Aren't you glad it's Thursday?

Around the house..there are lots and lots of boxes of Kleenex. After avoiding the cold germs the menfolk have been toting around the past few weeks, I have finally succumbed. And for some odd reason, the cold medicine I have reluctantly been taking seems to rev up my mind rather than put me to sleep. At least at night. =)

Outside...the temperature is gloriously cool in the mornings! Even as I sit here this evening, the windows are open and there's a slight cool breeze blowing through the house. The trees are being dabbed with fall colors, a little more each day. (and for the moment, the leaves are hanging on for dear life!)

I am thankful for...more than I can say. A God who heals. My brother's pathology report came back cancer free. A God who holds us close and is faithful. My father's health is declining rather rapidly at the moment. We are hoping for healing for him but he has an appointment at the cancer center here on Monday. At this point, we have no real idea what we are battling but daddy is very discouraged and pained.

Some highlights of the week...we had our second Bible study meeting Tuesday night. It was wonderful! We are doing Priscilla Shirer's Jonah this time around and it is powerful. I also received a sweet letter from my Compassion child, Natacha, this week. She is now 8 and she writes the sweetest letters. They are in French and I can read/understand parts of it which is kind of cool because I feel like she and I are actually talking rather than me reading what someone else says she said. (Does that make sense?)

All in all, it's been a good week. A little peculiar at times, but still good. (Except someone keeps implying that I am grumpy. I think they are confused.) How about you? How is your week going?

Pour out your heart...

I intended to write letters to two of my Compassion children tonight. As I sat down to do so, I realized that I really didn't know much about where my newest two were from, just the basic details provided by the Compassion packet. That's what makes search engines a wonderful thing. I've been checking out various sites, marveling at the pictures and the poverty levels and imagining the lives that my children are living. All was well, my heart was hopeful and I was thankful for the opportunities that we have to make a difference for them.

At least it was until I began looking up information on Burkina Faso.

Life in Burkina Faso is bleak.

It's one of the poorest nations in the world with little hope of changing it's situation. In the region where my child lives, one in three children die before the age of five.

One in three.

Oh, how my heart aches.

My beautiful Natacha is six. She's beat the first set of statistics. However, so many more issues/challenges loom before her. How I long to snatch her up and carry her to our home.

Instead, I pray for her, her grandmother who cares for her, and the Compassion workers who will guide, teach and minister to her for the next decade (God willing) of her life.

There are currently 52 children in Burkina Faso waiting to be sponsored through Compassion. If the Lord moves your heart, would you consider providing hope for one?

Get up, cry out in the night,
even as the night begins.
Pour out your heart like water
in prayer to the Lord.
Lift up your hands in prayer to him
for the life of your children
who are fainting with hunger
on every street corner.

Lamentations 2:19 NCV

busy weekend

The skies cleared long enough for us to have several of the traditional Derby events this weekend: the balloon glow, the great balloon race, the mini-marathon and the marathon.

photos courtesy of the cj.

rainbow connection

It seems that the rain has stopped. For a bit anyway. It was lovely to glance up and see a beautiful rainbow out just for me. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.) Actually, I think this is the first rainbow I've seen since the two weeks of rain began. With all the horrific weather over the past 24 hours, I think I needed the reminder of His promise and provision.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

gonna have to build me a boat

This has to be some of our more unusual Derby weather ever. I think they said we got 4 to 7 inches of rain this weekend (on top of the 4 to 6 we'd already gotten) and are expecting another 4 or so this week. Next thing you know, we'll be having the Great Steamboat Race down Main street.

Kylene Lloyd, The Courier-Journal) April 21, 2011">

Kylene Lloyd, The Courier-Journal) April 24, 2011">

Kylene Lloyd, The Courier-Journal) April 24, 2011">

Kylene Lloyd, The Courier-Journal) April 24, 2011">

photos courtesy of the courier.

the city is still standing...

although with the amount of fireworks going on last night, one might have wondered. As always, the Derby Festival put on a beautiful show. Last night's event was entitled Thunder Power and the theme was heroes and superheroes. The entire extravaganza used 52 tons of fireworks shells, 250 tons of launching tubes, 2 million pounds of sand, and 700 miles of wiring. Thunder was actually held a week early to avoid conflicting with Easter weekend. No wonder I thought time was flying! However, I heard the festival chairman say last night that there were at least 67 more Derby events before the big day! I wonder if anyone ever attends them all>

The first Saturday in May approaches

It' hard to believe that it's that time again. Thunder time! Actually, it's the beginning of the Derby festival. Even though the weather's cold and a bit rainy and the Ohio River has flooded it's banks, taking some of the better viewing spots on the great lawn, still, the show must go on!