Lee Ellis's Blog, page 48

Historical Highlight for October 1, 2023

Historical Highlight for October 1, 2023 ��� ������Tie a Yellow Ribbon������the Anthem for Vietnam Vets��� – here’s a short historical fact from the history of the Vietnam war and the POW experience shared in the new ‘Captured by Love’ book:

���Early in 1973, just as we were coming home, the song ���Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree��� by Tony Orlando and Dawn, became the number one hit in the US. It became the top-selling single of the year. Billboard ranked it as the 37th biggest song of all time! This touching love song became a heartwarming anthem for returning Vietnam soldiers, our families, and our nation.

���As long-term POWs, we never imagined how much of America���s attention had been focused on us over the years. But we were about to learn. As my parents were driving me home from the Atlanta airport, the closer we got to our home the more I saw yellow ribbons on trees, buildings, fences, and posts. I asked them what that was about. They explained���and I was deeply touched. It was very uplifting, and to be honored this way brought healing���something that was denied to most Vietnam veterans. It is tragic that our brothers-in-arms were largely scorned and disrespected by so many.

���You cannot imagine the impact this song had on the POWs who had been locked up away from our homes and families���our wives or girlfriends or fianc��es. But in the stories we have collected in this book, you can see why this song became ���Our Song��� for so many loving couples.

���We POWs still have a strong bond with Tony. He attends our reunions and inspires us. At our 25th reunion, Mary and I were on a bus loaded with POWs and wives about to shuttle back to the hotel���then Tony climbed aboard. When the group saw him at the front several people called out ���Sing it for us!��� And as we were riding the bus through the streets of Dallas, Tony stood up front and sang it! And we all joined in. That was exhilarating and a special memory for a lifetime.���

~~~~~~~~~

Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree

I���m comin��� home, I���ve done my time
Now I���ve got to know what is and isn���t mine
If you received my letter telling you I���d soon be free
Then you���ll know just what to do
If you still want me, if you still want me

Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon ���round the ole oak tree
It���s been three long years, do you still want me?
If I don���t see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I���ll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me
If I don���t see a yellow ribbon ���round the ole oak tree

Bus driver, please look for me
���Cause I couldn���t bear to see what I might see
I���m really still in prison and my love, she holds the key
A simple yellow ribbon���s what I need to set me free
And I wrote and told her please

Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon ���round the ole oak tree
It���s been three long years, do you still want me?
If I don���t see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I���ll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me
If I don���t see a yellow ribbon ���round the ole oak tree

Now the whole damned bus is cheerin���
And I can���t believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons ���round the ole oak tree

I���m comin��� home
Tie a ribbon ���round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon ���round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon ���round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon ���round the ole oak tree

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Irwin Levine / L. Russell Brown
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree lyrics
�� Peermusic Publishing, Spirit Music Group
Tony Orlando���Dallas Salutes June 2, 1973

 

Purchase your copy of ���Captured by Love��� at powromance.com.

#Romance #Lovestory #Military #marriagegoals #Resilience #POW50th #VietnamPOW #Courage #Passion #CapturedbyLOve #LoveLessons

 

 

 

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Captured by Love Wisdom for Today, September 29, 2023

���Expecting the best���even in the midst of horror and over long periods of uncertainty���is a mindset that helps people accomplish the near-impossible. Optimism helped keep our POWs sane and positive day after day, month after month, and year after year. And optimism can keep loving couples together over separation, time, and distance.��� ��� Dave & Sandy Carey

Purchase Your Copy of Captured by Love

#Romance #Lovestory #Military #marriagegoals #Resilience #POW50th #VietnamPOW #Courage #Passion #CapturedbyLOve #LoveLessons

 

 

 

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Captured by Love Reader Review

Captured by Love reader, Judy, had these words to say about the 20 couples��� stories in this book ���

������Captured by Love��� pulled me in emotionally AND awakened buried longings in my heart. It would be easy to read a few of the stories, grieve, and say, ���I wished I knew that kind soul-mate deep-bonded love.��� The stories were sprinkled with just enough detail that made you cringe and cry at the same time. I felt the emotion in Lee’s voice when he read the words to the song, ���Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree. . .��� Wow! This book is for any civilian or military person who wants to feel more alive!! Let the book read you!���

Purchase Your Copy on Amazon in print, ebook, or audiobook

 

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Latest Book Recommendation from Lee���s Bookshelf ��� ���The Meaning of Marriage���

The Latest Book Recommendation from Lee���s Bookshelf ��� ���The Meaning of Marriage��� by Timothy and Kathy Keller ��� I featured this book as an additional resource in my new book ���Captured by Love���, and honestly, most of the principles are applicable for all interpersonal relationships.

Drs. Timothy and Kathy Keller provide a great foundation for understanding the reality and purpose of marriage. They are both highly educated, very experienced, and both are bestselling authors. This book looks at marriage from a biblical perspective and delves into themes of friendship and commitment; the completion of men and women in each other; singleness, sex and divorce; and ministry and discipleship within the context of marriage.

Timothy and Kathy founded Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City in 1989, where for many years most of the members were single professionals. With so many moving toward marriage in this modern era, they wrote this book to really clarify what marriage is and how it works best. They also address the challenges for both young and older singles who are romantically moving toward marriage.

Learn More about this book on the GoodReads website, and please post your comments below if you’ve read this book.

 

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Startling Stats from Captured by Love

Here are just a few interesting facts about the couples in ���Captured by Love���:

9 couples were married through the entire POW experience5 men were single through the POW experience and met their wives after they got home4 experienced divorce during or after their POW experience2 were widowed during this timeThere are a combed 1,000 years of marriage with all of the couples5 wives were stewardesses as their careerThere were a mix of POWs from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army.10 wives were involved in the League of Families

The varied and different history in these stories is astounding! Take the journey through each couples��� past as well as their relationship advice. Purchase your print book, ebook, or audio book ��� Purchase Your Copy

 

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Historical Highlight for September 24, 2023

Historical Highlight for September 24, 2023 ��� ���Black and White Brothers in the Camps��� – here’s a short historical fact from the history of the Vietnam war and the POW experience shared in the new ‘Captured by Love’ book:

���Since all the POWs grew up in the era of segregation in the south and many of us were raised in that region, you might think that race issues would have been a problem in the camps. After all, we were all locked up together, in tiny cells, for many years. Yet, we never had a single problem. In fact, there are many inspiring stories of our unbreakable relationships. Here���s one.

���During his shoot-down and capture, Major Fred Cherry (Virginia), a black man, was so seriously injured that he could not care for himself. They put Fred in the cell with a ���white boy,��� Navy Lieutenant Porter Halyburton (North Carolina) who fed, bathed, and dressed Fred and helped him survive. You can read about their story in the great book Two Souls Indivisible by James Hirsch.1

���But there was a ���race problem��� in the camps. It was the attempt by our communist captors to exploit the race issue with our black teammates. In an effort to divide us, they ranted to them about their victimhood. When the communist captors could not get them to turn against their country and their white teammates, they tried to bribe them, offering to help them and their families escape from America and go to a safer country. (That���s how little they knew about America!) They threatened that if the men didn���t cooperate, they would likely never go home.

���My black cellmate, Major Tom Madison, was one of the most highly respected men among the 52 POWs in Room 3 during the ���big rooms��� era. He was wise, courageous, and deeply loyal to our country and his teammates.

���Recently in a conversation with my friend Colonel Norm McDaniel, the only remaining long-term POW who was a black person, he said simply: ���We were brothers and a great team.������ (Pictured: Vietnam POWs with Gary Sinise at the 2023 Memorial Day Celebration in Washington D.C.)

Purchase your copy of ���Captured by Love��� at powromance.com.

 

#Romance #Lovestory #Military #marriagegoals #Resilience #POW50th #VietnamPOW #Courage #Passion #CapturedbyLOve #LoveLessons

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Captured by Love Wisdom for Today, September 22, 2023

Captured by Love Quote ��� ���Love often supersedes logic. Some couples are quite different, and they complement each other; and other couples are cut from the same cloth. There is no one ���best��� way for two people to live and love together. The strongest couples accept and respect each other���s unique talents and style.��� ��� Ken & Maggie Fisher

#Romance #Lovestory #Military #marriagegoals #Resilience #POW50th #VietnamPOW #Courage #Passion #CapturedbyLOve #LoveLessons

 

 

 

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The 4Cs of Courageous Leadership

#courage #character #collaboration #leadership #clarity #leadingwithhonor

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Podcast Interview – From Balloons to Drones

������The airplane just blew up into several pieces!��� ��� Lee Ellis on the Romance Stories of POWs��� with From Balloons to Drones Podcast

Listen on their website

 

 

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New Interview ��� Black Rifle Coffee Company

I���m so excited to share my story and experience with the Black Rifle Coffee Company audience. I was a POW in Vietnam 5 years, 4 months, and 2 weeks ��� 1,955 days. I get a lot of questions, ‘How did you guys do it?’ You have to be committed to your mission and your purpose. Watch and please share –

#courage #leadership #accountability #employeeengagement #leadershipbehavior #teamdevelopment #buildingculture #keynotespeaker #VietnamWar50th #WelcomeHome2023 #CapturedbyLove

 

 

 

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