It looks so beautiful outside. The sky is a brilliant blue with no clouds, the sun is shining brightly, and it is a perfect picture of winter. The down side is a temperature of 3° with a - 15° windchill factor. That's cold, even to an Eskimo!

I did do my shoveling yesterday. Or --- it is more appropriate to say I took the John Deere and did my shoveling yesterday. I recleaned our driveway, Dan's driveway and parking area, and the street from Dan's house to the top of the hill. So, we have a good block of dry pavement and traffic can flow back and forth without sliding all over the place. I do like that little John Deere and I am so glad that Ms. Kate had the foresight to have us add that snow blade to the purchase when we bought it. I sometimes think that maybe I should pick up a set of chains for it because I do tend to sometime get to sliding around when I'm working my drive. The incline is a bit steep. I hesitate though because I'm afraid the chains might tear up my concrete.

My bird feeders are pretty well empty this morning. I need to go out and fill them. The problem is that I haven't been able to find my darn boots. I knew they were here someplace, and would be in my garage. But until a few minutes ago they were AWOL. But, I just dug them out from behind the stack of cases of Disani. Don't you just hate when stuff is right where you put it, you know --- that special place so you'll know right where it is??? But, back to the feeders, there is still feed out there. The finch feeders have thistle in them, one large sunflower feeder still has seed but it is harder for the larger birds to feed from and nye to impossible for the squirrels to hang on to and eat from because of where it is hanging. I also have two cylinder feeders that are in cages designed to feed just the birds that are about the size of the wrens and smaller woodpeckers. One of those is out in the front of the house about three feet from our kitchen window. It is a wren favorite and we love watching the little wrens come to eat as we are sitting there having our meals. I have at least a dozen cardinals out here now including my big bright red one. It is currently sitting about five inches from the glass door looking in at me. That's my reminder to wrap this up with my morning prayers and meditation. Ms. Kate bought me a new Max Lucado Lenten Devotional and it is a good daily read.

Today I need to head out to two different hospitals. One parishioner is having knee replacement surgery in about three hours and my prayers are for a successful surgery. He has needed to have this done for such a long time. I pray it will finally give him the relief from the pain he has been dealing with. My other parishioner is my 101 year old lady and she is having some health issues. Normally her health issue  wouldn't be a serious thing, but at her age, everything can be fatal. So, I'm offering up prayers for her this morning too. I also must lift up my prayers of gratitude for the blessings God just continues to heap upon us. I pray for all those who did not have a warm home to sleep in last night and don't have one to go to today. I pray that God has led them to shelters and warm meals to get them through this brutal cold.  God is so very good. Have a blessed day.