1. My TV antenna did not work, so I did not get to see the Academy
Awards Sunday night. I’m sorry I missed Billy Crystal’s return as host. I read
in the paper yesterday that THE MUPPET MOVIE song “Am I a man or a Muppet?” won
best song. This delight’s me… that’s a great song, hilariously done in the
movie.
I
wish the academy would broadcast the event the next day on HULU or some
equivalent. This would be smart on their part.
2. I felt deeply for the family of the firefighter who was
killed trying to catch a ball tossed to him by Josh Hamilton, last summer, at a
Rangers’ ball game. The father’s son was standing right beside him and
witnessed the event.
I
felt equal emotion for Josh Hamilton. Everything I have read on him indicates
to me he is a sensitive guy. Putting myself in his place, I would have been
crushed. Frankly, I am amazed that Hamilton was able to play as well as he did
after the tragedy.
All
of this to say, I cannot help but believe some of this emotional energy lay
behind the poor choices Hamilton made during his recent relapse. I hope in the
midst of the counseling he is receiving for his interaction with family and for
his drug addiction will, with consistency, address the events of last
summer.
3. I’m currently on an Andrew Jackson kick listening to an audio
copy of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. (Very good so far—I may report on it when I finish.) This prompted me to
go online to the KERA-PBS website to watch scenes of their documentary Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil and
the Presidency. I have not seen the whole thing, but what I
have witnessed has been very good. Martin Sheen narrates; several historians
add commentary, including the king of Andrew Jackson scholars—Robert Remini. I
read his three-volume work on Andrew Jackson back in 1989—fantastic!
Incidentally,
if you are ever around Nashville, visit Jackson’s home—The Hermitage.
4. Judy and I saw a movie Saturday night that you might enjoy.
It was called A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE. Steve Martin is the star and producer.
Basically he updated George Eliot’s novel, SILAS MARNER, and made a movie out
of it.
Martin
plays a chorale teacher whose wife becomes pregnant with a co-teacher's child. Feeling
betrayed and deeply hurt, Martin’s character moves to a small town where he
becomes an eccentric miser. Through a simple twist of faith, he ends up
adopting an orphan girl. His life then changes for the better.
The
movie is intriguing and sweet. Start it up in your DVD player or on your
computer, and it will bewitch you. You will not want to stop the movie.
5. I have a number of books on my shelf that I have not read; one of them
was a book by Jonathan Aitken entitled CHARLES W. COLSON A LIFE REDEEMED. Last
week, I finally pulled it down and read it.
Aitken
is a Brit, a former Oxford graduate, journalist, British MP, British cabinet
member, and convicted perjurer. Aitken’s conversion story after his time in
jail in 1999 is quite interesting–and my understanding is he is a faithful
believer to this day.
He
is quite open about his experiences. Indeed, the writer’s blurb on the dust
jacket–three sentences–included one sentence that stated his service in the
Cabinet ended when he “served a seven month prison term for perjury in a civil
case.” That wins my vote as the most unique author’s bio on a dust jacket.
For
younger readers, Charles Colson served as one of Richard Nixon's major advisers
during his first administration. Colson was known for being a cold-blooded,
ruthless practitioner of the art of politics. He was also known for his “dirty
tricks.”
Shortly
after he left the Nixon White House, Colson was converted to Christianity. He later was convicted for crimes he committed in the Nixon White House. He then served time in prison for his Watergate crimes.
After
his release, he devoted himself to prison ministry, and founded the
organization Prison Fellowship. This commitment to social justice, as well as
other ministry engagements, paved the way for Colson to win the prestigious
Templeton Prize, presented to him by Prince Philip.
I
have been a Chuck Colson fan for years, going back to the 1980s. While I
certainly do not agree with all of his theology and cultural engagement, I have
very much admired his ministry.
Having
read BORN AGAIN, Colson's autobiography written in the 1970s, I found Aitkin’s
biography broke new ground because of the extensive records he had access to
coupled with the immense number of people he interviewed. Furthermore, 40 years
after the fact, Aitken’s book offers more perspective on the Watergate years
and the Colson’s role in the Nixon White House.
I
appreciated the detail offered concerning Colson's founding of Prison
Fellowship, but I especially the fine points offered concerning the ministries
spawned out of that ministry. Through Prison Fellowship, Colson received
opportunities to study theology with some of the evangelical world’s greatest
theologians, write numerous books, and offer radio commentaries on his program—BREAKPOINT.
(No, he does not write those commentaries alone, a team prepares them for him,
although he has editorial control.)
I
learned personal information. I did not know that Colson almost died from a
serious staph infection back in the late 1980s, after he was diagnosed with a
stomach tumor. Before surgery, doctors and loved ones feared cancer. After surgery, the greatest
concern Colson (and everyone else) had was the infection. It almost proved to
be fatal. The infection so overshadowed Colson’s stomach tumor, it was months
after the operation before Colson discovered the tumor was benign. No doctor or
medical personnel had thought to tell him.
A
LIFE REDEEMED has much more inside information such as I just described. If you
like Charles Colson, you will enjoy this book.
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