October 2, 2012

1. Today is the birthday of the love of my life. Happy Birthday, Judy Lynne Denman Edge!

2. “‘Dad was a hard man to know,’ says John S. D. Eisenhower, who just turned 90. ‘But the balance that Thomas achieves between Eisenhower the public servant and Eisenhower the man is, in my opinion, as close to the mark as we are likely to see.’

--From the VANITY FAIR review of Evan Thomas’ new book, IKE’S BLUFF. I have just begun reading the book, and, so far, it is very engaging. Thomas’ premise is that Eisenhower used his skill to bluff, as demonstrated all his life in games such as bridge and poker, to get the United States out of the Korean War and shield the U. S. from War World III. I will offer a brief review when I finish the book.

3. I think that three interesting quotes from the current issue of WORLD MAGAZINE’s are very telling:

            a. The first is from Rupert Everett, an actor from Great Britain who is well known for practicing homosexuality—“I can’t think of anything worse than being brought up by two gay dads.”

            b. The second is offered by Nick Cassavetes, a Hollywood director whose credits include THE NOTEBOOK, “Love who you want. Isn’t that what we say?” The context for that quote is a new movie his is directing that includes in its plot line an incestuous relationship between a brother and sister. I doubt Cassavetes believes in incest; he is probably trying to provoke buzz for what he knows will be a controversial movie. Still, the most interesting aspect of Cassavetes’ conversation with the media is this: a major principle undergirding gay marriage—adults should be able to love who they want—could also be used in an argument supporting adult incestuous relationship.

            c. The last quote is from the Chief Inspector in North Yorkshire England. He addressed it to Sarah Catt, who had pled guilty to ingesting poison so as to cause her child to miscarriage—one week before the due date of the child’s birth, “What you have done is rob an apparently healthy child, vulnerable and defenseless, of the life which was about to commence.”

4. How many songs released in 1962 can you name? My two teen-age daughters can name at least one: “Moon River.” They learned to enjoy the music of that piece from a movie called BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S.” The young singer, Andy Williams, wanted to record that song, but his record company would not let him. They thought young listeners would not understand some of the lyrics. So Williams changed companies to Columbia and recorded the song on a concept album of movie themes. I was shocked to learn that the song was never released as a single, yet it endures to this day. Fifty years and still playing makes a good song. When I think of Andy Williams, I think of “Moon River.” RIP Andy Williams.

5. Around ten years ago, ESPN Classics ran a show called LOST TREASURES. It was produced by NFL FILMS. We did not get the channel, but some friends of mine did. I took the unusual step of asking them to record a particular episode. You may wonder why.           

            I did so because it featured a retrospective of a program that NFL FILMS produced way back in 1967. The show was called NFL ACTION.

            In this particular episode, producers had miked the middle linebacker of the Pittsburgh Steelers (the late Bill Saul) during a game with the Washington Redskins. You could hear every sound made on a typical NFL play: the grunts, the snarls, and, yes, the profanity. Meanwhile, the camera followed the middle linebacker everywhere he went.

            On a normal play, Redskin Quarterback Sonny Jurgenson would clearly and audibly call offensive signals; Saul would call defensive signals. Jurgenson would hand off to a running back. Saul would tackle the ball carrier and a pile up would ensue. Saul’s microphone, underneath the pile, transmitted sounds akin to a thundering herd of buffalo.

            I will never forget as a grade schooler watching this very episode one Sunday afternoon on CBS. I was mesmerized. It was during this time that I fell in love with pro football.

            Through the years, I have regularly watched NFL Films. In the third grade, local boys in the neighborhood and I would play a game called “Joe Kapp”, named for the then quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, whom we admired greatly.

            We would have a wide receiver, a pass defender, and a quarterback, who pretended to be Joe Kapp. Sometimes, we would run plays in slow motion. Although we called this game “Joe Kapp”, really what we were doing was trying to act out what we were seeing on NFL Films.

            So several years ago, when I asked my friends to record the program, I was not simply asking them to videotape a documentary. I was asking them to hand over to me a VHS tape that could potentially transport me back to my childhood.

            Steve Sabol, who along with his dad, Ed, was responsible for NFL Films, passed away last month, a victim of cancer. I never met Steve Sabol, yet I've had a long-distance friendship with him for almost 50 years.

            I am not alone. Say the words “John Facenda” and any long-time NFL fan will know I am talking about the voice of NFL Films. Steve Sabol utilized Facenda’s vocal talents and wrote his scripts.

            To this day, the music of NFL Films motivates me. I still have CDs of the music of NFL Films dating back to the sixties. My children have even grown to appreciate it after hearing it for so many years on family trips. Although Steve Sabol did not write that music, he was the one who inspired it and fit it to film.

            How do you maintain excellence in art, entertainment, and inspiration for fifty years? Steve Sabol did. Some of Hollywood’s finest directors learned from and were motivated by NFL Films.

            But I return to my own experiences. It is hard to move and inspire a child. Steve Sabol somehow did.

            Thanks for everything, Steve.

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

September 25, 2012

1. This week I turn 52; hence, two factoids that I think may only interest me: 50 and 54. The ages of bear Bryant Bryant and John Wooden, respectively, when each won his first NCAA national championship— Bryant in football, and Wooden in basketball.

2. Just when I thought I was finished writing about Neil Armstrong, I encountered another fascinating insight, this time from WORLD magazine. Armstrong was never known to be a dedicated Christian. Thomas L. Friedman, no conservative Christian himself, wrote about Armstrong taking a tour of Jerusalem's Old City. He was taken to some of the locations where Jesus walked. Friedman quotes Armstrong as saying, “I have to tell you… I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon.”

            That is an interesting quote from one who claimed to be a deist.

3. TIME had interesting article last week regarding the convergence of technology and austerity, which is producing a large number of renters. More people than ever are renting everything from clothes to caskets (the caskets are rented few viewings only, not for burial… in case you were wondering.)

            Statisticians have even entered into the dialogue, “Better to buy an $800 stroller if you use it more than 400 times,” according to one. On the other hand, I suppose, they have figured out that if a stroller is to be used 378 times, it is cheaper to rent.

4. Have you heard of Lecrae? He is a rapper whose new album, GRAVITY, stands at the top of the iTunes charts this month. What makes this interesting is he is a Christian, and many of his lyrics are very explicit–talking about God, Jesus, and the Christian life. May his tribe increase.

5. I think Texas citizens must radically rethink the way we educate children in our public school system. When Judy and I were training for foster care, we heard a resource speaker, who was the founder of the most successful daycare centers in Abilene. She said something to us that day that I have never forgotten, “We will not lose all of the children (in a day care center) for the sake of one child (who would not be won).”

            That was a novel way of saying: were her workers to continue to accommodate one incorrigible child, it would disrupt their relationships with all the other children to such an extent that proper childcare would be unattainable.

            This is precisely the problem with education in Texas; schools do so much to accommodate children who refuse to be accommodated, other children who are serious about learning cannot learn. The result is frustration on a massive scale and test scores, which continue to descend.

            I have taught in a private Christian university and in a private Christian high school, and was very blessed to have administrative support to the extent that, if a student was disruptive in class, I could easily dismiss him (or her) from my class for the day so as not to negate the learning of the other students.

            My father was a public school teacher for 20 years, and my mother taught in public schools for over 20 years, and both faced fewer disciplinary problems than exist today; moreover, they were able to discipline students in a timely manner.

            On the other hand, my wife, Judy, has taught the last few years in a public junior high school in Tyler. In Tyler public schools, should a student become unruly in class, teachers have to follow a version of the following procedure:

1. Verbally warn the student.

2. If the behavior continues, call a parent and document the time, the student’s bad behavior, and the parent’s response in a behavioral log (a notebook located on the teacher’s desk). In the call to the parent, the teacher informs the parent that if the behavior continues, the student will be sent to detention.

3. If the behavior continues, the teacher sends the student to detention.

4. The teacher then emails the appropriate principal and the teacher in charge of the detention hall.

            All of this is taking place… while the teacher is attempting to teach class! Furthermore, try following procedure when more than one student is misbehaving.

            I have been thinking a lot about public education. I will express more of what I think in the future. Today, suffice it to say, we as a community must empower teachers and administrators with more freedom to address disciplinary problems in a timely manner.

            This is best for the students who desire to learn.

            Equally important, this is best for the students who do not desire to learn.

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

September 11, 2012

1. Today is 9/11. Hard to believe it has been eleven years.

2. On a personal and football-fan note—ten years ago today, Johnny Unitas died. He has my vote as the most influential quarterback in NFL history. I had a chance to see him play when I was a kid at the old Cotton Bowl.

3. Another influential quarterback is Peyton Manning. It warmed my heart to see him win Sunday night, and play so well. After all the adversity he has faced, he was due some good fortune. Something else that shows what a classy guy he is occurred during the coin flip before Denver’s game against Pittsburgh. Colorado resident and Olympic gold medal winner, Missy Franklin, served as an honorary captain. After the coin toss, as the captains were heading to the sidelines, Manning made it a point to stop and shake Franklins’ hand then say a few words to her. Peyton Manning: the epitome of poise and class.

4. This will probably be the last thing I'll write about Neil Armstrong. Jeffrey Kluger, who co-wrote with astronaut James Lovell the book APOLLO 13 (also known as LOST MOON) published a neat retrospective about Neil Armstrong in last week's issue of TIME magazine. He concluded with a neat story.

            Kluger emphasized that Neil Armstrong always sought to live a multidimensional life, as opposed to a life solely defined by his walk on the moon. Kluger accompanied Armstrong and other former astronauts on a tour of United States military bases located in the Middle East back in 2010.

            On the trip, Kluger knew that it was inevitable that Armstrong would be confronted with his participation in such a momentous event as the first moonwalk. On one such occasion, Kluger observed:

            “One evening during our Middle East tour, all the astronauts were on stage before an audience of service members young enough to be their grandchildren. During the question-and-answer session, one audience member asked Armstrong if he wouldn’t mind taking the mike and, well, saying the words—the famous words, those one-small-step words. I winced, and I suspect [the other astronauts] did too. This was dog-and-pony stuff of the highest order. Armstrong just smiled and reached for the mike. His hand seemed shaky, and his voice was weak—not the clear Midwestern tones that were spoken in 1969 and have been heard and heard and heard ever since. But he spoke the words all the same—and the audience roared, and the applause rained down, and it was just the coolest and grandest and finest thing you could ever hope to see….”

            That sounds awesome to me.

5. The Richer Sex: How the New Majority of Female Breadwinners is Transforming Sex, Love and Family is a new book written by WASHINGTON POST reporter Liza Mundy. In it, she documents how the percentage of women who earn more than men is rising in the U. S. The same applies regarding the amount of women who are pursuing higher education (now a higher percentage than men.)  These factors create a strong sociological impact, which she predicts will grow in future generations. The tenor of the book is that these trends are good and healthy.

            I need to be careful to finesse what I am about to say, and I freely acknowledge it is primarily sociological and subjective.

            I believe women should be paid the same as men. I am convicted that some of the legacy of feminism is good, appropriate, and overdue. Increasing women's wages is one of those items overdue in our culture.

            We live in a free nation, and women should be able to pursue their careers as they wish. Nevertheless, here is my concern: I have lived (very briefly) in an economical matriarchal society (Papua New Guinea), and I have lived in a spiritually matriarchal society (Argentina and to certain extent, Brownsville, Texas.)

            In the bush country of New Guinea years ago, one could not help but note how many men sat around and lazily did nothing—because they depended on the women to take care of the family. The impact on the culture was devastating.

            Likewise, on a spiritual level, living in Latin America and on the Texas border, one could not help but notice that the majority of men spiritually deferred to the women. Again, the impact was negative.

            I have three daughters; the last thing I desire is for them to be restricted in their economic and educational pursuits. My prayer is that my son becomes what God created him to be as well. I wish the same for all humanity.

            Throughout the years, I have observed the tendency in us males—from boys to men—to get out of whatever work and responsibility we can. From the kitchen to the classroom, if a large number of females are active in the front, too many males are passive in the rear.

            Selfish ambition is bad; godly ambition is good. When it comes to providing for the family, we need more godly ambitious men—both economically and spiritually.

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

September, 4, 2012

1. Great news for presidential history fans. Michael Beschloss was on the program INDEPTH on C-SPAN (www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/3865321) the other day, and he was asked when Volume 3 of the Lyndon Johnson tapes was going to be released. If you do not remember, Beschloss edited Volumes 1 and 2, both of which are now classics. Beschloss said that he is currently editing Volume 3 and it should be finished in a couple of years. I cannot wait.

2. I think if BACKBLAZE truly does what it says it does–store everything on your computer in an off-site storage unit for retrieval if your computer crashes–then this is one of the great inventions of the 21st century.

3. Here’s my Super Bowl pick: Houston vs. San Francisco. For the BCS championship game: USC vs. Alabama.

4. Ever since I saw the movie MONEYBALL I have wanted to find some sort of statistical analysis that would help Christians with evangelism. I feel Christians spend way too much time bothering people who are nowhere near ready to have a conversation about Jesus. Consequently, it would be nice to have data, which would indicate those who are more open to hearing the Gospel.

            I read something in WORLD magazine last week that might provide an answer. A website (http://www.floatingsheep.org/) founded by a couple of academics features research gathered from strategically written programs. It is “dedicated to mapping and analyzing user generated geocoded data to gather a better read of American society. The study analyzes Google Maps placemarks for certain keywords.

            Here is one example of their work; analyzing over 10 million tweets, the statisticians located over 18,000 referencing the word “church”, and 14,500 containing the word “beer.” They then proceeded to map the locations of these tweets. Not surprisingly, the beer tweets occurred primarily in the Upper Midwest, while the church tweets were located more in the Southeast.

            Another map I found interesting was the one called “mapping Christianity.” Check it out.

5. I think dove hunting is fun.

            It's been probably 35 years since I have gone dove hunting, so I am way out of step. However, Abby, my middle daughter, had a special request this year for her birthday. She wanted me to take her dove hunting the opening day of dove season. Furthermore, she asked that we hunt in Winters, Texas, our home for seven years. Not only did she want to hunt there, she also wanted to stay for church on Sunday so that she could see some of our old friends.

            I thought this was a great birthday request, and I was happy to comply. This was the first time Abby had ever hunted for doves. A friend loaned us his 20-gauge, and I purchased two boxes of shells for Abby.

            Saturday evening, one of our old friends from Winters, Phil Colburn, was nice enough to take us out to some land where he farmed. My son, Timothy, went along with his faithful BB gun. He actually played a vital role for us: he walked into groves of mesquite trees and flushed out flocks of doves, as well as alerted us to dove flyovers.

            I had two main goals for our hunt:

                        1. Not to shoot or kill any of my kids.

                        2. Not to allow one my kids to shoot or kill me.

            Though at times I had my doubts, we successfully met my goals.

            Saturday morning, the opening day of dove season, the kids and I slept to give the other hunters a sporting chance. Saturday evening, we arrived at our spot in a field at about 6 PM. The sun was still up and it was hot.

            I had purchased six decoys, which we clipped to a barbed wire fence. The decoys did absolutely no good–not a single dove flew to a spot remotely close to them. That was fine with me because I saw behind a tree line, near some water, a mesquite tree containing 10 doves.

            I sent Timothy on a mission with his BB gun: he was to cross a dry gully, circle around a grove of trees, and sneak up on the doves to flush them out of the tree. I was anticipating the doves flying over Abby and me, which would give us a wonderful shot.

            While Timothy was in route, a number of doves, in groups of two or three, flew over our heads to the tree Timothy was stalking.

            Time for a strategy change! Forget the stalking, we three would stake out spots near that tree!

            We did so; what we did not count on was the torrent of doves that would fly our way. They came in droves.

            Abby, Timothy, and I shot and shot and shot.

            Abby, Timothy, and I missed and missed and missed.

            Had this hunt been a war and the doves been kamikaze pilots, our side would have lost!

            Wave after wave of doves descended upon us. Still, we missed.

            In our defense, doves can fly up to forty miles an hour, and at times they move like water bugs. Sometimes we missed because our shot hit tree limbs instead of birds. I must confess that some of God's creation was damaged due to our shooting.

            At last, we figured out that if we were simply patient and allowed the doves to slow down in descent, we could hit them. (Don't worry–no doves were harmed while sitting in trees.)

            Ultimately, we killed a few doves. More than that though, we had a great time. Abby shot two boxes of shells. At one point, she was reloading and shooting so fast, she forgot what I taught her. She was practically shooting her shotgun from the side of her waist–gangster style! This proved disconcerting to me–the precious baby I held in my arms 17 years ago now looked like a mutant combination of Rambo and Ma Barker.

August 29, 2012

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.

August 21, 2012

1. I think the Shiloh Road elders are remarkable. They have committed our congregation to engage in an elder selection process every four years. My stepping down from the pulpit would have given them an excuse to prolong that process, since we're now in the third year of our current elders’ service. However, they believed that to properly prepare the way for the preacher selection, it would be necessary to decide who the next set of elders will be. Consequently, it was announced Sunday at Shiloh that we are beginning a new elder selection process one year early. I commend our elders.

2. I like the song “Some Nights” by the group FUN; I like the video better.

3. We sure come up with some weird nicknames in our nation’s high schools. This from SI’s Peter King: “Yuma (Ariz.) Criminals. Love Yuma High's website: ‘Proud Home of the Criminals.’”

            That ranks right up there with the Celeste Blue Devils in beautiful Celeste, TX. Why in the world would a God-fearing town call their sweet boys and girls “devils”?            

            My favorite mascot is actually a college one. Wake Forest is a private university affiliated with the Baptist church. So whose idea was it to make their nickname the Demon Deacons? My guess is it was an angry pastor.

4. I think there is no better group to preach to than a congregation that is predominately African-American. Last Sunday night, I was privileged to be invited to preach at the North Tennaha congregation here in Tyler. The singing was amazing (I still hear some of their hymns in my head), and I love how they verbally encourage you as you speak. Thanks to all of those who participated Sunday evening.

5. A recently released book called THE PRESIDENTS CLUB is one that I think would be entertaining to a wide audience. Written by TIME reporters Nancy Gibbs, and Michael Duffy, this book is a rich history of the relationships ex-presidents have had with each other, beginning with Herbert Hoover all the way through George W. Bush. Well researched, the book is also replete with many anecdotes that demonstrate the humanity of all of the men who have so far served in that austere office.

            One of the more interesting areas of research pertained to the subject of-drum roll please-treason. The authors contend that both Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter were guilty of committing treason.

            Before he was elected to office in 1968, Richard Nixon used information concerning the Vietnam War, which President Johnson had presented to him in private briefings, and used it to his advantage. Through back channel negotiations with South Vietnamese leaders, Nixon promised to cut a better deal with them after the election.

            That knowledge probably motivated the South Vietnamese leadership from joining representatives from the United States and North Vietnam at the peace table, which may well have decided an extremely close election. More importantly, Nixon had no right as a private citizen to interfere with U. S. foreign policy, which is exactly what he did.

            Carter’s interference concerned going rogue on a diplomatic mission to North Korean president Kim Il-sung in 1994.

            In a very tense situation involving atomic energy and North Korea's potential to create nuclear weapons, Carter violated then President Clinton's instructions and cut a deal based upon his own opinions. Clinton and his national security team were incensed; yet, placed in a difficult position, they had to refrain from letting the world know what had truly occurred. Carter was not executing presidential foreign policy; he was formulating U. S. foreign policy.

            Probably the most heartwarming chapter in this 527-page book was on the relationship between George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, after both completed their presidencies. Overcoming the baggage of serving in different parties, not to mention the fact that Clinton had defeated Bush in 1992, the two men have grown quite close during the last decade. (Part of the credit goes to George W. Bush, who brought the two together to fund for disaster relief.)

            This is not a “public relations” relationship. Not only has Clinton grown close to the elder Bush, he has also grown close to the Bush family. Together they have raised hundreds of millions of dollars for victims of natural disasters.

            The book is available online, in your local bookstores, and also in your public library, which is where I found my copy.

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

August 14, 2012

1. November will get here soon enough, but I am eagerly anticipating the November 16^th release of the movie LINCOLN. Stephen Spielberg is directing this motion picture, and he is focusing strictly on the last four months of the 16^th president’s life. Word is LINCOLN is based upon Doris Kearns Goodwin’s award-winning-book TEAM OF RIVALS.

2. This may be a good sign for the future of the space program–more than 23 million people watched NASA’s live streaming of the landing of the “Curiosity” on Mars. I would love to see humans land on Mars in my lifetime.

3. Judy and I got a chance to take three of our four kids to NASA the week before last. Let me tell you, if you have kids, it is a great place to go.

            Don’t miss the tour that takes you to the old Mission Control.             

            Timothy and I obsessed over trying to a land space shuttle simulator, which is a lot harder than you would think.

            Of course, I’m an old-school junkie, so I loved looking at the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space capsules.

            Meanwhile, my kids were mega-impressed by the 363-foot-long Saturn Five rocket. Inside the building where they housed the rocket, NASA has posted nice summaries of each Apollo mission. This allowed me to sow the seeds to show Timothy and Annie the Tom Hanks’ miniseries FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, which I hope to do soon.

            Last night, our family watched APOLLO 13 together. (If you have younger kids, be aware of the language… and a couple of scenes you’ll want to fast forward. The scenes are no worse than commercials you see today, but who says the commercials today are good for television?)

            I loved the movie and the book it is based upon. Here’s a little behind-the-scenes nugget–Ron Howard created much of the crew’s conflict in the movie for the purpose of dramatic tension. The real-life crew was much more calm than the portrayal. As for Hanks’ miniseries, based upon the Apollo space program, it is much more kid friendly, much cleaner, and much more spiritual.

4. If you ever get the chance, tour the BATTLESHIP TEXAS located near Houston. On the NASA trip, Judy and I took the kids to see the old vessel commissioned in 1912. I am amazed at how far below deck the ship extends. You can tour the depths of the ship, and the heights—all the way up into some of the crows’ nests. It staggers me to think about sailors traveling on that ship 100 years ago.

5. In addition to what I wrote two weeks ago, here are some of the things I liked about the 2012 Olympics:

A. Michael Phelps. I feel like he is the greatest Olympian of all time. He’s won more medals than anyone else and more gold medals than anyone else. Moreover, for someone who is so obviously competitive, he seems to have a balanced view toward life.

            In 2009 and 2010, Phelps barely trained. After his first loss in this year’s games, Phelps did not pull his hair out and lament his misfortune. He took responsibility and announced that, considering the work he put in, he got what he deserved.

            For example, Phelps through the years has also demonstrated more of the Olympic Spirit than I have given him credit for. I had not remembered that in the 2004 Olympic Games, Phelps gave up his spot on a relay team (sure to win a gold medal) to allow an older swimmer the chance to win his first gold medal. Gold medals are hard to come by. (I know; I still have not won my first.) Yet Phelps was willing to sacrifice for a teammate.

B. Oscar Pistorius. How did he do it? How did he run on those prosthetic legs? And the speed with which he ran… amazing!

C. Kirani James. Yes, he won the gold medal in the 400 meters. However, he also reminded us of the original dream of the Olympic Games: athletes competing at their highest level in the spirit of sportsmanship. It was moving to see James, after his semi-final win, ask Oscar Pistorius to exchange identification tags. Furthermore, he then symbolically removed himself from the Olympic Stadium spotlight and placed Pistorius in it. Truly touching. 

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