Good morning from our "alternate vacation location"; --- my sun porch. By design and planning I am supposed to be sitting on the beach this morning watching the waves roll and in having my coffee. However, that is not the case and Ms. Kate and I are back home. And, while I would really like to be in Vero Beach Florida this morning --- we are safe and home without any further incident. The weather for the drive home was perfect. I was watching the news last night and while the rain may have stopped down there in South Carolins, thousands of homes are still under water, lives have been lost, roads, as many as 500 of them are impassable, and they continue to suffer. My prayers continue for them and I have no right to complain because I'm not on a beach somewhere.

My prayers are flowing for strength for my sister and her family. Byron has reached the point of last days and hours of life in this world. Death is imminent and each time the phone rings, I expect it to be "that call".  He has fought this battle hard and the medicines that they tried for him did in fact give him some extra quality time with his family and grandchildren. I thank God for that and I ask that God be merciful and release him from any suffering and allow him to continue his journey into eternal life. Death never wins; it only changes our plain of existence The caporal becomes the memories of us by those left behind and the soul continues to live in harmony with God's universe as it was before an "earth" even existed. To me, such is the "nature of heaven" and eternal life with Jesus Christ. While I may not rush to it; --- I certainly don't fear it.  God is good --- all the time.

We lost another member on our prayer list yesterday. She too has been fighting a very hard battle with cancer and God has taken her home. I also learned yesterday that one of my Air Force friends from many years ago, has been diagnosed with prostrate cancer.

My birds are certainly happy to see their feeders filled once again. There is a wren sitting out there right now just singing its little heart out.  The cardinals have flown in too. I think I had a dozen this morning. The small downy woodpeckers have discovered the bark butter feeders have ben filled and they keep coming back. The squirrels are still not here but they are circling the yard through the trees. And "yellow cat" came strolling through earlier this morning but didn't dally when he saw me looking at him. We have plenty of work to do today that won't seem much like vacation, but it needs to be done. Having said that -- I better get dressed and ready for a days work and quit just thinking about is.

I hope you have a wonderful day.