Last night I went to bed imagining that Katrina wasn't so bad afterall. But this morning's news made me realize that, for millions of people, "Could've been worse" wouldn't be much of a consolation today.

Dee Andrews, an acquaintance from the blogosphere, is a resident of southern Louisiana. Her post from Sunday gives some perspective to the word "evacuation."

Lord,

You are a good and powerful God. So today I ask you to give tender mercy to those people who need it the most. I trust that you will.

But even as I say that, Lord, I know that for each person in the headlines there are hundreds and thousands more, and in all parts of the world.

So until that future time that you have promised, help me to remember. Help me to remember that even though I have my little parcels of temporary paradise, what I and everyone and the whole planet really need is for you to come and make all things new.

Please do that soon, dear God.

Amen.