Lots of prayers

I've been doing a lot of praying lately...more than usual. Of course, there are prayers for our safety and health, those are daily prayers. We've been adding the prayers for those affected by so many natural disasters that have been occurring around our country and beyond. And lately, there have been additional prayers for others in our lives. Last Friday my husband had one of the most emotionally difficult days of his career. First thing in the morning he learned that one of his students who had been ill was in the hospital and not expected to make it through the weekend. Later in the day, he was informed that another student had lost her father the night before from bone cancer. And even later in the day, he was informed that one of his older students who is also a father, had lost his five-month-old daughter that day. Earlier this week, I learned that a schoolmate of mine, just a year older, had suffered a stroke and was in ICU. She passed away Tuesday night, leaving behind her husband and two beautiful young girls. All of these have also reminded me to offer prayers of thanks for the many blessings in our lives.