If my people...

Thanks to all of you who so faithfully continue to pray, and for your calls and notes regarding my weekend trip to DC spent with daughter Lisa. The trip went well and I am safely back in Charlotte catching up on things at the office as well as at home.

Lisa planned several fun events for us so we were quite on the move much of the time. We attended a portion of a jazz concert in the park, visited some interesting museums, went sailing on the Potomac with a friend of hers, and took a most interesting walking tour from the Ford's Theatre where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, around the district learning much about that era from our guide that was dressed in a very full (and hot)1800's dress. She played the part of Elizabeth Keckly, seamstress and confident to Mary Todd Lincoln. It was most interesting to step back into history and see those years through the eyes of black woman who purchased her freedom for the amazing sum of $1,200. Truly amazing when we learned that her usual income was $3 a day!

Her close friendship with the Lincolns gave her much insight into their lives right on through the assassination in 1865 and the aftermath when she stayed with Mary and the two children. She even helped Mrs. Lincoln sell some of her fine dresses to raise funds as she was financially destitute after her husbands death. It was quite in contrast to current presidents that leave the office far from destitute.

It was interesting that while in Washington, my reading in The Daily Message focused on 2 Chronicles chapter 7. Verse 14 especially spoke to me; "...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." That certainly is what we need today. But verse 19 warns "But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve others gods..." That will be disaster! It is easy to point a finger when we read those verses, but I was convicted of my own responsibility in relation to those verses.

May God help us to to seek him above all other gods including that god of self!

Love to you all,

Chuck