear that Dann is doomed, despite asserting he won't resign. Elliot Spitzer also said at first that he wouldn't resign. Dann won't have a choice in the long run. His political career is kaput. It was notable that when he faced the press on Friday, his wife wasn't at his side as they are for most fallen politicians. He's really out there on his own now.
I think the Dann controversy proves that people in high positions, whether in government or religious office, are held to a higher standard. Even in this crazy mixed up world, most people expect reasonably high moral values from their leaders.
No one is perfect but those whose jobs are a public trust should know that they will be held accountable, and that with the internet and camera phones and video cell phones and text messages and email records, there are few secrets anymore.
Toledo, Ohio
May 4, 2008

I wrote a couple of stories about the Holocaust last week. It's almost beyond belief that such a thing could have happened in a so-called modern world. Here is a link to an article about the museum in suburban Detroit.
Most Americans are at least aware of what happened in the Holocaust. But many people may not be aware of the fact that the Nazis' campaign to exterminate the Jews was reported in the United States as it developed. Many newspapers and radio stations informed the U.S. public about the genocide as it was starting, but the horrors were essentially ignored in America for years. Maybe it was too bizarre to believe. I don't know exactly what changed the perception in the states but somewhere along the line the American people finally woke up and took action.
One lasting lesson from the Holocaust is to keep Edmund Burke's famous quote in mind: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
* * *
Feliz Cinco de Mayo, amigos y amigas!

Toledo, Ohio
May 5, 2008

Got a press release today from A. Larry Ross Communications, a Texas publicity and marketing firm. They handle a lot of big clients including Billy Graham.
The headline on the press release read:
Guiness Draft Creates Washington Buzz

Here's the rest of the story: It's about Os Guinness, famous Christian author, drafting "The Evangelical Manifesto" that will be released tomorrow at the National Press Club in D.C.
So now the headline's double meaning makes sense. Pretty witty!
* * *
Here's another interesting little play on words: "I see said the blind man, as he picked up a hammer and saw."
Think about that one.
My old boss, Sam Boy, used to say it when I was a teenager working at a carryout in college. But he said it with a heavy-duty southern drawl.
* * *
I'm off to see Kathy Reichs, author of the best-selling "Bones" detective novels who also is a forensic pathologist who testified at the Gerald Robinson trial, who will be speaking tonight in Toledo at the Authors! Authors! program.
* * *
Toledo, Ohio
May 6, 2008

I got home the other night and noticed a tire was low. I had run over a screw. My favorite tire place, Joe's Sylvania Tire & Wheel, closes at 5 pm. It's a local business and I not only want to support it for that reason, as opposed to the big chains, but Joe knows tires and he is honest. But the shop hours are inconvenient. I couldn't go yesterday morning because I had a dentist appointment. So I figured I'd go this morning. However, getting around town with a tire that has a slow leak is quite a challenge.
It seems that when you're desperately searching for an air pump, you wind up at gas stations that either don't have a pump or have one that's out of order.
After a few frustrating stops, I finally found an air pump that looked to be in working condition. It took 75 cents in quarters. I only had two quarters on me.
Arrgghh!
I go into the store and ask for change for a dollar so I can use the pump. The guy says "I'll just turn it on for you," and pushes a button.
Voila! Air when you need it. And free.
It made me think about searching for God. So often, we look in all the wrong places. Then when do make a connection, we think we come up short.
But if we only ask him, God is there for us. Free of charge.
That's my sermon for the day.
* * *
I met Kathy Reichs last night and gave her a copy of my book. She's the best-selling author of the novels about forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan and the producer of the "Bones"
TV show on Fox.
Reichs also testified for the defense for Gerald Robinson's murder trial. And, she told me (and Tahree Lane in an interview) that the priest's lawyers never paid her the full amount.
Anyway, Tahree told me she was very interested in my book so I gave her a signed copy and hope she likes it. You never know what will open a door.
Meanwhile, I have a conference call coming up with some movie producers next week about the "movie treatment" I wrote and then revised for Sin, Shame & Secrets.
We'll see how that goes.
* * *
Did you watch American Idol last night? I think Simon got it right, if too bluntly, when he told Jason: "Pack your suitcase." Such a cruel thing to say... but funny in a nasty way.
Simon really had it in for Jason Castro (whom I never liked anyway) last night, telling David Archuletta that he could have whistled his song and sounded better than Jason. Ouch!

Toledo, Ohio
May 7, 2008

Hope y'all had a happy Mother's Day. (What movie was it where the villain killed someone who had made a comment about his mom, and said with a sneer, "Even bad guys love their mothers"? I remember that terrific line but just can't place it.)
Here are a few random updates since we last talked:
1. We went to see Amy Grant and her band in concert in Tiffin, Ohio, last Wednesday. Loved the show. Janet thought it was too "old school" but for me, Amy is such an honest songwriter and talented singer that I don't think her music ever gets old.
I particularly enjoyed when she braved it and played some shouted-out requests even though the band had not rehearsed the songs.
One of the most memorable and entertaining moments of the night was when her six-person band "crashed and burned," as Amy put it, stumbling through "The Things You Do for Love." They didn't have to even try it, but they did. And when they faltered, they kept their chins up and kept slogging away and it all worked fine. Nobody minded that they missed some chords and Amy forgot some words.
The musicians in her group were truly awesome, by the way, and her bass player is from the Toledo suburb of Perrysburg, and had lots of family at the show that night.
It was only Grant's third concert since November, she said.
I had the pleasure of talking with Amy again backstage after the show. She is such a sweetheart and as honest and down to earth in person as any "star" I've ever met.
The Ritz Theatre in Tiffin is quite a nice old hall, ornate and well kept. Built in the 1920s as a movie theater, it seats about 1,200 and there were more than 1,100 people at Amy's concert.
It was a really nice evening.
2. We went to see "Iron Man" for Mother's Day. I think "Mom" picked that film to make me happy. It didn't seem like a movie she would have chosen. However, there wasn' t anything Janet really wanted to see at the theaters and as it turned out, she loved it and so did everyone. Janet even said it was one of the best movies she'd seen in a long time. Robert Downey Jr. was great as the zillionaire playboy whose world literally crashes down on him when he is blown up by the very rockets his company manufactures and which made him so wealthy.
3. I gave a talk to a group of local Muslims on Saturday night and it was a very interesting dialogue. They sincerely want to improve their relations with the community in general, other faith groups, and with the media.
4. I finally found my new Saab. I've been looking ever since the transmission blew out on my old "classic" Saab 900. I ended up buying a newer Saab 900, one that was built after General Motors bought into Saab. I'm hoping that parts will not be so ridiculously expensive anymore.
5. One of Toledo's real gems, trumpeter Jimmy Cook, passed away on Friday. He was not only a great musician but a wonderful man. His terrific trumpet playing reflected his personality. A very fun and giving man, he was a one-of-a-kind and I will miss him.

Toledo, Ohio
May 12, 2008

Sunday was not only Mother's Day, it also was the second anniversary of Gerald Robinson's murder conviction.
Jurors found the Toledo Catholic priest guilty on May 11, 2006, of murdering Sister Margaret Ann Pahl in 1980.
The priest, who turned 70 years old on April 14, is still being held at Hocking Correctional Facility in southern Ohio. His next parole board hearing is scheduled for March 2021.
A decision on his appeal is expected fairly soon from the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. Of course I am extremely interested in this decision, whichever way the court decides. My only personal preference is that the appeals court, which normally issues its decisions on Fridays, does not release its decision on May 23 because I will be on vacation, out of town and out of state that day.
I haven't taken a vacation day yet this year but I have several coming up in the near future, so judges, if you don't mind, it would work out best for me if you release the Robinson decision on May 16 or 30, or June 6 or 20.
Thank you for your cooperation ;-)
* * *
Watched the finale of Survivor last night -- the one that aired Sunday. Fortunately I didn't hear ahead of time who won -- something that would have been impossible when Survivor was the hottest show on earth.
I really didn't care very much for this group, but didn't mind seeing Parvati take home the million dollars. For a former boxer, she seems like an OK person -- albeit a bit vain, conceited, selfish and shallow (well, at least that's how she looked on TV). The only one I was rooting for was James, the honest gravedigger and massive physical specimen. He was much more shrewd than he appeared at first and seems like a genuinely nice person.
I am still stunned that Ozzy, Jason and "Erik the ice cream scooper" were so easily duped into thinking they were safe, and then got stabbed in the back. You'd think after the first blindside the rest of the competitors would have learned. But nooooooooooo. It's always the other guy who's the fool. Until it's time for your own naivity to go on display.
Survivor is a tough reality show and you really need a thick skin to handle all the lies and backstabbing and trickery.
* * *
Regarding another popular reality show, American Idol, I heard on K-Love yesterday that Jason Castro -- the dreadlocked folkie -- used to read his Bible backstage all the time and is being courted by Christian record labels. I had no idea he was a person of faith, but then again there was nothing that would have indicated he was or wasn't a Christian.
I wonder about David Archuletta -- he seemed to pick songs that mentioned God quite a bit and when he sang "Imagine," he skipped the verse that says, "Imagine there's no heaven..." When asked by Randy why he didn't sing that verse, the golly-gee-aw-shucks teenager said he just liked the other verses better.
It's hard to say.
Also, little David is from Utah so statistically speaking it makes you wonder if perhaps he's a Mormon. Maybe the gossip sites and mags have already reported that, but I don't follow them.

Toledo, Ohio
May 13, 2008

First Myanmar was pummeled by Typhoon Nargis, and the horrific damage left millions homeless and at least 43,000 dead.
Then China was struck by a major quake, with a death toll that could reach 50,000.
There have been more tornadoes in the United States this year than almost any other year since the storms were recorded.
Nature's fury is bound to cause havoc at unpredictable times and places. It's been that way since the dawn of time.
We don't know what the hurricane season will bring in 2008.
There's not much you can do about these things except donate to relief work and pray for the afflicted. Governments can install warning systems and get their emergency services teams prepared for any event.
And if you're looking for a place to live, try to find somewhere that's above sea level, away from tectonic fault lines, and not in the middle of Tornado Alley.
* * *
What did I tell you about Marc Dann? As I said last week, It was obvious he would have to resign as Ohio Attorney General after his affair with a younger employee became public knowledge. I don't know why he fought it so long but his resignation was inevitable.
* * *
The next Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, opened today and from people who have seen it and know C.S. Lewis' series, the film takes a lot of liberties with the novel and turns the religious allegories into an action movie and cgi slugfest crammed with battle scenes.
It's more Hollywood than Narnia. Which is not surprising considering that the first movie earned $740 million at the box office, which I am guessing meant that studio moguls got pretty excited about the potential for the sequel and could not leave well enough alone and let the director do his job.
Dr. Bruce Edwards, a C.S. Lewis scholar and BGSU professor, will be speaking about the movie from a spritual perspective in a free lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at Calvary Assembly of God, 5025 Glendale Ave.
Anyone who's interested in Lewis & Narnia should check out this free event. Dr. Edwards is a phenomenal speaker.
Here's his review of Prince Caspian.
* * *
I wrote a memorial story today about my friend and inspiration, Toledo jazz giant Jimmy Cook. He was one of the most joyful people to be around and I will miss him dearly.
Here's a link to the article.

Toledo, Ohio
May 16, 2008

I have been smiling like the Cheshire Cat since finding my new (to me) Saab last week. I didn't realize how miserable I felt, at least when it comes to personal transportation, ever since my beloved classic 900 blew its transmission and had to go the great Trollhatten in the Sky.
My wife spotted a very nice 1996 Saab 900S in the Akron area, and we went out and took a look and ended up driving 'er home last weekend.
This little black beauty has got a sunroof, a five-speed manual transmission, and a few nice bells and whistles. Best of all, it is a joy to drive. It has low miles and is overall in great shape, although like every Saab it's got a few "issues." Fortunately they are cosmetic and nothing too serious. I'll be tinkering with it forever.
It's a pleasure to drive this car and I hope I can keep it for many, many years. There's nothing like a Saab. This is my fourth model (I've had a 96, a 99, a classic 900, and now a New Generation 900), and each model has its pluses and minuses. This new one is a bit smoother to drive, with a more cushy, less racy suspension. It seems bigger and more Americanized, but that was expected since GM bought a big share of Saab in 1994. But it still has enough Swedish blood in it to separate it from the pack, in my opinion.
It sounds kind of weird but I guess I'm not genuinely happy driving anything else, at least not as my own car. I'll drive anything but when it comes to owning a car, Saabs seem to fit my personality perfectly. Maybe I have some Swedish blood in me that I'm unaware of. I've never driven a Ferrari, so I can't rule the Prancing Horse as another possible perfect fit for my driving personality. I don't expect to take that test anytime soon, however. Ha!
* * *
The photo above of a beautiful 1994 Saab 900S is similar in appearance to mine, but it belongs to a guy named Robert in Colorado who has a website devoted to Saabs.
Robert is incredibly skilled at working on cars and he details, in words and photos, all the restoration and mechanical work he has done on his car and on his wife's V-6 Saab.
His blue 900S is about as perfect as can be, inside and out. I've already emailed him for some advice and he is extremely knowledgable about every aspect of Saabs and glad to give advice.
If you're interested, you can read Robert's Saab stories here.

Toledo, Ohio
May 16, 2008

As reported in the local media, Father Frank Murd was arraigned in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday morning on charges of improper sexual contact with an adult male.
What timing: It was the Toledo diocesan priest's 66th birthday.
Judge James Jensen set a trial date for June 24.
I thought it was interesting that Father Murd has hired Thomas Aquinas Matuszak to represent him. Mr. Matuszak was the attorney who wrote the request for a search warrant for the Toledo Catholic Diocese when the prosecutor's office was trying to get the hidden files on Father Gerald Robinson.
* * *
I gave a talk last week in Kansas, Ohio, about my book. There were about 50 people in the audience in the Methodist church. Most of them had read "Sin, Shame & Secrets" and had a keen interest in the case and wanted to know more.
But there was one elderly woman who just scowled at me the whole night.
When it was time for questions, she said she felt that the DNA evidence should have exonerated Robinson. I explanained that only a minuscule amount of DNA was found at the crime scene and the evidence was contaminated because DNA was not used as a forensic tool in 1980 and no one preserved the crime scene for it. But she just frowned, shook her head, and said, "I just think he's innocent."
As the old saying goes, there's one in every crowd.

Toledo, Ohio
May 17, 2008

One of the little humor columns in the latest Reader's Digest reported this clever sign spotted in a church parking lot in Missouri at the pastor's spot:
"You Park, You Preach."

Did you catch this news item published last week? I thought it was very interesting. This is a topic that I've thought about quite a bit, being a science fiction fan and an amateur astronomer.
Does the Bible rule out life on other planets, just because it does not mention such a possibility?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Here's the news from Vatican City:
=================

Vatican scientist says belief in God and aliens is OK

By Philip Pullella
Reuters

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Vatican's chief astronomer says there is no conflict between believing in God and in the possibility of "extraterrestrial brothers" perhaps more evolved than humans.

"In my opinion this possibility (of life on other planets) exists," said Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, a 45-year-old Jesuit priest who is head of the Vatican Observatory and a scientific adviser to Pope Benedict.

"How can we exclude that life has developed elsewhere," he told the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano in an interview in its Tuesday-Wednesday edition, explaining that the large number of galaxies with their own planets made this possible.

Asked if he was referring to beings similar to humans or even more evolved than humans, he said: "Certainly, in a universe this big you can't exclude this hypothesis."

In the interview headlined "The extraterrestrial is my brother," he said he saw no conflict between belief in such beings and faith in God.

"Just as there is a multiplicity of creatures on earth, there can be other beings, even intelligent, created by God. This is not in contrast with our faith because we can't put limits on God's creative freedom," he said.

"Why can't we speak of a 'brother extraterrestrial'? It would still be part of creation," he said.

Funes, who runs the observatory which is based south of Rome and in Arizona, held out the possibility that the human race might actually be the "lost sheep" of the universe.

"There could be (other beings) who remained in full friendship with their creator," he said.

THE "BIG BANG?"

Christians have sometimes been at odds with scientists over whether the Bible should be read literally and issues such as creationism versus evolution have been hotly debated for decades.

The Inquisition condemned astronomer Galileo in the 17th century for insisting that the earth revolved around the sun. The Catholic Church did not rehabilitate him until 1992.

Funes said dialogue between faith and science could be improved if scientists learned more about the Bible and the Church kept more up to date with scientific progress.

Funes, an Argentine, said he believed as an astronomer that the most likely explanation for the start of the universe was "the big bang," the theory that it sprang into existence from dense matter billions of years ago.

But he said this was not in conflict with faith in God as a creator. "God is the creator. There is a sense to creation. We are not children of an accident ...," he said.

"As an astronomer, I continue to believe that God is the creator of the universe and that we are not the product of something casual but children of a good father who has a project of love in mind for us," he said.

Toledo, Ohio
May 19, 2008

A colleague sent me a link to a website that has been set up to encourage people to pray for newspapers and journalists.
Here's the link.
The web site points out that this is a turbulent and troubling time for the newspaper industry, and asks people to pray for all those who are affected by the cutbacks, layoffs, and other changes.
Times definitely are difficult economically for journalists and newspapers, and although I believe the news business will always be here, the format and medium may shift significantly in the coming years.
Anyone who takes the time to organize a site where people are praying for newspapers and for journalists, is A-OK in my book.
Prayer can change things, and it can help you through the changes.

Toledo, Ohio
May 19, 2008

I'm sitting in a Starbucks in the Aquarius Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, listening to some great straight-ahead jazz on the PA. I think it's Ornette Coleman Some woman who weighs about 400 pounds just ordered something like an orange no-fat macchiato. Go figure. I'm drinking a black coffee and nibbling on a banana nut muffin.
My brother-in-law, Ed, who lives in Orange County, Calif., is getting married here today (in Laughlin, but not in Starbucks. This is a strange world to visit. Casinos are not my style but it's fun to people watch. Laughlin is sort of a little brother to Las Vegas, but it's clean and comfortable. The hotel rooms are really nice and the prices are great.
We started in Vegas and drove to L.A. for a few days. We still have a little traveling to go. Most places gas is $385 to $3.99 but as we crossed the desert, we saw a place where unleaded regular was $4.69. One of Ed's friends told me he was on fumes and stopped at a place in the desert and gas was $5.59. Egads.
Well, gotta run. Be back soon.
Laughlin, Nevada
May 24, 2008

Had a fantastic nine-day trip out west but tomorrow it's time to put my nose to the grindstone again.... My vacation was built around my brother in law's wedding -- Ed lives in L.A. and got married in Laughlin, Nevada, on Saturday -- he's 50 and married for the first time (it's the third time for Laurie - hope this one is the charm).
I'm very happy for both of them and wish them all the best. It was a very beautiful ceremony, small and intimate with plenty of friends and a few relatives.
We spent a few days in the City of Angels, saw the Crystal Cathedral again and visited some beachtowns like Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, but mostly just hung out with Ed and Laurie and my in-laws, Bonnie & Rick.
Then we went to Parker, Ariz., where Ed & Laurie have a house on the Colorado River. We spent a day cruising around the river and doing a lot of floating down river. Then it was off to Laughlin for three days, including the wedding.
Janet and I ended up with 2 days in Zion National Park and that was such an amazing place -- words can't capture the beauty and majesty of those mountain peaks.

We did a LOT of hiking and it was fabulous. I'll try to post some pics soon -- I finally found a program to shrink the pics down to usable size for the net. If I could post my verbal observations, it would go something like this: "Wow!" "Wow!" "Look at that!" "Wow!" "Do you believe it?" "This is awesome!" "Wow!"
Really first-rate dialogue, eh?
The Angels Landing trail was the high point, literally and figuratively. We climbed 1,500 feet, almost literally up the side of a mountain, even holding onto a metal chain for support at some points as we perched near the edge of the cliffs. I can hardly believe we did it, but I'm so glad we did.
As much as I enjoyed L.A., Vegas, and Laughlin, there is nothing like hiking through a magnificent national park to get me in touch with myself, my life, my spirit, my God, It was a wonderful way to cap off a great trip.
We flew back today.
A couple of brief side notes from my travels:
I was waiting in the airport in Minneapolis to change planes and saw a Muslim woman in a hijab and her husband with three little children -- one a boy about 10 wearing a shirt and tie -- going through security. The airport security team went through every single piece of luggage, opening up the suitcases and going through each piece of clothing and personal belongings, including everything in one child's SpongeBob backpack.
It seemed to take them forever but they were polite, never short tempered or bitter.
Welcome to 21st century America.
I also noticed on my trip that EVERY Starbucks we saw -- and there were many -- had a line of people waiting. I noticed because I was in a lot of those lines. When you're traveling and crossing through time zones, it's so nice to have a good cup of coffee -- strong and pure and full of caffeine. You know you can count on Starbucks for that much, with their quality coffee, slightly, burned, and maybe a banana nut muffin in the a.m.
Plus... most Starbucks have free wi-fi, which really comes in handy when you're on the road and away from home and need to check the net.
I'm really looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight. We went to bed at midnight last night and got up at 3 a.m. today (well, that was in Vegas, which is on PST, so 6 a.m. EST).
I'm okay but my biorhythms are all out of sync.
I'm not complaining. It was a wonderful "holiday" as they say in the UK.
I feel inspired, refreshed, and ready to get back to work, and to follow my late father's oft-cited beloved advice: Keep your nose to the grindstone.
Sylvania, Ohio
May 28, 2008

Every once in a while, I write an article that I think will rile people up but get little or no response. Then you write what you think will be a noncontroversial, feel-good story and it sets some readers off.
Such was the case with my story about the Sisters of Saint Francis in Sylvania holding a ceremony with local Muslims, including Imam Farooq Abo-Elzahab, to bless an icon depicting the historic 13th century meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malek al-Kamil of Egypt. (You can read it here.)
Father Patrick Rohen of Sandusky wrote a scathing letter to the editor saying the nuns did not represent the church when they performed the blessing, and added that "these liberal gals," as he put it, should be granted a dispensation to leave the church and convert to Islam. (Here is a link.)
The vitriol caught me by surprise. I know Father Patrick fairly well and have a lot of respect for him. But in this case, I have to politely disagree.
I don't think interfaith dialogue or even a blessing ceremony means that people are undermining their own beliefs; rather, the willingness to work together in pursuit of peace with people of different religious traditions and beliefs is something that strengthens one's own faith and makes the world a little better place to live.
The way I see it, dialogue and discussion are preferable to hatred, isolationism, and violence any time.
* * *
Got a call from Ron Moore today. He's playing a concert at St. George Orthodox Cathedral in Rossford.
Ron said he coined the term "contemporary Christian music" when he was a critic and that he was in on the ground floor of the Jesus rock movement along with Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill.
He converted to Eastern Orthodoxy in 1995 and now plays concerts at Orthodox churches around the world.
A very interesting and unique ministry, indeed.
Had I known more about him and if I had not been out of town until yesterday, I would have enjoyed interviewing him and writing a profile about this unusual troubador.
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Tonight the movie "Sex and the City" opens in theaters and except for one brief twist of fate I would have absolutely no interest in this film. I've never seen the TV show although you can't avoid commercials for the movie and reruns of the show.
But last September when I was in New York City with my wife we took a stroll through Greenwich Village and came up on a street lined with movie studio trailers. It was night time and pretty quiet but it was obvious something was going on here. Turns out they were filming "Sex and the City." Janet and I chatted with a young starlet for 10 or 15 minutes. She said her name was Jehira, but I didn't ask how to spell it. She was sweet and polite and fun to talk to and very attractive. So I was thinking that maybe I would actually go to see the movie just to see her in it.
Then I looked at the movie's credits on imdb.com and there's nobody listed whose name even remotely looks like Jehira. I guess that means she has a really small part. Not enough to get me to pay $10 for a movie ticket, that's for sure.
If I do go to the theater tonight it will be to see old faithful Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Ex-Lax (Ha, sorry, Indy ol' man, just kidding about the title).
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Sad to read that Harvey Korman passed away. He was a brilliant comic actor who brought many laughs to millions of people. I used to watch him on The Carol Burnett Show when I was a kid, sitting on the couch with my Mom, laughing at their zany skits. He was terrific.
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Another star who left this mortal coil recently was Sydney Pollack, one of the top directors in Hollywood, who died May 26. I remember him so well as an actor in Woody Allen's "Husbands and Wives." His most celebrated movies as director included the landmark films "Out of Africa" and "Tootsie."

Toledo, Ohio
May 30, 2008