I have to admit that we're pretty upset with everything going on in Louisiana and Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We watched some of the TV coverage last night and it really shook me up. It was almost surreal at points - especially with local coverage - as they would seem to move seamlessly between horrible, gut-wrenching images and footage of people clinging to little hope and dire conditions to then talking about how nice our weather was going to be for the Labor Day weekend! My brain couldn't make that shift! I honestly can't get my brain wrapped around the despair that those people are facing and dealing with at this very moment - as I sit here comfortably in my easy chair, with my slippers on and a glass of ice-cold lemonade by my side while listening to classical music! I feel guilty that I'm not as bad off as they are. I feel guilty because I can shut off the television, avoid the newspapers and web sites and move on with my life. I can forget everything they are going through and pretend that it isn't happening, or that it is happening on some other part of the world far away from here. But I won't allow myself to. I feel burdened to be lifting these people in my prayers, in the prayers of our family. I'm torn between showing my children some of the devestating photos so they can put images to our prayers and shielding them from the desolation.

Pray that God is glorified in all of this. It's hard for me to understand how He will be - but He will be.