For the moment, it isn't raining this morning. But, it poured really hard several times early this morning. About 0530 it was getting light enugh to see through the yard and the rain was coming down like; ---- well, --- the proverbial cow and flat rock scenario. We picked up an inch and three quarters in the rain gauge. The good news is that we needed a rain and it will break the heat and humidity again. The bad news is that the rain was hard enough to knock almost all of the remaining blooms off of the phlox. So now, we basically have some black-eyed susans, some knock-out roses, and the potted geraniums blooming, and that's it.

Its Wednesday and of course that means a trip to the churches to run the bulletins, and prep the church for the Sunday service. We are also going to find ourselves a farm stand and pick up a cantelope or two. This region is known for being able to raise really good cantelopes. People call them all "Posey County" melons, although if truth be told, a lot of those Posey County melons come from Warrick County, Gibson County and even across the river in Illinois. But, there is a swath of land through there that is more sandy than other places and the soil is just right for melons. From there, I have no idea where we will end up or what else we will put on the agenda; although I think we will be coming back home and putting up some of the peaches we bought last weekend. Some of them are ripe enough to work with by now and I cleared some good space in the freezer downstairs.

I heard from Julie last night and she indicated the house inspection went well for the place they are buying. So, all of the paperwork is in place, the inspection is done and it is now time to let the bureaucracy of banks and mortgage systems do their slow roll. In the mean time, they are spending their free time packing, tossing, sorting, and stacking all of their stuff to move. Actually, her timing could not be worse because she is doing 12 hour shifts at the college bookstore she manages because it is "Rush", the period of time when all of the kids return to college. She manages the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at the Indiana University South East Campus there in New Albany, IN. So, besides receiving pallets and pallets and pallets of books, she has been going through the process of hiring new students to work in the store. Stick a Rhumatoid Arthritis flare-up in the mix with that and her stress level is pretty much maxed out. So, how does she relax, you may ask. Friday evening, when she gets off work she is heading to the Baxter Avenue Morgue there in Louisville KY, to become a character player in their annual Haunted House! Yep --- she's just weird enough to be my child, and like the rest of us in this wondeerful family of mine --- she's a work-a-holic.

Once again the coffeee cup is empty and it is time to wrap this up. My Devotional has been read and now it is time for some conversation with the giver of every blesssing I have received. I heard from my sister concerning my brother-in-law and there is no good news on that front so I'll contiue to ask for God's strenth for him and for the family. I'm also lifting up a lady on our prayer list that has been off of the Facebook radar for almost a week, At last report, things were really taking a turn for the worse with her cancer. So, again, I ask for God's strength and mercy. Cancer, especially in the last stages, is a ravager of strength and spirit. I don't know, and I hope I never have to know, how people get through it to the end of their life without a relationship with God. And, I also see it all the time that so many people and families who never seemed to have a hour for God on a Sunday during the rest of their lives, suddenly have all kinds of time for God. I don't know how God truly deals with that but I believe in God's mercy and forgiveness. But I also remember the word's of Jesus when he talked about that very issue and he said the answer will be "I never knew you." That is one truly scairy thought. Get in touch with God today.