Hold on to your hats this morning and for the next week, so they say. It is a windy one out there this morning. It is 46° and that is only two degrees below our expected high for the day. Its not a great day to jump in the convertable and drop the top and go for a ride. But, --- on the other hand, the sun is shining brightly and there isn't a cloud in the sky. So, I'm not going to complain one little bit. We'll just ride with the top up and enjoy God's world as it presents itself.

Ms. Kate and I went on a "late night- date night" around midnight. I had gotten home from choir practice and we had each done some more work; me on the computer and her on the greeting cards that she makes. Around midnight we both got hungry and decided to just go out for breakfast at Denny's. We haven't done that in several years, and it was a great time. As we older people say; "There was a day" when that would not have been unusual for us to do at all. Isn't it amazing how sedintary and "rutted-in" we can let ourselves become without realizing it. I wouldn't want to go out for steak and eggs every night, --- but we sure enjoyed ourselves last night and I recommend it for you too!

I guess the first thing on our agenda today will be to go up to the churches and run this weeks bulletins. We just had too much stuff to do yesterday to do that. I also hope to get my sermon finished that I'm working on. I got a really good start yesterday and I don't want to lose the train of thought.

I must tell you today of an example of the miraculous work of God. A friend, and brother-in-law of three of my parishioners, is in the ICU at a local hospital in critical condition. He has been on a ventilator for a couple of weeks, I think, and his kidneys had shut down three or four days ago. The family has all been in as much as possible and they are all prepared for his imminant passing. Yesterday they took him off of the ventilator, --- and he kept on breathing, not particularly well, but he kept on breathing. And, his kidneys began functioning again. Now, I don't know what all of that means. It could mean that he is on the road to recovery; --- it could simply mean that God is giving him a couple of days of earthly peace to ease the impact on the family before he passes away through death's veil. But, --- what I do know is this. Never give up on God because God never gives up on you. What happened in that hospital room yesterday was an intervention from God for what ever purpose it might serve to give God glory. And for that, I am thankful this morning. Much like Mary and Martha and Lazarus; a family received a very special extra day with their loved one. If he passes away today --- they will still always have had that extra day.

You and I have each received an extra day today also. Let's put them to good use.