Sunday, Day 8, July 6

Today is Sunday and we were able to spend time worshiping and serving in different ways. We attended the 8:30 service at Grace Church in Racine, Wisconsin this morning.  Then after the service we asked some people if we could serve in any way and so the good deed doers became greeters for the service at 10:00 a.m. All four of us left our inhibitions in Georgia a week ago so I doubt that Grace Church has ever had as enthusiastic greeters! I think Jimmy was the best greeter - he's a natural and has great technique.
Then we made it to Schaumberg, Illinois just in time for the 1:00 p.m. first pitch of the Frontier League game between the Schaumberg Boomers and the Normal Cornbelters. The Four Tenors (us) linked arms and belted out the National Anthem so loudly that we actually received applause. I've never been clapped for before when singing. Frontier League means the players are not much above high school level, but they have the same goals as any other minor leaguer. And the two or three hundred fans love their Boomers. We agreed to root for opposing teams, Danny and I had the Boomers and Pee Wee and Jimmy were to root for the Cornbelters. But when the Boomers went ahead 7-0 after three innings, Pee Wee and Jimmy switched teams and "GO BOOMERS!!" became their battle cry. Fickle fans yes, but our trip to the Boomer game was pure Americana and we loved it.
After four innings we made our exit and ended up at Wheaton College. Wheaton is where Jimmy's sons Jeremy and Joseph played their college football, so we visited the stadium for a while, but the main attraction was the Billy Graham Center. This awesome evangelist is still alive at 96 and the center does an amazing job of relating what an immense impact he has had all over the world.
Then Pee Wee and Jimmy took the interstate and Danny and I took the back roads to Watseka, Illinois where we're staying at a Super 8 (should be Below Average 8). The lady at the desk works two jobs and didn't have time for dinner. So good deed doer Pee Wee bought a dinner to go after eating tonight and now the lady is full and happy.
Speaking of Americana, that's all Danny and I saw during our two hour trip. Cornfields as far as you can see, farm houses with barns and silos, tiny white churches next to old cemeteries, and so on. We stopped at an area baseball complex that consisted of one field and was hosting a teenage girl softball game. There were men and boys in overalls or in jeans with no shirt. Dads in t-shirts umpired. Young mamas held their babies and threatened other children with a whoopin'.  Grandmas and grandpas sat in lawn chairs. With the sun setting we agreed that you can't get much more Americana than that.
That's it for Day Eight - one more full day tomorrow and then back home sometime Tuesday where we'll display our best greeting skills.