And a very happy Wednesday to you! It is a 42° overcast morning, but the rain seems to have moved on to the east. The sun is trying to burn its way through the clouds, and all is well in the kingdom; or at least my 12,500 sq ft of it. You never know what might be going on, on the other side of the fence and at the neighbor's part of the world.

I can't believe it is Wednesday already. I guess it seems to be coming around quickly because I still don't have a sermon written for next week. There is an idea rumbling around up there but it hasn't broken forth with any consistency. But --- it will suddenly just come spilling out, so I need to be a bit patient. God will provide at the right time. God always does. In the mean time, my cup of coffee is great, I'm very happy out here in the sun porch, the birds are very happy out on their feeders, and life is just good all around me.

I think I have thirteen Cardinals out there this morning. It is hard to count them sometimes because they flit back and forth so much. The Hairy Woodpecker has come in and out several times as well as its little cousin, the Downy Woodpecker. I've also had a pair of Nuthatches swooping in and around at the bark butter feeders. The Finches, the Chickadees, the Sparrows all will be here shortly as the bigger birds go off to the trees. Their patterns are pretty well established.

Yesterday was mid-term election day for the country. The Republican Party gained control of the Senate and they already had control over the House. I wish I thought things would change and the country would stop being so divided. I do think that at least the majority of the people who get elected to represent us actually believe they are going to make a difference. But money talks and ideals walk. Glad-handing, cronieism, and compromise becomes the only way they get anything done. Every politician claims they are going to " change the system and clean up Washington". But in reality, they are just scrubbing a sceptic tank with a tooth brush in the dark. But having said that; --- this is still the greatest country in the world and I wouldn't want to think of living anywhere else.

My prayers this morning go for the nation to come to terms quickly with the election results and begin working together to make this a great nation for all of its citizens. My prayers also go out in gratitude again today for my family and friends, and my parish full of God-loving people. I'm thankful that my sister and brother-in-law have had a couple of weeks of peace in dealing with his cancer. We are all waiting for that "next report" and praying that his cancer might be heading to some degree of remission. I'm thankful for my fine feathered fluttering friends out there on my feeders. Their beauty just constantly reminds me that God is everywhere we look, and is therefore, always by my side. Give God praise today and share God's love with someone. Have a blessed day.