[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 28 (Monday, February 13, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S2533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The guest Chaplain, the Reverend Richard C. Halverson, Jr., of 
Arlington, VA, offered the following prayer:
  Let us pray:
  As we bow in prayer, in anticipation of St. Valentine's Day and of a 
burdensome schedule, let us reflect upon those we love most: our 
children and grandchildren.
  The story is told about Charles Francis Adams (1807-1886), son of 
John Quincy Adams and a successful politician, that on a certain day 
Charles entered these words into his diary: ``Went fishing with my 
son--a day wasted.'' His son, Brooks Adams (1838-1918) also kept a 
diary, and on that same day, Brooks made this entry: ``Went fishing 
with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!'' (Obtained from 
Fran Woods, Washington Fly Fishing Club).
  Our Heavenly Father, as we consider this ``most wonderful, wasted 
day'' of a father spending time with his son, we recall the final words 
of the Old Testament which declare: ``Behold, I will send you Elijah 
the prophet *** and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the 
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers ***''--Malachi 
4:5, 6. And the New Testament which says, ``*** where your treasure is, 
there will your heart be also.''--Matthew 6:21.
  Lord, we confess that sometimes we do not treasure our children as we 
ought, and sometimes our heart is more with our achievements than with 
our descendants. Often, those we most love, we most neglect.
  We pray, therefore, in the midst of demanding schedules, that Thou 
wouldst graciously turn our hearts to our children and grandchildren, 
with Valentines of time not wasted.
  In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
  

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