It is a brilliant blue, sunny, sixty two degrees outside. It feels a bit like fall. I had to go out and fill the Finch feeders and also to clean the little "ant guard" that sits on top of the Hummingbird feeder. For what ever reason, that is where the Goldfinches like to drink. It is just a small plastic "bowl" looking thing but they seem to like it and it was nasty full of dead bugs.

It is such a beautiful day that we may have to take a convertible ride to the orchard and pick some apples. I also need to go to my local Bible store and/or to ToysRUs. I'm looking for some children's instruments like small drums, mallets and blocks for an experiment I intend to do for my sermon this Sunday. Assuming I find them, it will either go very well, --- or as they say, it will " go over like a fart in church." We'll see what happens.

The back yard was fairly quiet today. Sometimes it is that way. I heard Mr. Fuss a lot, the Blue jay a little bit ago but it never stopped here. I have a couple of Cardinals, and a few Finches, but that is about bit. I'm really puzzeled as to why the squirrels seem to be avoiding this place. I'm certainly not complaining, --- just puzzeled. The sunflower seeds last a lot longer when they aren't around.

This coming Saturday morning Ms. Kate is fixing breakfast for the parish as we host the 6th Annual Parish Harvest Breakfast. Although an awful lot of work for Ms. Kate, this event has gone over very well every year. One year we had the confirmation class help out but the rest of the time Ms. Kate has done it all herself. We just feel that it is so very important to begin the harvest season as a faith family giving thanks to God for the crops they are about to harvest. We also pray for a safe harvest. Farmers are an anxious and stubborn lot sometimes and they push themselves past exhaustion trying to get the crops in. So, this is when I revert to my days as an Air Force Colonel, and give them their "safety briefing". Most of the parish members are connected to farming either directly or indirectly. One of our greatest pleasures is to sit out and watch the farmers as they gather in the corn or wheat. They are indeed doing God's work. And, --- as I stand at the pulpit at St. Paul's, I can look out over the field directly across from the church. It is a peacefull scene, even when it is snow coveted.

Today I'm certainly lfting up praise to God for this beautiful day. I also lift up Byron and Sheila as Byron goes through his last blood draw and infusion tomorrow and Friday. I lift up a particular parish member who is having a lung biopsy this week and I pray it is not cancerous. If, however it turns out to be, I pray it is caught soon enough and that she and her family will continously experience God's arms around them. We have several people on our prayer list at the moment, and I ask that God watch over each and every one of them. And --- I lift you up to our blessed Savior as you read this. Know that today, someone just prayed for you. Have a blessed day..