Joni Eareckson Tada to be on "Larry King Live"

I just received an e-mail from my friend Melodi informing me that Joni Eareckson Tada will be a guest on
Larry King Live tomorrow, Wednesday, July 7th.

I've been an admirer of Joni since I first read her autobiography back in the late 70's. A diving accident left her paralyzed from the neck down when she was a young woman. But with God's help, she has triumphed over incredible odds to become a voice for the disabled (with her "Joni and Friends" ministry), an artist and a prolific writer of inspiring books.

My own problems and drawbacks seem trivial when you look at what Joni and others like evangelist Tim Lee have had to deal with. Not only have they coped with severe physical limitations; they've reached thousands for Christ and been instruments of encouragement and blessing to many others.

Joni says she and her staff had been praying about the Larry King interview: "...that the Lord's name would be lifted up, that his Gospel would be made clear, and that it all would be done without sounding 'forced.' God answered! The interview went a full hour and Larry King covered such topics as depression, how can a good God allow suffering, stem cell research, my thoughts on Christopher Reeve and his approach to healing, when is it right to die, Wheels for the World, Joni and Friends Family Retreats, my marriage to Ken, and a lot about my art. We left that studio shaking our heads and smiling...

"... I couldn't help but give the Gospel when, for the last question, Larry asked, "What do you think of Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion?"

Check your local listings and try to catch this interview. I've no doubt it will be remarkable.

How was your 4th?

Mine was nice, pleasant and blessedly uneventful (no debilitating storm like the one that happened last year.)

I did have to be in the parade on Sunday night, something the 101QFL and Radio 91 staffs have done for years. This time, I rode in Chris Carmichael's Jeep along with Chris, Rick Hall, and Darren Marlar of 101QFL.

I had never ridden in a Jeep with the top down before, and that was a lot of fun! However, I told Chris I can understand why Marilyn Monroe and those other fifties glam queens always wore headscarves when riding in a convertible...it wreaks havoc to your hair! BTW, did you know that Jeep owners always wave when passing each other on the road? It's kind of an unwritten rule, I guess.

The parade is always fun, because you can tell who the listeners are. They clap and cheer and generally make you feel great! And the little kids are absolutely adorable.

Plus, the weather couldn't have been nicer. Most years we swelter in the heat and humidity. This year it was perfect.

After the parade, when Doug and Liz got out of church, we met up and took Rick Hall with us to view the fireworks. I LOVE Rockford's fireworks...they are spectacular. We ended the evening at Steak n' Shake. All in all, a nice Fourth, made even nicer by the fact that I didn't have to work the next day!