MONDAY MORNING MEDITATIONS - BUTLER BULLDOGS, OPENING DAY, PRAYING FOR HAITI, FACEBOOK

Still praying for Haiti, of all the important things going on in the world - from healthcare to the Iraqi elections, to the Final Four an the Masters, to our on again-off again economy, I hope we have lot let Haiti to totally slip off our radar. As both the rainy season in Haiti and the hurricane season in the Caribbean rev up, we must understand the potential for further misery in Haiti could materialize in a moment. Keep praying for Haiti.

The Butler Bulldogs pulled off a tough victory againstt Tom Izzel's always tough Michigan State Spartans. 25 victories in a row and their first ever appearance in the Final Four could turn into their first ever NCAA Championship. Tonight could provide just that reality. But what is particularly classy is that the night before that big semi-final game, Butler coach Brad Stevens and his wife fulfilled a commitment they made a year ago when they knew only that the Final Four was coming to Indianapolis. They hosted a gala fundraiser for Coaches Against Cancer. Class act!

Opening Day (every baseball fan knows exactly "what" is opening). The longest season in major sports commences today (actually the first game was yesterday but today is the real opening day.) I have been waiting this with eager anticipation. Can Jim Leyland's Tigers bounce back from the heart-breaking end of the 2009 season when the Twins won a division playoff game to make it into the postseason. Traded Placido Polanco and Curtis Granderson - to the Phillies who I have affection for and the Yankees who I do not. Here's my picks. NATIONAL LEAGUE - East: Phillies; Central: Cardinals: West: Rockies; Wild Card: Giants AMERICAN LEAGUE - East: Yankees; Central: Tigers; West: Angels: Wild Card: Red Sox. The Twins and Tampa Bay could mess up my American League prognostications and maybe the Dodgers in the NL. World Series (I hate to say it) Yankees vs Phillies and the winner - Yankees.

Finally mowed the lawn Saturday. The onion grass was driving me nuts.

Facebook - I finally crossed the 300 threshold on friends and the church's page hit 87. Is all this social networking really necessary? Maybe not the trivial stuff, but a free society thrives on communication and the exchange of ideas. Probably more socially redeeming than texting. I feel a blog post coming on.