President George W. Bush:
On the one-year anniversary of President George W. Bush leaving office, let us recall his words spoken in the National Cathedral, September 14, 2001 (please take a moment to watch the video):
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“This world He created is of moral design. Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance and love have no end, and the Lord of life holds all who die and all who mourn.
It is said that adversity introduces us to ourselves.
This is true of a nation as well…
America is a nation full of good fortune, with so much to be grateful for, but we are not spared from suffering. In every generation, the world has produced enemies of human freedom. They have attacked America because we are freedom’s home and defender, and the commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time.”
America had just suffered the horror of the evil terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. While our shocked nation mourned and scrambled for clarity in its aftermath, President Bush stood tall.
He represented to our nation and the world that America’s beacon of Liberty and hope would recover and steadfastly endure this barbaric attack against civilization.
Obviously, no man could have expected such enormous adversity so soon in his young presidency.
Yet, this good man, by the Lord’s grace, met the gravest of challenges, persevered and succeeded far beyond the subversive expectations of America’s enemies and craven-wordsmith critics – described by Edmund Burke as, “the little shrivelled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome insects of the hour.”
President Bush effectively thwarted America’s enemies both foreign and domestic for the remainder of his two culturally intolerant terms in office. (Insects be damned).
For his honorable service, for his dedication and strength in leadership, for his goodness and decency as a man, our nation owes him a debt of gratitude that it can never repay.
In time, and with the benefit of “the distance of history”, objective chroniclers will no doubt cement President Bush’s collected record as Commander-in Chief as truly one of the greatest, albeit (as are all) imperfect, achievements in leadership and dignity that mankind has ever witnessed.
Thank you for your service Mr. President. Thank you for your responsible vigilance on America’s watchtower of Liberty and Freedom. Thank you for answering the calling of our time.
You are a great American individual to whom tens of millions of your fellow citizens will long extend their own goodness, grateful remembrance and love. You are indeed truly missed.
May God continue to bless you, and your beautiful family.
And may God continue to bless the United States of America.