Friday, June 11, 2004

11:40 AM Oliver North pays tribute to Ronald Reagan.

One of my most cherished possessions is a letter Ronald Reagan wrote that explains Harry Truman’s adage which sat behind his desk: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” He quoted Thomas Merton, “We must be content to live without watching ourselves live, work without expecting immediate reward, love without instantaneous satisfaction, exist without special recognition.” The president then wrote, “In today’s modern world many would challenge Merton’s statement and ask why we must be content to live this way.” He answered that question with some of the best advice I’ve ever received: “because our nation was built by men who dedicated their lives to building our country for the sake of their children and countrymen, without taking the time to worry about receiving recognition for their efforts.”

11:22 AM Very good words from Margaret Moores in preparation for the “Faith and Freedom Concert” tomorrow night:

As I write this, school is out for the summer, and I’m watching, along with much of the nation, the Reagan memorial service on my television. I’ve been pondering all this week the great truth of Scripture concerning the sovereignty of God. We might not have had any idea that Mr. Reagan would have slipped into eternity this past week, but God certainly did! And the concert we are doing this weekend, is certainly a way to honor the God and Country Mr. Reagan stood up for, and our veterans stood up for. One of the soldiers in Iraq, whose name will be read tomorrow night is my cousin’s son, Edward W. Ulatoski III. He is my Uncle Ed’s grandson. My daughter, Melissa has been writing him since we found out he was in Iraq, He is serving in the Army National Guard. Along with Robert Schuler’s son, and so many others, he has not complained, although he will be missing the graduation of his brother, John, from high school. My family is proud of his service to our country. So many in my family have served in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, and now Iraq. Pray for Ed and all the rest of our servicemen. They deserve our support and prayers. See you all tomorrow night as we honor God and America!

11:12 AM Noteworthy articles … David Neff talks about The Marriage Revolution. John Piper explains the hard side of mercy. Two pastors in Seattle make a Genesis stand on same-sex marriage. 6:09 AM Counting down … 1 day until the Faith and Freedom Concert, Saturday, June 12, 7 PM. 6:08 AM Today’s entry in the Crosswalk weblog is called My (not so close) Brush With Fame.