December 18, 2012

1. I was very pleased by the beginning of President Obama’s speech on Sunday to the people of Newtown, Conn. In the face of that horrific tragedy, the president referred to and quoted from Scripture extensively. In a time of unspeakable tragedy, it was significant that our president took us to our greatest potential source of comfort. One YouTube post cut that part out—a sure sign that the Judeo-Christian worldview came through.

2. Saturday night, Judy and I took in the Robert E. Lee production of the musical WHITE CHRISTMAS. As a chaser, we watched the Bing Crosby/Danny Kay movie last night. I was surprised that the stage version is so different than the movie version. For example, in the movie, General Waverly leaves the WWII European front because he is being demoted. In the stage version, he has to return to the states to receive an operation on his wounded leg. I liked both, but the movie version lasts only two hours, compared to the stage version’s duration of three hours. If I must vote, therefore, I vote for the stage version.

3. I think the Texas Rangers did the right thing in letting Josh Hamilton go. There is no way the team’s income can support signing him to a contract like the Angels. Having said that, I fear that we will look back on Hamilton’s time with the team as the golden years. I wish they would have won at least one World Series during that time—the window of opportunity has closed.

4. If you want to read a book to help you emotionally understand that beautiful actresses do not have it made, read Portia De Rossi’s book Unbearable Lightness. Tormented by her homosexual feelings and her physical self-loathing, she does a tremendously effective job of communicating her insecurity and fear. Those twin evils fueled her eating disorders and self-destruction. At one point, her weight dropped below 90lbs. (Photos from that time in her life break your heart.) I bet most females in the country reading the book think to themselves, “I’m glad I’m not her.” Remarkable.

5. I know I wrote on this yesterday (http://markedgeremarks.blogspot.com/), but the more I think about Lev. 25 and Deut. 15, the more I am challenged by those two passages.

*Thanks to Peter King for the inspiration for this blog's title.

 (With a nod to Peter King for this idea)

1. I was sad to see that former Monkey Davy Jones died suddenly last week. I grew up watching (periodically) TV episodes of THE MONKEYS. I always enjoyed their music more. Compared to other rock bands, there always seemed to be a sweetness and an innocence to the group.

            Quite possibly, Davy Jones’ status as an icon will remain because of the famous BRADY BUNCH episode, in which he appeared, where Marcia Brady (Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!) asked him to her prom.

            I read last week that was the most downloaded TV episode in history.

2. I remember watching the New Orleans Saints’ defense savage Brett Favre in the NFC championship game two years ago. I could not help but think they were coached to play dirty. Now, I know they were. I would love to see former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams suspended for and entire season. There is no place for bounties in the NFL.

3. More on the Josh Hamilton situation. I consider Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, and Sam Bradford to be tremendous role models. But I still think Josh Hamilton is one as well.

            It is a hard thing to get through life without making a mistake. It is a hard thing to get through life without making several mistakes. It is a hard thing to get through life without making some major mistakes.

            What I appreciate about Josh Hamilton is: when he makes a mistake, he steps up and confesses it. He does not try to cover it up, and he tries to live out the fruit of repentance.

           Our society seems to have an ability to forgive those who come clean on their mistakes and sins. And that is a good thing.

4. Watching all of the recent brouhaha about government spending makes me wonder if the national divide is so great, our only hope is for the federal government to not fund—anything. 

            Okay, that’s probably not realistic. Still, no one likes the way the money is being spent. You have liberal versus conservative; religious versus secular… the divide grows wider. Moreover, what are the spiritual considerations for federal spending? What are the moral underpinnings?

            I hate to write this. Everybody has something he likes when it comes to federal government spending, and everybody has something he despises.

            I like national parks, federal highways (interstates), etc. as much as anybody. I thrilled watching humans walk on the moon, but what we are doing is clearly not working. Meanwhile, our nation sinks deeper and deeper into debt.

            There is an old saying—all politics is local. Perhaps the more local the spending—the better.

5. Friday afternoon, six freshman Harding students left their Searcy campus in two vehicles to spend Spring Break in Ft. Worth. About 6:30 that evening, they were involved in a chain reaction wreck on I 30 outside of Hooks, Texas.

            Five of the students were treated and released from a local hospital. Ty Osman was hurt critically. While checking on a lady in another vehicle, he was attempting to get back into his pickup when someone hit it. Ty was thrown several feet in the air before landing.

            He was airlifted to Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview, Texas. He never regained consciousness, dying early Sunday morning.

            My daughter Haleigh, a Harding student, was acquainted with these students and left approximately the same time they did. She took a different route after reaching Texarkana. Still, this hits so close to home.

            During this tragedy, I frankly did not find myself asking the question—why? Rather, considering the millions of students who travel in our country during spring break, and allowing for the millions of variables involved, I frankly began to wonder why tragedies such as this do not occur more often. I am thankful they do not.

            My heart has been aching for Ty’s family. Yet, I know they have been strengthened by the knowledge that Ty was a faithful disciple of Jesus. Surely that understanding brings great solace.

            Please pray for Ty’s family and for his friends.

Five Things I Think I Think

 (With a nod to Peter King for this idea)

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.