Today in History: Sunday, July 31, 2011

AP Highlight in History:  On July 31, 1991, President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in Moscow.   AP Photo/Boris Yurchenko
On this date in: 1777 The Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French nobleman, was made a major-general in the American Continental Army. 1875 Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, died in Carter Station, Tenn., at age 66. 1914 The New York Stock Exchange closed due to the outbreak of World War I. (Trading didn't resume until December.) 1919 Germany's Weimar Constitution was adopted. 1972 Democratic vice-presidential candidate Thomas Eagleton withdrew from the ticket with George McGovern following disclosures that Eagleton had once undergone psychiatric treatment. 1977 The "Son of Sam" killer claimed his last victims when he shot and killed Stacy Moskowitz, 20, and seriously wounded her date as they sat in a parked car in Brooklyn, N.Y. (David Berkowitz was arrested less than two weeks later. He is serving six sentences of 25 years to life.) 1981 A seven-week strike by major league baseball players ended. 1990 Nolan Ryan became the 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games as his Texas Rangers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3. 1995 Walt Disney Co. agreed to acquire Capital Cities-ABC Inc. in a $19 billion deal. 2007 The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a 26,000-strong peacekeeping force for Sudan's Darfur region. 2008 Scientists reported the Phoenix spacecraft had confirmed the presence of frozen water in Martian soil. 2009 Three American tourists were arrested by Iran on suspicion of espionage during what their families have said was a simple hiking trip along the Iraq-Iran border. (One was released on bail, the others remain in Iranian custody.)		Video Highlights of This Day in History Today's Birthdays: Author J.K. Rowling ("Harry Potter" books) turns 46 years old today. AP Photo/Joel Ryan Name Profession Age Robert Morgenthau Former Manhattan district attorney 92 Geraldine Chaplin Actress 67 William Weld Former Massachusetts governor 66 Evonne Goolagong Cawley Tennis Hall of Famer 60 Deval Patrick Governor of Massachusetts 55 Bill Berry Rock musician (R.E.M.) 53 Wesley Snipes Actor 49 Fatboy Slim Rock musician 48 Annie Parisse Actress ("Law and Order") 36 Zac Brown Country singer, musician 33 B.J. Novak Actor, writer ("The Office") 32 Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware turns 29 years old today. AP Photo/Sharon Ellman

“A Prayer For A Responsive Heart”

Jesus, day after day, we hear familiar voices and repeated sounds that have become a routine part of our lives. In the midst of all the clamoring noises we want to make time in our busy schedule to become familiar with Your voice so that we’re led by Your spirit in that which we do and say. We want to be quick in hearing Your prompting voice remind us, “This is the way” when tempted to walk in our own ways. We want Your Holy Spirit to convict and bring us to repentance when we have sinned. We also want to be familiar with Your affirming voice that says, “Well done” when we have been obedient to Your beckoning call. Soften our hearts, Lord, so that we not only hear Your voice, but we also feel Your compassion for those whom You bring into our lives today. In Your Name we pray. Amen.