posted on October 7, 2001 06:33:54 PM
Got this in my inbox the other day. What do you think?
**************************************
What an awsome tripute to our President. I challange you to read this, and
then stop and pray for him for continued guidance from above!
>
>
> > >
> > > << President Bush
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This was the same man who came within a hair's breadth of losing an
> > > election in November, who withstood the political chicanery of the
> > > Florida Democratic machine to fix the vote count.
> > >
> > > This was the same man who admitted to having a drinking problem in
> > > younger years, and whose happy-go-lucky lifestyle led him to
mediocre
> > > grades in college and an ill-fated oil venture.
> > >
> > > This was the same man who mangled syntax even more than his father,
> and
> > > whose speaking missteps became known as "Bushisms."
> > >
> > > And on Friday, this was the man who bore the weight of the world
and
> > the
> > > responsibilities of a generation with dignity, class, confidence,
> > > appropriate solemnity, and even much-needed wit.
> > >
> > > One thing struck me during the campaign, that difficult,
> roller-coaster
> > > campaign that now seems years ago. It was that George W. Bush never
> > > seemed to get ruffled. Whether the theft of a campaign debate video
> or
> > > the sudden (some would say, vicious) release of a DUI arrest two
> decade
> > s
> > > ago at a key moment, "W" did not lose his cool. At times, his staff
> > > seemed overconfident, as did many of us. A 350-electoral-vote win,
> they
> > > quietly implied . . . and we optimistically believed. Then they
> > > counted the votes, miscounted others, and re-counted still others.
> At
> > > the end, he was still there. Whereas Al Gore almost frantically
> huffed
> > > and puffed, trying to gin up something out of nothing, Bush
quietly
> > but
> > > confidently waited at his ranch. He didn't do
> > > nothing: that is the mistake people have constantly made with this
> man,
> > > confusing lack of bluster for absence of action. No, his team of
> > > attorneys and the iron-willed James Baker were carrying out his
> orders,
> > > but W stayed in the background, confident and faithful.
> > >
> > > You see, it is this faith business that confounded everyone. We
have
> > had
> > > such actors and liars in public office that we have looked
> skeptically
> > > whenever anyone used the term faith. But this was the same man who
> was
> > > the first politician ever in recent memory to name Jesus Christ as
> the
> > > lord of his life on public TV. Not an oblique reference to being
> > > "born-again" or having a "life change." He said the un-PC-like
> phrase,
> > > "Jesus Christ," to which his handlers and advisors, no doubt, off
> > stage,
> > > were also saying, "Jesus Christ" in a much different tone.
> > >
> > > God has a way of honoring those who honor Him. David learned that
> while
> > > he was on the run from Saul's armies. Job learned that after his
time
> > of
> > > horrible tribulation. The Messiah said so Himself, many times.
> > >
> > > So this was the man who actually put faith into practice. He
actually
> > > loves those who hate him. It is a staggering concept, so foreign in
> > > daily occurrence that few thought it anything but grandstanding.
Even
> > one
> > > of W's biggest supporters chided the President for adhering to his
> "new
> > > tone." Yet there he was, again and again, thanking the Democrats.
> > > Appointing his enemies to high places in his government. Inviting
his
> > > former foes and their wives to private movie screenings, and (I
know,
> > > this is hard to stomach) even treating them with dignity. See, this
> was
> > > the man who learned early on how faith worked: by praying for his
> > > enemies, you "heap burning coals upon their heads."
> > >
> > > This was the man who named the absolute top people in national
> security
> > > and defense, then caught barbs from the politically righteous that
> this
> > > one didn't have the right views on abortion or that one didn't have
> the
> > > right position on guns.
> > >
> > > And on September 11, at mid-morning, this was the man thrust into a
> > > position only known by Roosevelt, Churchill, Lincoln, and
Washington.
> > > The weight of the world was on his shoulders, and the
responsibility
> of
> > > a generation was on his soul. So this same man---the one that the
> > media
> > > repeatedly attempted to tarnish with charges of "illegitimacy," and
> the
> > > one whose political opponents desperately sought to stonewall until
> > > mid-term elections---walked to his seat at the front of the
National
> > > Cathedral just three days after the two most impressive symbols of
> > > American capitalism and prosperity virtually evaporated, along
with,
> > > perhaps, thousands of Americans.
> > >
> > > As he sat down next to his wife, immediately I knew that even if
his
> > > faith ever faltered, hers didn't. I have never seen a more peaceful
> > face
> > > than Laura Bush, whose eyes seemed as though they were already
gazing
> > at
> > > the final outcome . . . not just of this conflict, but of her
reward
> in
> > > Heaven itself. In this marriage, you indeed got two for the price
of
> > > one.
> > >
> > > Then came the defining moment of our generation. Some people fondly
> > > recall their Woodstock days. Others mark with grim sadness November
> 22,
> > > 1963, as the day America lost her innocence. But I firmly believe
> when
> > > the history of this time is written, it will be acknowledged by
> friend
> > > and foe alike that President George W. Bush came of age in that
> > > cathedral and lifted a nation off its knees. It wasn't so much his
> > > words, though read a decade later, they will indeed be as stirring
as
> > > any. This conflict would end, he noted, ". . . at a time of our
> > > choosing." It certainly wasn't his emotion. What had to have been
> one
> > > of the most stunning exhibitions of self-control in presidential
> > > history, W was able to deliver his remarks without losing either
his
> > > resolve or his focus, or, more important, his confidence. It was as
> if
> > > God's hand, which had guided him through that sliver-thin election,
> now
> > > rested fully on him.
> > >
> > > His quiet confidence let our enemies know . . . and believe me,
they
> > > know. . . that they made a grave miscalculation. Now, this same man
> who
> > > practiced his faith through a tough election, who steeled his
> > > convictions even more in a drawn-out Florida battle, and who never
> once
> > > gave in to the temptation to get in the gutter with his foes (well,
> ok,
> > > maybe the "Clymer" comment is an exception), this same man now
lifted
> > > the weight of the world and the responsibility of a generation and
> put
> > > it on his modest shoulders as though it were another unpleasant
duty.
> > >
> > > As he walked back to his seat, the camera angle was appropriate. He
> was
> > > virtually alone in the scene, alone in that massive place of God,
> just
> > > him and the Lord. But that's the way it's always been in his life
> > > recently. In that brief time it took him to return to his seat, I
> > > believe he heard words to the effect of, "You can do this, George.
I
> am
> > > with you always. And you can do this well, because I am going
before
> > > you. And don't worry about the weight. I've got it." And I saw in
his
> > > eyes a quiet acknowledgment. "I know. Thank you, Lord."
> > >
> > > Back at his seat, when W sat down, George H. W. Bush reached over
> and
> > > took his son's hand. The elder Bush always struck me as a
religious
> > > man, but not someone who shared his life on a daily basis with the
> > > Lord. George H. W. treats the Father like a respected uncle,
> > > visiting Him on appropriate holidays and knowing the relationship
is
> > > real, but not constant. Anyway, I believe that in that fatherly
> squeeze
> > > George H. W. said, "I wish I could do this for you, son, but I
can't.
> > > You have to do this on your own." W squeezed back and gave him
that
> > > look of peace that Laura had kept throughout. It said, "I don't
have
> > to
> > > do it alone, dad. I've got help."
> > >
> > > *******************
> > >
> > > What a blessing to have a professing Christian as President - one
who
> > is
> > > not ashamed to admit it! Please take a moment after you read this
to
> > > pray for him - he truly does have the weight of the world on his
> > > shoulders. Pray that God will sustain him and give him wisdom and
> > > discernment in his decisions. Make no mistake about it - the
> decisions
> > > he makes in the coming days, weeks and months will literally define
> the
> > > future of our country and the free world. Pray for his protection
> and
> > > that of his family.
> > >
> > > After you have prayed, send this to everyone on your e-mail list.
> Our
> > > President needs Christians around the world to be praying for him.
As
> > > this makes the e-mail rounds, eventually there could literally be
> > people
> > > praying for him 24/7!! He needs it.
posted on October 7, 2001 06:57:16 PM
I scanned down through it pretty fast but I did not see any requests for money.
I can't label a request for prayers as SPAM but I also found it so sweet I have to go brush my teeth. Are you sure he isn't the messiah? You'll have us getting out the prayer rugs and banging our heads on the floor to him pretty soon.
[ edited by Meya on Oct 7, 2001 06:38 PM ]