Good morning! The sun is roaring over the roof this morning. There are no clouds to dampen the skies or anyone's spirits on this 47° morning. It is a great day to sit here in the sunporch and watch the activities in the yard. The coffee is hot, the morning is cool, and the few remaining blooms on the roses, petunias, geraniums, and phlox are standing proudly out there. God is good --- all the time.

There are a lot of birds out there this morning. We must be on the Robin migration route because I have a lot of them out there drinking and splashing in the bird bath. I haven't seen a Robin in many weeks and this morning there are several out there. I also have several Cardinals, as usual, and Finches. There isn't even a hint of gold color now on the Goldfinches. There are also several Sparrows, Nuthatches, and the Titmouse duo. So, God has sent a bounty of joy once again to my back yard.

I bought a new leaf vacuum last week and yesterday afternoon I finally got the back sidewalk, the south sidewalk, and the two adjoining flowerbeds, and garden cleaned up from the first round of leaf fall. It looks so very much better. I also found the neatest thing yesterday at Menards. It is an insert to slide down in to the tall paper leaf and lawn bags. It folds so that the top is kind of a chute and it holds the bags open for you. It works perfectly especially when you are doing that job by yourself. It is a wax coated cardboard and I think I paid less than $10.00 for it. When you don't need it. It folds flat for storage. I hope the inventor made a fortune.

I got a start on one of the two sermons that are ratteling around in my head last evening. I need to try and finish one of them today before I lose it. I probaby should also jaunt some notes about the other so I can work on it too. I read once that Stephen King is usually working on as many as six books at a time. I can't imagine a mind capable of that. I sometimes walk back to the bedroom and forget why.

My prayers go out this morning as prayers of gratitude. My parishioner that just had cancer surgery has gone home and reports she is doing well, albeit a bit sore. God be praised for that. I also lift up prayer for my brother-in-law, Byron, who goes to see his oncologist this week for a follow-up of all of the treatments he has been through. We pray it has done some miracle good and that maybe his numbers will have dropped.

I'm also offering up prayers of gratitude for the wonderful people of my parish. This coming Sunday they are celebrating Pastor Appreciation Sunday, and I've been told that I get to simply come and worship and they are handling everything else. These are extremely busy people and yet, they comng together as a parish and are taking time to create a service and hold a dinner just to say thanks to me for doing what I love to do, and what they pay me for. I am overwhelmed and certainly a blessed man.

My coffee cup's empty and I'm sure Ms. Kate's is too by now. Time to refill and get productive. I pray you have a blessed day.