1. I
plan on writing more about my feelings on the death of Neil Armstrong in my
weekly Monday blog–MARK’S REMARKS. For now I will simply say that I am pleased so
many people in our nation, and in the world, have taken time to write marvelous
things about a remarkable, yet modest, man. I think I feel sad that Neil
Armstrong will not live to see the 50th anniversary celebration of Man walking
on the moon.
2. I read Peter King’s blog every week. This is his account of how
his latest conversation ended with one of the men I have admired from
childhood—the great Green Bay Packer quarterback of the 1960s—Bart Starr. After
a long phone interview, Starr told King, "Thanks for listening to me. You
and your family have a very nice day."
King
went on to reflect, “I wonder now, and I've wondered after my six or eight
encounters with Starr over the years: Has a classier man played in the NFL?”
3. Whatever happened to political conventions?
From my childhood to recent memory, watching the Democratic and Republican National
Conventions was essential television…every four years. Last week, I was caught
by surprise to discover that the Republican Convention would begin on Sunday. It
was off my radar. I think that with the vice presidential candidates being
named before the conventions begin (not to mention the identity of the presidential
candidates being a foregone conclusion), the conventions have turned in long infomercials.
4. RIP Phyllis
Diller. She was one of the funniest comedians ever, and she did a great job of
making fun of her own looks. She also offered great comedy when it came to the
family. She had a lot of great lines; one of my favorites: “I
want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford. Then I want to move
in with them.”
5. Recently, a friend of mine named John Carpenter loaned me his copy
of the book UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand.
I had
heard quite a bit about it, considering the fact that the book has been on the
nonfiction bestseller lists for 90 weeks now. I'm sure they’re many reasons for
this, one of them being that—as the title implies–Louie Zamperini was a man
whose spirit could not be broken.
Zamperini
was one of America’s greatest runner in the 1930s. He had run in the Berlin
Olympics in 1936.
World
War II erupted and Louie volunteered. He was assigned to a U.S. bomber
squadron. His plane was shot down and crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and Louie
spent weeks with two of his crewmates floating on two rafts. Fighting off
starvation, dehydration, and sharks, one of the crewmates ultimately died. But
Louie his other companion survived and landed on a Japanese occupied Island.
They
were transported to a prisoner-of-war camp. Believe it or not, floating on a
raft in the Pacific was preferable to the brutality of the prison camps.
Indescribable acts were committed against the prisoners. I personally cannot
comprehend how Louie was able to survive his ordeal. However, he somehow did.
Returning
from the war with the Allied army victorious, Louie struggled as he tried to
reconnect with society. Although he married a wonderful woman, he could not
overcome his feelings of guilt for having survived and shame for having endured
(the acts of degradation against him.)
His
life changed forever when his wife visited Billy Graham Crusade. Convicted by
Christ, she irritated him by constantly asking Louie to come to the Crusade
with her. Ultimately he attended, albeit with great hostility.
During
the invitation, Louie was ready to depart the meeting in a rage, when he
remembered a promise he made to the Lord years before: he would serve God
forever if He would rescue him from that raft floating so helplessly on the
Pacific Ocean. Title notwithstanding, I suppose you might say this was one
event where Louie was broken–by God.
Because
of Louie’s pain and suffering, this book is not an easy read, but it is a
gripping one. If you are one of the few in America who has not read this book,
I would encourage you to do so.
*Thanks to Peter King for the inspiration for this blog's title.
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