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Enron Mail |
Lengthy - but worth reading in my opinion
< < We need to keep THIS MAN in our prayers. < < (Authored by Bruce Holbrook) < < We thank God for "this man". < < < 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 decades 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." Happen to catch Bill Clinton at the National < Prayer Service? Didn't look too good, did he? < < 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. < < The appropriate songs were sung, as one said, to in an almost unbearably < emotional service. I, for one, broke down innumerable times merely < listening on tape delay on the radio. How the man spoke without < blubbering, < I'll never know. < < 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. The 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 acknowledgement. "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." < < He 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." < ============================= < God Bless President Bush < God Bless America < Bruce Holbrook < < < < < <
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