Friday, Nov 22, 1963 where were you? Most of my friends here werent even born yet. For me, I had been to lunch and was driving back to the office when I heard the President John F Kennedy had been shot. Later that afternoon we learned that he had died by an assassin’s hand, Lee Harvey Oswald. Preparations were quickly made to stand in a memorial formation on the Ft Belvoir Parade Field on Saturday morning much to the shagin of a 23 year old 2nd LT who would rather be doing other things. I was not particularly fond of Kennedy as a President probably brought on by the what was presented at the Democratic Convention that nominated him – We will Increase spending, decrease the national debt and decrease taxes. Today I learned of another tragic event that took place on this day 141 years ago that has effected many others. It is the sinking of the Ville de Havre with the loss of the majority of its passengers. (The ship sank within 12 minutes of collision with another ship.) The four daughters of Horatio and Anna Spafford, ages 11, 9, 5 and 2 where among the ones that lost their lives. Anna Spafford survived and made it to Paris. She sent her husband a telegram – “Survived Alone what shall I do…” (See full telegram below) How has this effected many people? Well as Paul Harvey would say, now for the rest of the story. Horatio Spafford got on a ship to go to his Anna. As his ship passed near the place where the Ville de Havre had sunk he wrote the words to a song – “It is Well With my Soul”. Many renditions and millions have heard, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, even so it is well with my soul. Here is link to a version of this song with the story behind it. I was particularly draw to how their lives changed and how they spent the rest of their lives. (Caution, this may cause tears to come to your eyes.) https://youtube/watch?v=T8_EfDqF7YI
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 22:08:47 +0000