TODAY IN HISTORY-FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2011

Today is Friday, Feb. 25, the 56th day of 2011. There are 309 days left in the year.

Today in History: Highlight in History: On Feb. 25, 1986, President Ferdinand E. Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule in the wake of a tainted election. Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency. Ferdinand Marcos AP Photo
On this date in: 1570 Pope Pius V excommunicated England's Queen Elizabeth I. 1836 Inventor Samuel Colt patented his revolver. 1870 Hiram Revels, a Mississippi Republican, was sworn in as the first black member of the U.S. Senate. 1901 United States Steel Corp. was incorporated by J.P. Morgan. 1913 The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving Congress the power to levy and collect income taxes, was declared in effect. 1943 Beatles guitarist George Harrison was born in Liverpool, England. 1948 Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. AP Photo 1950 "Your Show of Shows" debuted on NBC. 1956 Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev harshly criticized the late Josef Stalin in a speech before a Communist Party congress in Moscow. 1964 Cassius Clay (who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali) became the world heavyweight boxing champion by defeating Sonny Liston in Miami Beach. 1990 Nicaraguans voted in an election that led to victory for opponents of the ruling Sandinistas. 1991 An Iraqi Scud missile hit a U.S. barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, killing 28 Americans during the Persian Gulf War. AP Photo/David Longstreath 1999 A jury in Jasper, Texas, sentenced white supremacist John William King to death for the dragging death of James Byrd Jr., an African-American man.		Today's Birthdays: Comedian Carrot Top turns 44 years old today. AP Photo/Evan Agostini Name Profession Age Monte Irvin Baseball Hall of Famer 92 Bob Schieffer Broadcast journalist 74 Karen Grassle Actress ("Little House on the Prairie") 67 Jack Handey Author, former TV writer ("Saturday Night Live") 62 Jeff Fisher Football coach 53 Veronica Webb Actress 46 Alexis Denisof Actor ("Angel") 45 Tea Leoni Actress 45 Sean Astin Actor ("Lord of the Rings" movies) 40 Julio Iglesias Jr. Singer 38 Chelsea Handler Comedian 36 Actress Rashida Jones ("The Office," "Parks and Recreation") turns 35 years old today. AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Thought for Today: "He who never leaves his country is full of prejudices." — Carlo Goldoni, Italian playwright 
(born 1707, died 1793).

“A Prayer For Those Who Wait”

Father, though I see through a glass darkly, I am so glad that You have a perfect plan for my future.  You want to prosper me and never to harm me.   I do not throw away my confidence based upon what I see, but instead, I choose to live by faith, since faith is being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see. Help me to be faithful as I patiently wait to see Your plans fulfilled in my life. I pray for those who minister in the prisons.  Grant them power and grace, as they present a transforming message of hope, forgiveness, and endurance through Christ. I pray for the prisoners whose lives have been transformed, that You will enable them to reach other inmates who need to be saved from their sins.  And lastly, I pray for the people of New Zealand as they await word regarding their loved ones who remain trapped in the ruins of the recent earthquake.  May Your grace and favor be evident in the midst of devastation and extremely difficult circumstances.  Amen.