Taking A Break From The Regular Humor

I had another blog post all ready to go today but I think I will hold off on it for a few days in light of Haiti. I just had a few things that I really needed to say to you.

I need to say right off the bat that I have not been to Haiti. But I have been to enough third world countries to know, in a general sense, what Haiti is like. And to imagine what would happen if the ground underneath homes and buildings and business started to shake violently. We here in the USA have absolutely no concept of what shaky, “substandard” construction is like. We live in a country where there are building codes and inspectors and building permits and heaven forbid that you even put up a shed in the back yard without the local authorities giving their approval and coming to look at it and measuring it and telling you that it meets accepted building code standards.

In many countries if you want to put up a building, or a house, or a hovel you put it up.

Outside Lima, Peru.
The homes on this hill are all “extra-legal” meaning that someone decided that they wanted to build a house/shack there and did so. Then others decided to follow and eventually there was a community. No real construction codes, different buildings made of varying materials. If the ground started shaking these would all come down.

India would be the same. I visited in buildings where I would not want to be if the earth started to shake violently. They would be down in part or in whole in no time flat. And these places are teaming with people.

All this to say Pray! Pray for the people of Haiti. Pray for the volunteers who are even now making preparations to go and to help. Pray for the people who are right now “boots on the ground” in what may shape up to be one of the largest natural disasters that we have ever known.

If you want someone specific to pray for then pray for Katie and Ben Kilpatrick (<- a link to their blog). Katie is my college roomie’s daughter. She and her new husband have felt the call to serve in Haiti and moved there on Dec. 29, 2009 to teach at a school in Port-au-Prince. We are praising the Lord, who is mighty in all things, that they are safe and unharmed. But the situation is very bad.

Grab a Kleenex

This comes to you from HeroBox, an organization that sends custom care packages to American soldiers around the world. Get some kleenex before you read it, you will need it.

Someone forwarded this us and we just had to post it. Please share your stories with us; the soldiers love to read about their fellow Heroes.




Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.

No, he responded.

Heading out I asked?

No. I'm escorting a soldier home.

Going to pick him up?

No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq. I'm taking him home to his family.

The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.

Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."

Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.

Michael Monsoor Medal of Honor

This is worth watching. The posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor to Michael Monsoor.