54° this morning and rain. That sure makes for a sleepy morning. I could easily crank the recliner back, close the eyes and drift off to some place in dreamland. But today has to be a day dedicated to writing so I don't dare give in to temptation. I expect it will be a two pot day for Mr. Coffeemaker.

I missed blogging yesterday as well as being out here on the sun porch. I had an early meeting yesterday that took me past lunch time. Then I spent a lot of hours putting together worship services. Now I have to put together the sermons to go with the services. When we go on vacation, I have to make sure I have services ready for the guest pastors as well as for the week that we come home. Its going to be made a bit more difficult this time because we will be coming up on mid-year congregational meetings as soon as we return from the second vacation we have planned to California.

The birds are not as happy as they could be out there in the rain this morning. Their feeders are all fairly low or empty. And, --- I'm out of a lot of the stuff to fill them. I need suet cakes, bark butter paste, birdola cakes and probably some other things but I don't really have time to be running across town to the store. Gosh, they may have to fend for themselves like "wild birds" do! But, there still is finch feed and sunflower seeds in the feeders so I guess they can adjust their pallates.

This has been a rainy week. Every day has brought showers on and off. The grass really needs cutting. Hopefully that can happen tomorrow afternoon. I was all set to take a break from the computer yesterday afternoon and go out and mow the yard and along came another ten minute thunderstorm. But, God provides blessings even in the rain. Our tomatos and squash and cucumbers are really growing.

As always, I take stock of the abundance of blessings God has showered down upon me once again today, and I give God praise for them. I continue to to be blessed with a loving family, good friends, and a faithful and faith filled parish. I pray that God is pleased with my leadership of these two congregations and I am "getting it done right". Every day I ask myself if it is time for me to step down as pastor. But, I haven't felt that it truly is time for me to quit, --- just yet. Just like the point came that I knew it was time to retire from the Air Force, --- I reckon God will tell me it is time to retire for a second time. In the meantime, --- I have sermons to write.

Have a wonderful day.