The gates of heaven opened last evening and my friend John, of whom I spoke yesterday, walked through to his eternal home. So I send my condolences to his family and prayers for their comfort. But isn't it comforting to know that God always keeps the light on for us.

I didn't know John really well; he was a brother-in-law to three members of the church, and he was a cousin to my brother-in-law Byron. He and his wife have come to church and we have worshipped together, and in my book, when you have shared the word of God and prayed together and even perhaps shared the Lord's table together, you have become friends and brothers and sisters through Christ. But I think John sticks in my mind because I have seen the power of prayer and the grace of God at work with him. Even up to the last moment, God's grace was in that room. John had recovered sufficiently to be able to have last conversations with his family. He had expressed that he hoped that his heart would simply stop and that he wouldn't die from drowning from his lungs filling up with fluid. And as I understand it, that was exactly how he passed. His heart stopped, --- and John went home. I will say it again; God is so good.

It is a balmy, breezy 29° outside. We have lots of birds out filling their tummies this morning. The is also a rather large Red Tailed Hawk sitting on a limb about thirty yards from here. It is just watching what is going on. I would love it if it would swoop down and snatch up one of these two squirrels for its breakfast. I also have a rather large Red Bellied Woodpecker out there fussing about everything in general. There are at least nine Cardinals and a host of Finches and Sparrows here today too. The cold weather and wind has brought them all in to the buffet.

This morning we go for our dental appointments and then we need to go do the visitation and work at the church that we didn't get to yesterday. See how quickly I can get behind? Sluff off one little bit and then its play catch up. We did make it to choir practice last night. We are still working on the cantata for Christmas and it really isn't going all that well. So, we are going to change tactics a bit and pray it works.

Brother Byron goes in for a PSA test tomorrow so my prayers this morning are that his numbers are low again this month. That will give us all a sense of hope that just possibly he is going into remission. So readers of my blog, I ask you to hold him up in prayer too. I also lift up all of the other folks that are currently on our prayer list, almost all of whom are afflicted in one way or another with cancer. Surely God will one day show us how to beat it.

Remember to smile today and share God's love. God sent you more than enough and you can never use it all up. Until tomorrow.