A Tribute To George Bush (Must Read)

WHAT AN AWESOME TRIBUTE TO GEORGE W BUSH! PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE
> STORY NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS OF HIM. YOU WON'T REGRET
> IT...
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> Story by: Bruce Vincent
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> 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 with others to receive an award from the
> President.
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> He writes:
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> 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.
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> 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 fromLibby, Montana, I
> reminded him that Marc Racicot is our native son and the President
> offered his warm thoughts about Governor Racicot.
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> I have to tell you, I WA s 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."
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> 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.
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> 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.'
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> 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 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 Bus h 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.
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> 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. 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."
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> 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."
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> 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 strong faith and I have a favor to ask
> of you."
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> 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 remove d 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."
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> 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
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> He said, "If it's okay with you, we'll take care of the prayer right
> now. Would you pray w ith 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."
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> 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.
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> 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 stepp ed 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.
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> 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 in 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.
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> NOTE: If you decide to forward this story... please do not add to it.
> Let Mr. Vincent's encounter stand as he wrote it.
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