Message-ID: <3771817.1075854911174.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 07:05:13 -0700 (PDT) From: anne_heard@ryderscott.com To: e-mail <.carroll@enron.com>, e-mail <.genia@enron.com>, e-mail <.jim@enron.com>, e-mail <.john@enron.com>, marie.heard@enron.com, e-mail <.stephen@enron.com> Subject: FW: President Bush and Prayer Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: "Heard, Anne" @ENRON X-To: CARROLL WILBORN (E-mail) , GENIA HEARD (E-mail) , JIM HEARD (E-mail) , JOHN HEARD (E-mail) , Heard, Marie , STEPHEN & MAUREEN HEARD (E-mail) X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \MHEARD (Non-Privileged)\Heard, Marie\Deleted Items X-Origin: Heard-M X-FileName: MHEARD (Non-Privileged).pst -----Original Message----- From: Richoux, Fred Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 8:49 AM To: Beane, Jan; Gardner, Tom; Heard, Anne; Ramirez, Guale; Rochelle, Betty; Wagner, Bob Subject: FW: President Bush and Prayer -----Original Message----- From: Ridley, Joe [mailto:JRidley@carterbloodcare.org] Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 7:29 AM To: Newlin, Lauri; Parsley, Amy; Grivich, Terrie; 'Fred Richoux'; 'Garrett Whitney'; 'I.E.'; 'Robert Whitfield -- home' Subject: FW: President Bush and Prayer > > "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, > > prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for > > all men, for kings and all who are in high > > positions..." 1 Tim. 2:1 > > > > > > > > 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 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. > > > ---------- > >