He was a POW in Vietnam for almost 6 years, a highly decorated war hero, and an all-around exceptional man. Here's an excerpt from an article I wrote about him last year:
"There, he courageously endured the unspeakable. His cell consisted of a tiny, hot, rat-infested room, with only a rusty metal bucket for disposal of bodily waste. For the length of time he was there, his diet was unchanging. Water, diluted pumpkin soup, sometimes rice, and the occasional piece of moldy bread. He never discussed with his daughters the brutal beatings and torture he endured, but over time, as we got older, we gleaned that those experiences were commonplace. We discovered through our own research that severe torture methods were employed, such as rope bindings, irons, beatings, and prolonged solitary confinement. We also saw the evidence of the brutality on his body; pit marks on his ankles from the stocks, numerous scars, the result of many beatings, and the infectious boils that sometimes appeared on his back, from living so long in unsanitary conditions."
It is interesting the way God works. About a year ago my husband started telling me that I needed to listen to the audio recordings my dad had made with a reporter before he died... recordings of his personal history. When I finally listened, I thought, "Wow! There is so much about him that I didn't know. Someone should write a book." For a while I couldn't stop thinking about his life story being made into a biography, but then I forgot about it.
Early last fall, the Lord told me to quit my part-time job. Once I did, things cleared up right away as to what to do with my time. I was cleaning the dust bunnies from under our bedroom furniture - and voilà! there were the CD's beckoning to be made into a book.
Most
of the time, my dad was an incredibly dignified attorney and stoic war
hero. Which makes stories like these all the more hilarious:
"I was in the fourth grade and Dad took me,
Laura, Nikki, and some friends to The Bangles concert.
I can remember looking over and watching
Dad sing along to Walk Like An Egyptian." - Jane
I feel really special that God chose me to write this book, and I don't mind asking for your prayers. Jim Shively was
a true hero who lived a life worth remembering, worth celebrating, and worth
honoring. I want to do a good job in the re-telling. Besides
the taped recordings, I am compiling stories about him from family and
friends. If you have a story about him you would like to share, please leave a comment below.
Many blessings and thanks!
Amy
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