Mobile, AL and Baton Rouge, LA

On Thursday, I was fortunate enough to have a front row seat to “The Greatest Show on Wheels Concert”! The concert featured Me, Myself, and I singing for approximately seven hours as the car rolled across Interstate 10 from Jacksonville, Florida, to Pascagoula, Mississippi. Once I arrived and the concert ended, I spent the night visiting with my hosts.

Everything that I have done on this trip has been meaningful, but I wanted to find some new ways to make a difference rather than just repeating the same things over and over again. With that in mind, on Friday, I drove to Mobile, Alabama, to give blood for the first time. I am fine with needles, but I am on the fence about large needles being stuck inside of my body for extended periods of time. In spite of my reservations, once I got there, I decided to go through with it. Giving blood is another example of a small act making a big difference. It doesn’t take long, it doesn’t cost money, it’s not a huge sacrifice, but it could literally save someone else’s life! The staff at the Alabama & Central Gulf Coast Red Cross was very friendly and made the experience easy and enjoyable!

On Saturday, I drove to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to stay with my friend, Colleen. Before I met up with her, I drove through the heavy rain to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, where for the fourth time on this trip, I got to venerate the relic of St. Maria Goretti!

After Mass on Sunday, Colleen and I grabbed lunch at McDonald’s. While we were there, I paid for the next 20 customers to get an ice cream cone with their meal. Maybe it made their day. Maybe it led them to be a little more joyful in the rest of their encounters that day. Maybe it led them to do something nice for someone else. I will never know, and that is fine by me. Never underestimate the power of the smallest actions. You never know who is watching or listening. So let your actions be kind and your words be encouraging. A brief interaction can leave a lasting effect!

After leaving McDonald’s, we headed down to New Orleans to stroll up and down Bourbon Street. After eating an Alligator Sausage Po Boy, we called it a night and headed back to Baton Rouge.

Thank you to the Chattertons for hosting me. Thank you to the Alabama & Central Gulf Coast Red Cross staff for making my first blood giving experience a successful one. Thank you to Colleen for hosting me. And thank you to all of you who continue to support me and pray for me!