It's been an incredible 2006: Rewarding, challenging, encouraging, disappointing and full of blessing.
Politics is not my life. It is, at best, a diversion compared to what really matters.
My life is primarily my family, then my friends. As long as I have them, I have everything.
I look forward to communicating and collaborating with you in the New Year. There's much work to be done. In spite of recent setbacks in the political arena, like Ronald Reagan I believe that America's best years are ahead of her. His optimism and faith in the principles that make America great live in me. I pray they will blossom and grow in you in 2007 and beyond. I sign off with his words.
Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty’s lamp guiding your steps and opportunity’s arm steadying your way.
I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life.
When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.
I believe with all my heart that standing up for America means standing up for the God Who has so blessed our Land. We need God's Help to guide our Nation through stormy seas. But we can't expect Him to protect America in a crisis if we just leave Him over on the shelf in our day-to-day living.
We have to keep in mind we are a Nation under God, and if we ever forget that, we'll be just a nation under.
Sometimes when I'm faced with an unbeliever, an atheist, I'm tempted to invite him to the greatest gourmet dinner that one could ever serve, and when we finished eating that magnificent dinner, to ask him if he believes there's a cook.
Let us pray for the salvation of all of those who live in their totalitarian darkness -- pray that they will discover the joy of knowing God. But until they do, let us be aware that while they preach the supremacy of the state, declare its omnipotence over individual man, and predict its eventual domination of all peoples on the Earth, they are the locusts of evil in the modern world.
How can the leadership of the other side... open each session of their great convention with an injunction to the Lord, and end each session with a prayer to God, and still insist on denying that right to a child in a public school?
We will never compromise our Principles and Standards.
We will never give away our Freedom.
We will never abandon our Belief in God.
May God bless you and may He continue to bless the United States of America.
