VACATION FACTS

V = Vacations are important for my emotional health and well-being.
A = Anticipation is big part of a vacation and is the next best thing to the vacation
C = Calm is the feeling that follows the storm of getting ready for a vacation
A = Attitudes generally improves during a vacation
T = Time to do stuff I normally don't do....fishing, shuffleboard, sitting on a swing
I = Inaccessible is the best way to remain in order to have a great vacation
O = Organization is best forgotten during this time so I can just enjoy the week
N = Nasty is the prevalent emotion I experience when a return to work after vacation

The best part of vacation for me is hanging out with the kids and grandkids! These are great days to share together once a year.

BEGIINING OF THE END??

Here are some excerpts from Newt Gingrich's appearance on this past weekend's Meet the Press appearance:

MR. GINGRICH: “…First, this is not the fifth day of the war. This is the 58th year of the effort by those who want to destroy Israel. As Ahmadinejad, the head of Iran, says, he wants to defeat the Americans and eliminate Israel from the face of the earth. So we should not see this event in isolation. There is and Iran/Syria/Hezbollah and Hamas alliance trying to destroy Israel.

“I mean, this is absolutely a question of the survival of Israel, but it’s also a question of what is really a world war. Look what you’ve been covering: …The North Koreans fire seven missiles on our Fourth of July; bombs going off in [Bombay], India; a war in Afghanistan with sanctuaries in Pakistan. As I said a minute ago, the Iran/Syria/Hamas/Hezbollah alliance. A war in Iraq funded largely from Saudi Arabia and supplied largely from Syria and Iran.

“The British home secretary saying that there are 20 terrorist groups with 1,200 terrorists in Britain. Seven people in Miami videotaped pledging allegiance to al-Qaeda, and 18 people in Canada being picked up with twice the explosives that were used in Oklahoma City, with an explicit threat to bomb the Canadian parliament, and saying they’d like to behead the Canadian prime minister. And finally, in New York City, reports that in three different countries people were plotting to destroy the tunnels of New York.

“…we are in the early stages of what I would describe as the third world
war, and frankly, our bureaucracies aren’t responding fast enough, we don’t
have the right attitude about this, and this is the 58th year of the war to
destroy Israel.

MR. RUSSERT: “This is World War III?”

MR. GINGRICH: “I believe if you take all the countries I just listed, that you’ve been covering, put them on a map, look at all the different connectivity, you’d have to say to yourself this is, in fact, World War III.”

Israel, a little narrow piece of ground, east of the Med Sea, remains in the spotlight during a 58 year struggle as her enemies attempt to destroy her. Beginning of the end?

TIME SQUARE WORSHIP

We recently had an opportunity to spend four days in New York City. I love the city!
Brooklyn Tab on Sunday with a late lunch at Juniors. Chinatown and Little Italy on Sunday afternoon, experiencing the crowd in Little Italy erupt when Italy won the World Cup. Just an aside...Does France win at anything??

Sunday night in Times Square we experienced an outdoor worship experience (see the picture). It was rocking and rolling and at times, raucous. I'm not sure what to think about it all. I tried to look at it as an "outsider" (if that's possible), and thought that this would probably be a bit confusing, a bit funny, a bit strange, all wrapped up in one. But then, I was just a spectator and not engaged with them as they led a small roped-off crowd in worship. Only in New York!

A piece of cheesecake at Carnegie Deli was mandatory! Ahhhh New York City...gotta love it. But, I hate the Yankees.

FOR REAL??

Are this year's Detroit Tigers for real? That's the big question as MLB approaches the mid-point of the season. This year's team has tried to prove time and again that they are for real by posting a major league best record this summer...but still there are questions. Because of what diehard Tigers fans have experienced in the past, it's been bdifficult for them to really believe what's going on here in beautiful downtown Detroit is legit. These diehard fans would say that this year's team has been able to handle the mediocre teams, but they've not been fully tested thus far in play against the elite teams of baseball.

This is a great reminder of how the sins of the past can often stay with us. That being said, I'm choosing to enjoy this season and the fun and enthusiasm this Tiger team continues to deliver to sports enthusiasts in Michigan.

Are they for real? Time will tell, but in the meantime enjoy their effort and bring on the Royals!