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The Power of Redeemed Fatherhood

[COMMENT:   A gem from an email...   I know of more than one case where someone's children became the channel of grace through which God moved to change the life of a sinner.     E. Fox]
 

Subject: FW: Fw: Two Stories
>> -Two Stories BOTH TRUE - and worth reading!!!!
>>
>>
>>     STORY NUMBER  ONE
>>
>>     Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago.  Capone wasn't
>> famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy
>> city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
>>
>>       Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's
>> lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill
>> at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
>>
>>      To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only
>> was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For
>> instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in
>> help and all of the conveniences of  the day. The estate was so large
>> that it filled an entire Chicago City block..
>>
>>       Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little
>> consideration to the atrocity that went on around him..  
>>
>>       Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he
>> loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars,
>> and a good education. Nothing was withheld.  Price was no object.
>>
>>       And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even
>> tried to teach him right from wrong.  Eddie wanted his son to be a
>> better man than he was.
>>
>>       Yet, with all his  wealth and influence, there were two things
>> he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good
>> example.
>>
>>       One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie
>> wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.
>>
>>       He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth
>> about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer
>> his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to
>> testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great.  
>>   So, he testified.
>>
>>       Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire
>> on a  lonely Chicago Street .  But in his eyes, he had given his son
>> the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could
>> ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a
>> religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.
>>
>>       The poem read:
>>
>>       "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power
>> to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour.  Now is
>> the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith
>> in time. For the clock may soon be still."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>        STORY NUMBER  TWO
>>
>>
>>        World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant
>> Commander Butch O'Hare.
>>
>>       He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier
>> Lexington in the South Pacific.
>>
>>
>>       One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. Af ter he
>> was airborne, he  looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone
>> had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.
>>
>>       He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get
>> back to his  ship.
>>
>>       His flight leader told him to return to the carrier.
>> Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the
>> fleet.
>>
>>    As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that
>> turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding
>> its way toward the American fleet.
>>
>>       The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was
>> all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them
>> back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the
>> approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow
>> divert them from the  fleet.
>>
>>   Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the
>> formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he
>> charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another.
>> Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as
>> many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.
>>
>>
>>       Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes,
>> trying to  clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy
>> planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.
>>
>>       Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another
>>  direction.
>>
>>       Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped
>> back to the carrier.
>>
>>       Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding
>> his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told
>> the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect
>> his fleet.  He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.  
>> This took place on February 20, 1 942 , and for that action Butch
>> became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to
>> win the Congressional Medal of Honor.
>>
>>       A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of
>> 29. His home town would  not allow the memory of this WW II hero to
>> fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the
>> courage of this great man.
>>
>>       So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International,
>> give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue
>> and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2
>>
>>
>>       SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
>>
>>
>>       Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.

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