A Prayer from Billy Graham concerning the values of today

>
>
> 'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to
> seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who
> call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our
> spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited
> the poor and called
> it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have
> killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists
> and called it
> justifiable. We ha ve neglected to discipline our children and called it
> building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have
> coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have
> polluted the air
> with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have
> ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it
> enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today;
> cleanse us from every sin
> and Set us free. Amen!'

Words of wisdom from Professor Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch was a University Professor who died from pancreatic cancer. He was asked to give "His Last Lecture" which he did but said the following: "Under the ruse of giving an academic lecture, I was trying to put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children." That "last lecture" is now a best selling book and has been featured, along with Randy, on Oprah's show. Exerpts from that lecture are printed below as outlined by today's USA Today (April 8th).

These are ideas and words I hope to benefit from. How about you?

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* Never underestimate the importance of having fun. I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I am going to keep having fun every day
because there is no other way to play it.

* Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

* No one is pure evil. Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.

* Brick walls are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to stop people
who don't want it badly enough.

* It is not about achieving your dreams but living your life. If you lead your life the right way. the karma will take care of
itself. The dreams will come to you.

* We can't change the cards we were dealt, just how we play the hand. If I'm not as depressed as you you think I should be, I'm
sorry to disappoint you.

Read his book if you haven't done so. It's wonderful!