TODAY IN HISTORY-WEDNESDAY MARCH 09, 2011

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Today is Ash Wednesday, March 9, the 68th day of 2011. There are 297 days left in the year.

Today in History: Highlight in History: On March 9, 1933, Congress, called into special session by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, began its 100 days of enacting New Deal legislation. AP Photo
On this date in: 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte married Josephine de Beauharnais. 1862 The ironclads Monitor and Virginia (formerly Merrimac) clashed for five hours to a draw at Hampton Roads, Va., during the Civil War. 1916 Mexican raiders led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, N.M., killing more than a dozen people. 1945 U.S. B-29 bombers launched incendiary bomb attacks against Japan during World War II, causing widespread devastation. 1954 CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow critically reviewed Wisconsin Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy's anti-Communism campaign on "See It Now." 1959 Mattel's Barbie doll made its public debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York. 1981 Dan Rather made his debut as principal anchorman of "The CBS Evening News;" he signed off for the last time on the same date in 2005. 1996 Comedian George Burns died at age 100. 2006 Bowing to ferocious opposition in Congress, a Dubai-owned company relinquished its quest to take over operations at U.S. ports. 2007 Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller acknowledged the FBI improperly used the Patriot Act to secretly pry out personal information about Americans. 2009 President Barack Obama lifted limits on using federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research that President George W. Bush had put in place.		Today's Birthdays: Actress Juliette Binoche turns 47 years old today. AP Photo/Mark Mainz Name Profession Age Joyce Van Patten Actress 77 Mickey Gilley Country singer 75 Marty Ingels Actor, comedian 75 Charles Gibson Broadcast journalist 68 Robin Trower Rock musician (Procol Harum) 66 Michael Kinsley Broadcast journalist 60 Linda Fiorentino Actress 51 Emmanuel Lewis Actor ("Webster") 40 Chingy Rapper 31 Julia Mancuso U.S. Olympic skiier 27 Bow Wow Rapper 24 Actress Brittany Snow ("Harry's Law," "American Dreams") turns 25 years old today. AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Thought for Today: "It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him." — John Steinbeck, American author (1902-1968).

“A Prayer For Steadfast Faithfulness”

Father, there is so much to distract us as we start our heavenward journey, that we must settle once for all that we won’t return to our former way of life or the world philosophies we once held or endorsed. Disappointments, unanswered prayers, loved ones who oppose us, spiritual lethargy, temptations and trials pull at our hearts and tempt us to look back just like the Israelites who were freed from slavery.  They who greatly rejoiced at their new found freedom found themselves longing to return after the going got tough.  Give us strength and firm resolve to plow through the hard soil and bumpy rocks of life all the while fixing our eyes on our eternal dwelling place as we hold unswervingly to the hope we profess in Christ Jesus our Lord.  It is in His name that we pray. Amen.