The past 24 hours

Yesterday morning started off beautifully (despite the most dismal weather), and I mean beautifully! But by 8:49am I was in a very foul mood for reasons not worth writing about other than to make sure you know it had nothing to do with my traveling companions nor our Russian students. By 6pm I started feeling a bit ill, perhaps from the weather, so I stayed home and went to bed early.


This morning I woke up at 4:00. Tossing and turning and unable to find a comfortable position, I surrendered and got up at 4:30. Sipping coffee at the kitchen table I sat there listening to music while looking at a blank page and a blinking cursor for about an hour and a half. Literally. Then for reasons I cannot explain an image from long ago popped into my head. I think I was about 15 years old when I saw it. "It" was a sign in front of a Baptist church that said, "Pray not for lighter burdens but stronger backs." 40 years later I am more than 6,000 miles away from home and that proverb has given me a Red Bull jolt of energy!! I no longer feel ill. Feel perfectly fine.

In a few hours I'll be standing in front of 22 beautiful Russian university students talking about character.

Bring it.

For the Team,

Mike