TODAY IN HISTORY-SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2011

Today is Sunday, Feb. 27, the 58th day of 2011. There are 307 days left in the year.

Today in History: Highlight in History: On Feb. 27, 1933, Germany's parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, caught fire. The ruling Nazis, blaming the Communists, used the fire as a pretext to suspend civil liberties. AP Photo
On this date in: 1801 The District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. 1807 Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. 1902 Author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif. 1951 The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified. 1973 Members of the American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee, S.D., the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. The occupation lasted until May. AP Photo 1991 President George H.W. Bush announced the end of the Persian Gulf War, saying the allies would suspend combat operations at midnight. 1997 Divorce became legal in Ireland. 1997 Legislation banning most handguns in Britain went into effect. 2002 Alicia Keys won five Grammy Awards for her debut album, "Songs in A Minor." 2002 A mob of Muslims set fire to a train carrying hundreds of Hindu nationalists in Godhra, India; some 60 people died. 2008 Author and conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. died at age 82. 2010 An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami killed 524 people in Chile caused $30 billion in damage and left over 200,000 homeless.		Today's Birthdays: Singer Josh Groban turns 30 years old today. AP Photo/Dan Steinberg Name Profession Age Joanne Woodward Actress 81 Elizabeth Taylor Actress 79 Ralph Nader Consumer advocate 77 Barbara Babcock Actress 74 Howard Hesseman Actor ("Head of the Class," "WKRP in Cincinnati") 71 Debra Monk Actress 62 Neal Schon Rock musician (Journey) 57 Johnny Van Zant Country singer 51 James Worthy Basketball Hall of Famer 50 Adam Baldwin Actor 49 Grant Show Actor ("Melrose Place") 49 Chelsea Clinton Daughter of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton 31 Atlanta Falcon tight end Tony Gonzalez turns 35 years old today. AP Photo/Keith Srakocic

Thought for Today: "He that respects himself is safe from others. He wears a coat of mail that none can pierce." — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (born this date in 1807, died in 1882).

“A Prayer Of Spiritual Preparation”

Father, we lift our eyes to the Eastern sky, for we know that You will soon return to gather believers in the air along with those who have already died.  But until that wonderful event or until You call us home at our appointed hour of death we are to live as if this might be our last day on earth. We want our hearts to be right, our conscience to be clear and our sins to be forgiven.  We want to leave a godly legacy for those who remain so that they too will make proper preparation for their appointed day of death. Help us to live not just for here and now, but for all eternity. In the name of Jesus. Amen