Bad news from Canada:
Tattooed evangelist Todd Bentley, who has been holding revivals in Lakeland, Fla., has resigned from public ministry after acknowledging an "unhealthy relationship on an emotional level" with a female staff member, according to the Associated Press.

Such things happened to people in the Bible and I'm sure it's happened throughout history, but it's always a shame when ministers, preachers, priests, clerics, and other spiritual leaders get caught up in scandals.
God holds such people to a higher standard and actions and behaviors that would be shrugged off in Hollywood or the corporate world can be devastating blows to ministries, ministers and their faithful followers.
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Now the good news:
It's only a game, but you know the thrills and chills that sports can deliver, and yesterday I watched the United States women's football (soccer) team defeat Brazil for the Gold Medal.
It was such a great matchup, both sides played a great game, and it came down to one great breakway goal for the United States by Carli Lloyd and a few sensational saves in goal by Hope Solo.

Final score, U.S. 1, Brazil 0.
Funny how the U.S. media have no clue about soccer. They called it a stunning upset and the like, but the USA women's team has dominated Brazil in recent years. I think the announcers said last night that the US team's record against Brazil is 22-3-2, or something close to that. Hardly an upset.
The Olympics have been such a great experience, even though it's overwhelming how much is packed into 2 1/2 weeks.
Best of all, the games have gone off without incident despite terrorist threats. It's not over yet but things are winding down and you have to give the Olympic and Chinese security forces credit doing such a great job thus far.
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I interviewed Joe Eszterhas this week. He's the author of such Hollywood hits as "Basic Instinct," "Jagged Edge," and "Showgirls." But now Joe, age 63, has left Hollywood behind in more ways than one. He moved to a suburb of Cleveland, where he grew up, and after a cancer scare had a spiritual transformation.
His new book, "Crossbearer," is all about his new life in Christ.
Joe and his family go to Holy Angels Catholic Parish and he rants and complains about boring homilies and the scandal of clerical sexual abuse and coverups by bishops, but in the end he says he is a "captive Catholic" who will never find fulfillment in any other church.
I read an advance copy of the book, which comes out Sept. 2, and wrote about it for an article to be published tomorrow.
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I'm looking at maybe taking a trip to Albania next spring, on a mission trip organized by my church. This is a country that was never on my "must-see" list but I think it would be a fascinating trip. Albania used to be one of the most secretive, hard-to-reach countries in the world until the fall of Communism. The people are terrific there, according to a friend who has made 3 trips to Albania, and some coastal areas are becoming popular resorts.
We'll see if the trip works out. I'm also planning a visit to the Philippines in the spring of 2010. But for now that's a long way off, literally and figuratively.

Toledo, Ohio
Aug. 22, 2008