Yesterday could not have been more beautiful. It was very typical of what we get for May weather in this little part of the world. Today will be ten degrees cooler and much windier. That is still very tolerable for working outside, and the wind will help dry the ground out just a little. Unfortunately we are predicted to get another half inch of rain Wednesday night through Thursday. But, that just puts us back to "normal" southern Indiana spring weather. The yards are turning green and the wheat is starting to grow very well. In another month our farmers will be chomping at the bit to get out there and prepare the fields for planting corn. I love living in farming country. I would love to bee out there for a day or two driving a tractor and pulling a disk behind me. But, these tractors today are like spaceships compared to the old little Ford tractor that my dad had and I used as a kid. GPS meant "go plow someplace" back then.

On the prayer front for us this morning is my brother-in-law, Byron, and of course my sister too. His oncology report yesterday was not a good report. His numbers are climbing again and the cancer is as aggressive as it was before. The effects of the "miracle " drugs have become less useful and the fact that he had to stop taking them for dental reasons hadn't helped a bit.  They have yet another new drug they want to try, --- and then the next step would be chemo. It is heartbreaking; and unfortunately it is also a huge fraternity. I'm willing to bet there isn't a person in this country that doesn't know or isn't related to someone who has had or has died from cancer. What a shame.

But --- I never lose hope or my faith in God. God gives us little signs of his love all the time. For example, a week ago I was shoveling nine inches of snow from my driveway, today I am sitting here looking at clear ground and beautiful crocus blooms and a pussy willow tree with hundreds of those little pussy willow buds or blooms, what ever they are, all over that tree. Each one of those buds is a hope and a promise of new life. Those crocus blooms are a fulfillment of God's promise. My daffodils are full of buds about ready to open; more of God's promises of better things to come. My sister just emailed me that Byron is going to be able to get back on the medications and infusions that he had to stop because of needing a root canal and crown. God delivers. I think another pussy willow bud just popped out.

I need to get out of my recliner and out into the yard. We did some good work out there yesterday and I have residual from that to finish. Then I need to go up to the churches and run my bulletins for the week and put a second coat of polyurethane in those pews that we worked in yesterday. It is St. Patrick's Day SO we will celebrate the non-existent Irish blood in our bodies with the corned beef and cabbage that Ms. Kate has in the crock pot.

Some where out there is a rose that needs smelling. Take time to look for it in your life today, and go and smell the roses.