U-505 page 28

 U-505 page 28 by ric gustafson

Quietly, Skipper Lange opened the hatch. He stepped onto the bridge. Behind him was Executive Officer Paul Meyer. Behind Meyer were the watch officers. Behind the officers were the enlisted sailors. Each of them were holding a life preserver.

Still wearing his pajamas, Lange squints at the bright sunlight. All of a sudden, a plane strafes the deck of the U-505. Lange is hit in his legs and knees and right eyelid. Meyer is also wounded with a scalp wound. Blood is now streaming down his face. 

Before losing consciousness, Lange shouts out " sink the boat". 

With Skipper Lange and Meyer wounded, it is up to Chief Engineer Josef Hauser to set the demolition charges in the U-505.The charges are small tiny bombs. They are difficult to locate and dangerous to set. They are famous for being unreliable.

The last one on board the U-505 was Goebeler. To sink the boat, he opens up the sea strainer. Ocean water begins to fill up the boat. Goebeler evacuated the boat. He jumps into the ocean. He gets into the liferaft with the others.

research help: ' Codename Nemo' by Charles Lachman

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the miracle on Titanic page 5

 the miracle on Titanic page 5 by ric gustafson

" Good morning Mr Boxhall".

The fourth officer was standing on the railing to the bridge. He turned and saw the smiling face of Captain E J Smith.

Boxhall grinned. " A grand morning it is".

An Afghan hound was by the Captain's side. " Have you been working on our course?".

" Aye Sir". They walked into the bridge. They stopped at a large map. " I have us on more of a southerly route to avoid ice fields".

" That 's fine for right now".

Captain Smith walked over to the wireless operator room. He knocked. A young man opened the door. He was standing by something Captain Smith had never seen before.

" Come in Captain. I'm Jack Phillips". He shook the Captain's hand. " Mr Bride and myself will be in charge of the Marconi wireless".

" Mr Phillips, what is the range of this wonderful new apparatus?".

" Four hundred miles by day Captain".

" Good".

research help: ' Queen of the Waves' by Janice Thompson

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

words of Jesus: release your worries

 words of Jesus: release your worries by ric gustafson

We cannot escape the trouble of this world. But our hearts need to be close to the one who can carry our burdens. John 14 says let not your hearts be troubled. Jesus is full of mercy, grace and compassion. Jesus is a faithful friend. He gives us safety like a parent to a child. 

What is troubling your heart?. Jesus says do not surrender to fear. Jesus says surrender yourselves to me. Jesus will provide for our needs. Jesus says trust me. We need to take him at his word. 

Why?. Because Jesus loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' Bible Word Search devotional' by Broad Street Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

John and Caroline page 1

 John and Caroline page 1 by ric gustafson

On May 19 1994, 33 year old John Kennedy Jr was looking at a telescope. His mother had bought it for him when he was a child. It sat in the same corner of the large square drawing room. John loved this room. The wide windows showed an exquisite view of the city. In the room were red and gold silk drapes. Stacks of books filled the room. 

But his mother's home was not warm and loving any more. John had been crying. His mother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had just passed away one hour earlier.

John knew this day was coming. It came quickly. His mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in January. For Jackie, those last months she wanted to spend time with her family. 

John and his sister Caroline had traits from both of their parents. Like his father, John was good looking and had self confidence. Caroline was not comfortable with direct eye contact. Especially with reporters. Like a man in politics, John could command a room. 

After his speech at the Democratic National Convention in July 1988 to introduce his uncle Ted Kennedy, people started thinking John might be the next heir to the Kennedy throne.

research help: ' The Kennedy Heirs' by J Randy Taraborrelli

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

7/16/1999 page 10

 7/16/1999 page 10 by ric gustafson

As John looked at the controls and dials of his Piper Saratoga. Spatial disorientation was beginning. His brain was confused. He wasn't sure what to do. He failed to see the lower left hand corner of the instrument panel. The wings of the plane were not level.

At 9:40 pm, the Piper Saratoga began to descend. As the plane descended toward the ocean, it began picking up speed. The plane began hurtling toward the ocean at 5000 feet per minute. Because the wings were not level, John could not straighten out the plane.

The Piper Saratoga began to turn clockwise like a corkscrew. Pilots called this a ' graveyard spiral'. In their seats, John, Carolyn and Lauren watched as G forces pressed against them. For 15 seconds, they watched in horror as the Piper Saratoga hit the water of the Atlantic Ocean at 99 feet per second.

The End

research help: ' The Day John Died' by Christopher Andersen

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

words of Jesus: Wait on him

 words of Jesus: Wait on him by ric gustafson

Sometimes in life we need to move ahead. Sometimes it is necessary to wait. We can try to run our lives ourselves. God the Father instead offers us his Spirit for help. Listen to God when he tells you to wait and listen.

The Holy Spirit is a generous gift. When we have fellowship with the Spirit we have peace, love, joy, endurance and hope. The fruit of the Spirit can start. The Holy Spirit can transform us from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit can give us all we need. We need to wait on Jesus each and every day.

research help: ' Bible Word Search devotional' by Broad Street Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

7/16/1999 page 9

 7/16/1999 page 9 by ric gustafson

Even though John could not see any visual clues or know the new plane's instruments, he kept flying. His decision to save time and fly over open water proved fatal. He could not see through the haze. 

His first instinct was to try and drop below it. At 9:34 pm, John guided the Piper Saratoga down to 2300 hundred feet. Exiting the haze, John could see the Gay Head Lighthouse. It was a familiar landmark. 

The joy of being able to see did not last long for John. After only five minutes, the haze came back. John again could not see through the windows of the Piper Saratoga. 

Without visual clues, John's brain was getting confused.

research help: ' The Day John Died' by Christopher Andersen

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric