Sometimes Perspectives are Compromised

After my basketball coaching retirement from Decatur Eisenhower high school in 2001, I immediately assumed a newly created position as coordinator of the financially struggling Decatur Public Schools' boys' thanksgiving basketball tournament. With much corporate assistance and good help around me, we have a solid financial picture with eight of the State's most prolific teams competing in the premier 43rd Annual 'Turkey Tourney' 2012. Eight thousand basketball fans will come through the turnstiles during the four-day event.

This current week, I am prepared to make a large dent in my duties/responsibilities check list and begin putting together my speech presentation for the Professional Development Conference slated for October 5, in Vandalia, Illinois. Towards the week's end, my wife and I have plans to visit our daughter, Dawn's family in South Barrington, which permits us a visit with 47% of our grandchildren, not to be confused with whatever Willard Romney's 47% represented!

 Mid-day yesterday, I received a telephone call from my cousin's wife to inform me that a cousin died after a brief battle with liver failure. Dee Dee Elbe lived a life into his mid-seventies laced with much heartache shouldered with his wife Verna. They watched two children succumb to cystic fibrosis and a nineteen year-old old daughter killed in an auto accident. Both Dee Dee and Verna committed a lifetime to fundraising for a cystic fibrosis cure. Their efforts are documented with nationwide recognition. Verna must now continue without her sweetheart. Our family will gather this Wednesday in Belleville, Illinois to offer our love and support. I am happy that I had so much time to visit last June with Dee Dee at the annual 'Roustio Reunion.' It was a wonderful re-connect with the Elbes; a lot of memory sharing interrupted with great laughter.

In the meantime, I shall double up my schedule before and after the funeral.  My Vandalia speech topic is 'Re-write the Job Description; Add More Passion.'  Meanwhile, I shall add more blessing counting in my daily waking hours.