When I look at this picture I can’t help but see the invisible hand of God working in incredible ways. This picture looks like a simple lemonade stand….but I am with Amelia, the second person Partner in Lyme gave financial assistance to. When I sat with her mother Rachel over a year ago and handed her the assistance folder, we became instant friends. To help celebrate Rachel’s 20th anniversary of her Litchfield, Connecticut store, Amelia and her friend decided to host a lemonade stand with proceeds benefitting Partner in Lyme! They raised $126.00 to help others in their battle with Lyme+.
After getting myself a cup of lemonade, I popped into the store to do some shopping and I ran into a woman that Partner in Lyme has assisted. We chatted for a while and I learned that this woman’s daughter, (who is another person Partner in Lyme has assisted) knew Rachel! I would say it is such a small world, but I know that this is more than that. These are connections only God could make.
If you look closely at this picture, you will see that I am wearing a Park Lane necklace. I bought this necklace at a fundraiser that my friend Cheryl hosted for Partner in Lyme in June. This online event raised over $1,000 and fully funded one of our financial gifts. To make the event fun, Cheryl gave away a shopping spree to one participant. The participant who won the shopping spree is a Partner in Lyme donor and supporter. She took her winnings and bought several pieces of jewelry which she gave to me to give away! I gave one of the pieces, a beautiful dragonfly necklace, to Amelia who gave up her Saturday to sit outside in the heat and raise money. I gave a colorful heart necklace to her friend, because friends need to hear how much they are valued. Ask anyone with Lyme and they will tell you that the value of a true friend is priceless.
So you see, this was so much more than a lemonade stand. As I look back on this picture that my daughter took, I reflect on the ways God is working through Partner in Lyme. These wonderful people have been connected by more than Lyme Disease. They are connected by a spirit of love, of generosity, of selflessness, and of caring and to being a part of this is truly special.
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