America is hurting.  There’s devastation from Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, and now Las Vegas.

But there’s also Marseille, France and Catalonia, Spain, and numerous other issues around the world.

My heart hurts for all of the pain and devastation around the world.

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” Anne Frank

I need to remind myself of the beauty around me, so as to not let the evil and ugliness and sadness overtake me.  This is not an attempt to belittle or demean everything that has happened, but simply to re-center my perspective on life.

God is still in control.  He knows what He is doing.  Just because we don’t understand, or we feel overwhelmed by the bad and the evil, does not mean God is not good.  I am praying for everyone who is hurting. I am praying for my country and my world. And I am praying for resounding beauty.

“They call him the ICU Grandpa. On Tuesdays, he visits the PICU to hold babies whose parents can’t be with them that day. On Thursdays, he makes rounds in the NICU. This photo was taken by baby Logan’s mom as she fought back happy tears. Logan has been in our hospital for six weeks. Every night, his mom goes home to be with his big sister. Every morning, she drives back to Scottish Rite feeling ‘a…nxious that he’s been missing his mommy.’ On this particular morning, she walked into the PICU to find Logan—a preemie born at just 25 weeks—in the arms of David, who smiled and introduced himself as the ICU Grandpa. This photo captures just one precious moment with a legend of a hospital volunteer who’s been holding patients, and their parents’ hands, for 12 years.” Love What Matters

Ciao for now,

Julia