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President 'Bush' our leader..
Bubba Joel
Member Posts: 5,161
President Bush our leader > > > > > > 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 occurence 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 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." 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.
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