Thank You for Being A Friend (if you're 40ish, you can hear the tune in your head)

"Sometimes it's not easy, when I have had a day
Where nothing went right, but it'll be okay
Cause there are so many things that I am grateful for
That You have given me to let me know You more
One thing that is true
You give me the friends I need
to show how much You care for me.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
When I'm up or when I'm down, I can count on them to be around
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I see You through them, so thank you for my friends (yea-ah)
Sometimes it's not easy to try and understand
that You know what's best and that You have a plan
but I know that I can depend on You
and that You have given ways to help me through
one thing that is true
You give me the friends I need
to show how much You care for me.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
When I'm up or when I'm down, I can count on them to be around
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I see You through them, so thank you for my friends (yea-ah)
And when the rain comes down
they can be like the sun and brighten my sky
when i get turned around
a smile from a friend makes it okay
You give me the friends I need
to show how much You care for me.
Oh yeah, yeah yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
When I'm up or when I'm down, I can count on them to be around
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I see You through them, so thank you for my friends"

"I See You" from the album The Way I Was Made, Family Wise Music

This song has certainly taken on more meaning as I have prepared for this trip.

• The children's ministry leadership team and others will be providing several meals for my family so they don't have to survive on Kraft mac and cheese, frozen pizzas, tv dinners, and carry out.
  
• People have offered their homes and beds if the kids want to do an overnight because they're bored or just need a mom.
  
• Forty dollars was secretly thrust in my hands Sunday morning with a whisper, "buy the kids a great souvenir or something."
  
• Two different people handing me sizeable sums to get whatever I needed personally to go (with some of it going for the most massive economical suitcase I could find for my 49.872 pounds of clothing, etc.).
  
• Cards, letters, emails, text messages, e-cards of encouragement and support
  
• and, as previously mentioned in earlier entries, donations that covered all travel expenses, including immunizations and visa (which included one anonymous donation that I'm still trying to deduce)
  

So I thank you and Praise God for all the ways He has led, blessed, arranged circumstances, prompted action, and made the way clear. . . What a network I have! I'm so incredibly blessed!!!!
Back to final packing and planning--Cynthia aka Lucy