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| National Cathedral Funeral Ceremony for George Bush, 41st President of the United States |
He was our 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush. A man I never knew had been a war hero. I never heard the story of how at age 19 or 20, he was piloting a WWII bomber that was shot down in the Pacific in 1944. He was the only survivor. The story was told at his funeral today by his presidential historian. When his plane was hit, he told his crew to "run for the silk". They parachuted out, then he followed, hitting his head on the tail of the plane as the wind threw him backwards. Splashing hard and deep into the water, salt burning his cuts, somehow he made it into a raft and started drifting toward a small occupied island. Suddenly a submarine came to the surface. He thought it was surely Japanese and that he was a goner or captured prisoner. But no. It was an American submarine. How could this be? He was rescued. He was alive. And now he wondered why, "Why me?" We heard he asked this question for the rest of his life.
Another thing I did not know about 41 was that he knew and loved his Heavenly Father and leaned on him daily and shared the love of God to everyone he knew...because he had no choice. It just came out of him. In listening to the stories of his life and how he touched so many, reaching out to lift up those who hurt, how he always had deep, close friends near him, friends who said he had changed their lives...I thought that even in death, he is changing peoples' lives. The call to Americans from the many eulogies we heard was this: to love God and to love others as He loves us. Americans heard the message that George Bush had a mother who taught him not to hate because hatred only corrupts the vessel it occupies. America needed to hear this message of hope and love today. I cannot imagine any person who didn't reflect on their own lives, the way they interact with others and what if any legacy they will be leaving behind. A legacy of love simply beats anything because it never dies. I felt so fortunate to have been able to watch the funeral from start to finish. Now George Bush is at home with his bride Barbara and his little daughter Robin again.
The choir was so beautiful and I loved this song, sung my the young children in the choir: The King of Love my Shepard is. It is one person's interpretation of the 23rd Psalm.
The king of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine for ever.
Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul he leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home rejoicing brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no I'll
With thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never:
Good shepherd, may I sing thy praise
Within thy house for ever.
