White puffy clouds against a brilliant blue sky, combined with a gentle breeze and 68° temperature is what greets me this morning as I bring my coffee out to the sunporch. I ask you; how can all of that put a person in anything other than a prayerful and joyful mood?

Yesterday was a great day. We began our day of course with our Sunday morning worship service. We had visitors in church yesterday because we did an infant baptism. What a blessing that is. I fully realize that some people and denominations disagree on the definition of what baptism is or is not, but the fact is that people brought their child for dedication to and reception of blessing by God. To me, that is a promise of continued llife with God's church.

Yesterday afternoon I had a very productive meeting with a member of the church concerning a letter writing campaign that the church has decided to do. The plan is to write "Thinking and Praying For You" letters for people in hospitals, nursing homes, the military, and just people in general. It is part of an effort to take the church outside the doors of the church, which I preach frequently. Getting people involved in a new project is often a challenge. Keeping them involved is sometimes harder. But if we don't try, we aren't living up to what we profess.

My last duty of the day was to conduct a pre-marital counselling session with a young couple. I love to do these because I am truly interested in them developing a firm and lasting marriage that is solidly intertwined with a relatioship with God. So, I sometimes ask hard and personal questions.

Today I need to go to the nursing home to see Ms. Charlotte, my 101 year olld parishioner. Odds are not good that she will overtly even remember me, but hopefully by praying with her she will know we all stilll remember her and love her. From there, I reckon we will go to the church and run our bulletins  for Sunday. It is going to be a perfect weather day to take the convertible and enjoy the full extent of God's world.

My prayers of joy go out this morning for parents that bring their children to church, and for parishioners that are excited about working for the kingdom of God. My prayers of gratitude are for my family and my loved ones who continue to support me in my ministry. I also thank God for my faith families from the parish and my home church. I lift up my brother in law and sister in their struggle with his cancer. I also lift up a former "brother in arms" who has developed Stage IV cancer. I also ask for God's continued blessings and guidance that I may be doing what He wants me to be doing. And --- I pray for patience in dealing with all situations and people in my life. I hope your day is as full of blessings as I know mine is.