redneck13
07-14-06, 05:07 PM
:flag: :banana: :D
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 is from a man, Bruce Vincent, from Montana who received an
award from the President. He writes:
> >
> >
> >I've written the following narrative to chr onicle 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 t ough 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, alive, 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 let 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 t he 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 number 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 min utes, 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. The 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 st rong faith and have a favor to ask 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 him 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 coming
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 he 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=20
> >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 in hospitals and other such uplifting
accounts. Each time I read them I hope 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 th at 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.
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 is from a man, Bruce Vincent, from Montana who received an
award from the President. He writes:
> >
> >
> >I've written the following narrative to chr onicle 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 t ough 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, alive, 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 let 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 t he 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 number 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 min utes, 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. The 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 st rong faith and have a favor to ask 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 him 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 coming
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 he 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=20
> >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 in hospitals and other such uplifting
accounts. Each time I read them I hope 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 th at 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.