Post by Justin Melick on Apr 3, 2008 10:19:13 GMT -4
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE STORY NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS OF HIM.
YOU WON'T REGRET IT...
-------
Story by: Bruce Vincent
For those of us who sometimes find ourselves having doubts about our
President, here is an excellent piece -- worth every minute it takes to read
it. This story is from Bruce Vincent of Libby , Montana who had gone to the
White House wit h others to receive an award from the President.
He writes: I've written the following narrative to chronicle the day
of the award ceremony in DC. I'm still working on a press release, but the
White House press corps has yet to provide a photo to go with it. When the
photo comes I'll ship it out. When you get done reading this you'll
understand the dilemma I face in telling this story beyond my circle of
close friends.
Stepping into the Oval Office, each of us was introduced to the
President and Mrs. Bush. We shook hands and participated in small talk.
When the President was told that we were from Libby , Montana , I reminded him
that Marc Racicot is our native son and the President offered his warm
thoughts about Governor Racicot.
I have to tell you, I was blown away by two things upon entering the
office. First, the Oval Office sense of 'place' is unreal. The President
later shared a story of Russian President Putin entering the room prepared
to tackle the President in a tough negotiation and upon entering, the
atheist muttered his first words to the President and they were "Oh, my
God."
I concurred. I could feel the history in my bones. Second, the man
that inhabits the office engaged me with a firm handshake and a look that
can only be described as penetrating. Warm, al ive, fully engaged,
disarmingly penetrating. I was admittedly concerned about meeting the man.
I think all of us have an inner hope that the most powerful man in our
country is worthy of the responsibility and authority that we bestow upon
them through our vote.
I admit that part of me was afraid that I would be le t down by the
moment -- that the person and the place could not meet the lofty
expectations of my fantasy world. This says nothing about my esteem for
President Bush, but just my practical realization that reality may not match
my 'dream.'
Once inside the office, President Bush got right down to business and,
standing in front of his desk, handed out the awards one at a time while
posing for photos with the winners and Mrs. Bush. With the mission
accomplished, the President and Mrs. Bush relaxed and initiated a lengthy,
informal conversation about a nu mber of things with our entire small group.
He and the First Lady talked about such things as the rug in the office. It
is traditionally designed by the First Lady to make a statement about the
President, and Mrs. Bush chose a brilliant yellow sunburst pattern to
reflect 'hope.' President Bush talked about the absolute need to believe
that with hard work and faith in God there is every reason to start each day
in the Oval Office with hope. He and the First Lady were asked about the
impact of the Presidency on their marriage and, with an arm casually wrapped
around Laura, he said that he thought the place may be hard on weak
marriages but that it had the ability to make strong marriages even stronger
and that he was blessed with a strong one.
After about 30 or 35 minutes, it was time to go. By then we were all
relaxed and I felt as if I had just had an excellent visit with a friend.
T he President and First Lady made one more pass down the line of awardees,
shaking hands and offering congratulations. When the President shook my
hand I said, "Thank you, Mr. President, and God bless you and your family."
He was already in motion to the next person in line, but he stopped abruptly
turned fully back to me, gave me a piercing look, renewed the vigor of his
handshake and said, "Thank you -- and God bless you and yours as well."
On our way out of the office we were to leave by the glass doors on
the west side of the office. I was the last person in the exit line. As I
shook his hand one final time, President Bush said, "I'll be sure to tell
Marc hello and give him your regards."
I then did something that surprised even me. I said to him, "Mr.
President, I know you are a busy man and your time is precious. I also know
you to be a man of str ong faith and I have a favor to ask of you."
As he shook my hand he looked me in the eye and said, "Just name it."
I told him that my step-Mom was at that moment in a hospital in Kalispell ,
Montana , having a tumor removed from her skull and it would mean a great
deal to me if he would consider adding her to his prayers that day. He
grabbed me by the arm and took me back toward his desk as he said, "So
that's it. I could tell that something is weighing heavy on your heart
today. I could see it in your eyes. This explains it."
From the top drawer of his desk he retrieved a pen and a note card
with his seal on it and asked, "How do you spell her name?" He then jotted
a note to her while
discussing the importance of family and the strength of prayer. When
he handed me the card, he asked about the surgery and the prognosis. I told
hi m we were hoping that it is not a recurrence of an earlier cancer and
that, if it is, they can get it all with this surgery.
He said, "If it's okay with you, we'll take care of the prayer right
now. Would you pray with me?" I told him 'yes' and he turned to the staff
that remained in the office and hand motioned the folks to step back or
leave. He said, "Bruce and I would like some private time for a prayer."
As they left he turned back to me and took my hands in his. I was
prepared to do a traditional prayer stance -- standing with each other with
heads bowed. Instead, he reached for my head with his right hand and
pulling gently forward, he placed my head on his shoulder. With his left
arm on my mid-back, he pulled me to him in a prayerful embrace.
He started to pray softly. I started to cry. He continued his prayer for Loretta and for God's perfect will to be done. I cried some more. My
body shook a bit as I cried and he just held tighter. He closed by asking
God's blessing on Loretta and the family during the comin g months. I
stepped away from our embrace, wiped my eyes, swiped at the tears I'd left
on his shoulder, and looked into the eyes of our president. I thanked him
as best I could and told him that me and my family would continue praying
for him and his.
As I write this account down and reflect upon what it means, I have to
tell you that all I really know is that his simple act left me humbled and
believing. I so hoped that the man I thought him to be was the man that he
is. I know that our nation needs a man such as this in the Oval Office.
George W. Bush is the real deal. I've read Internet stories about the
President praying with troops i n hospitals and other such uplifting
accounts. Each time I read them I hoped them to be true and not an Internet
perpetuated myth. This one, I know to be true. I was there. He is real.
He has a pile of incredible stuff on his plate each day -- and yet he is
tuned in so well to the here and now that he 'sensed' something heavy on my
heart. He took time out of his life to care, to share, and to seek God's
blessing for my family in a simple man-to-man, father-to-father, son-to-son,
husband-to-husband, Christian-to-Christian prayerful embrace. He's not what
I had hoped he would be. He is, in fact, so very, very much more.
YOU WON'T REGRET IT...
-------
Story by: Bruce Vincent
For those of us who sometimes find ourselves having doubts about our
President, here is an excellent piece -- worth every minute it takes to read
it. This story is from Bruce Vincent of Libby , Montana who had gone to the
White House wit h others to receive an award from the President.
He writes: I've written the following narrative to chronicle the day
of the award ceremony in DC. I'm still working on a press release, but the
White House press corps has yet to provide a photo to go with it. When the
photo comes I'll ship it out. When you get done reading this you'll
understand the dilemma I face in telling this story beyond my circle of
close friends.
Stepping into the Oval Office, each of us was introduced to the
President and Mrs. Bush. We shook hands and participated in small talk.
When the President was told that we were from Libby , Montana , I reminded him
that Marc Racicot is our native son and the President offered his warm
thoughts about Governor Racicot.
I have to tell you, I was blown away by two things upon entering the
office. First, the Oval Office sense of 'place' is unreal. The President
later shared a story of Russian President Putin entering the room prepared
to tackle the President in a tough negotiation and upon entering, the
atheist muttered his first words to the President and they were "Oh, my
God."
I concurred. I could feel the history in my bones. Second, the man
that inhabits the office engaged me with a firm handshake and a look that
can only be described as penetrating. Warm, al ive, fully engaged,
disarmingly penetrating. I was admittedly concerned about meeting the man.
I think all of us have an inner hope that the most powerful man in our
country is worthy of the responsibility and authority that we bestow upon
them through our vote.
I admit that part of me was afraid that I would be le t down by the
moment -- that the person and the place could not meet the lofty
expectations of my fantasy world. This says nothing about my esteem for
President Bush, but just my practical realization that reality may not match
my 'dream.'
Once inside the office, President Bush got right down to business and,
standing in front of his desk, handed out the awards one at a time while
posing for photos with the winners and Mrs. Bush. With the mission
accomplished, the President and Mrs. Bush relaxed and initiated a lengthy,
informal conversation about a nu mber of things with our entire small group.
He and the First Lady talked about such things as the rug in the office. It
is traditionally designed by the First Lady to make a statement about the
President, and Mrs. Bush chose a brilliant yellow sunburst pattern to
reflect 'hope.' President Bush talked about the absolute need to believe
that with hard work and faith in God there is every reason to start each day
in the Oval Office with hope. He and the First Lady were asked about the
impact of the Presidency on their marriage and, with an arm casually wrapped
around Laura, he said that he thought the place may be hard on weak
marriages but that it had the ability to make strong marriages even stronger
and that he was blessed with a strong one.
After about 30 or 35 minutes, it was time to go. By then we were all
relaxed and I felt as if I had just had an excellent visit with a friend.
T he President and First Lady made one more pass down the line of awardees,
shaking hands and offering congratulations. When the President shook my
hand I said, "Thank you, Mr. President, and God bless you and your family."
He was already in motion to the next person in line, but he stopped abruptly
turned fully back to me, gave me a piercing look, renewed the vigor of his
handshake and said, "Thank you -- and God bless you and yours as well."
On our way out of the office we were to leave by the glass doors on
the west side of the office. I was the last person in the exit line. As I
shook his hand one final time, President Bush said, "I'll be sure to tell
Marc hello and give him your regards."
I then did something that surprised even me. I said to him, "Mr.
President, I know you are a busy man and your time is precious. I also know
you to be a man of str ong faith and I have a favor to ask of you."
As he shook my hand he looked me in the eye and said, "Just name it."
I told him that my step-Mom was at that moment in a hospital in Kalispell ,
Montana , having a tumor removed from her skull and it would mean a great
deal to me if he would consider adding her to his prayers that day. He
grabbed me by the arm and took me back toward his desk as he said, "So
that's it. I could tell that something is weighing heavy on your heart
today. I could see it in your eyes. This explains it."
From the top drawer of his desk he retrieved a pen and a note card
with his seal on it and asked, "How do you spell her name?" He then jotted
a note to her while
discussing the importance of family and the strength of prayer. When
he handed me the card, he asked about the surgery and the prognosis. I told
hi m we were hoping that it is not a recurrence of an earlier cancer and
that, if it is, they can get it all with this surgery.
He said, "If it's okay with you, we'll take care of the prayer right
now. Would you pray with me?" I told him 'yes' and he turned to the staff
that remained in the office and hand motioned the folks to step back or
leave. He said, "Bruce and I would like some private time for a prayer."
As they left he turned back to me and took my hands in his. I was
prepared to do a traditional prayer stance -- standing with each other with
heads bowed. Instead, he reached for my head with his right hand and
pulling gently forward, he placed my head on his shoulder. With his left
arm on my mid-back, he pulled me to him in a prayerful embrace.
He started to pray softly. I started to cry. He continued his prayer for Loretta and for God's perfect will to be done. I cried some more. My
body shook a bit as I cried and he just held tighter. He closed by asking
God's blessing on Loretta and the family during the comin g months. I
stepped away from our embrace, wiped my eyes, swiped at the tears I'd left
on his shoulder, and looked into the eyes of our president. I thanked him
as best I could and told him that me and my family would continue praying
for him and his.
As I write this account down and reflect upon what it means, I have to
tell you that all I really know is that his simple act left me humbled and
believing. I so hoped that the man I thought him to be was the man that he
is. I know that our nation needs a man such as this in the Oval Office.
George W. Bush is the real deal. I've read Internet stories about the
President praying with troops i n hospitals and other such uplifting
accounts. Each time I read them I hoped them to be true and not an Internet
perpetuated myth. This one, I know to be true. I was there. He is real.
He has a pile of incredible stuff on his plate each day -- and yet he is
tuned in so well to the here and now that he 'sensed' something heavy on my
heart. He took time out of his life to care, to share, and to seek God's
blessing for my family in a simple man-to-man, father-to-father, son-to-son,
husband-to-husband, Christian-to-Christian prayerful embrace. He's not what
I had hoped he would be. He is, in fact, so very, very much more.
