Welcome to a brand new week. The sun is shining brightly  and illuminating the brilliant red on the cardinals sitting out there on the bird baths. I think they must be having a staff meeting because there are so many out there this morning, despite the fact that it is thirty seven degrees. They look like a bunch of office workers standing around the coffee pot or the water cooler.

There are a couple of squirrels out there too on the feeders. The calico cat came strolling through the yard earlier until it saw me and then its stroll was a bit more hurried. The squirrels barked at it all the way across the yard. It went slinking off under the picket fence. It would seem though that my yard has become Route 66 for those two cats as they pass through my yard at least a couple times a day. There is another squirrel sitting out on the end of a branch of the poplar tree swishing its tail like a kid with a new toy bull whip. I expect there is going to be a fight out here on the ground shortly as they challenge each other for feeders. See what an entertaining life I lead in the mornings?

We had a good weekend. Church attendance was good yesterday at both churches. I can tell that the harvest is winding down a bit because some of the guys are back in church. It has been an excellent harvest again this year. We give God praise for that. The weather has been staying dry for the most part so there is no problems for the guys to get in the fields. Actually, they could use some rain to hold down the dust accumulation in and on the machinery and prevent the machines from catching fire. But, I am seeing fewer combines and more tractors with discs etc as they prep the ground for the next crop. I guess some will still plant winter wheat. I don't know if it is too late for that or not. I wish I knew more about all of that.

I finished my Wm. Young novel and have passed it on for a read by someone else. I think that is the way to show respect for a book and its author. I have yet to decide whether I liked the book or not. It was really complex and it stayed true to the Biblical version of the creation of God's earth and universe. I think the hesitancy on my part is the "other-worldliness" of the characters and their relationship with God. Biblical literalist will hate the book just as they did "The Shack". But, if the reader just remembers that this is a fiction book; --- yeh, it's a good read. Besides, it's kind of neat to open my mind and try to imagine what existence is on God's level before there was an earth.

My day must get started beyond the confines of my very comfortable recliner and excellent view if my micro-kingdom outside the windows and doors of my sunporch. I must first offer my gratitude to God for yet another excellent day and another week to somehow make a difference in somebodies life, even if it is just mine. I heard a man last night talking about the loss of his sister who was killed in a traffic accident here a couple of weeks ago. The woman was from Haiti and the man said it is hard for Americans to imagine the impact of her loss. She was sending most of her earning from her American job back to her large extended family. He said not only did they lose someone they loved dearly, but they have lost the only source of income for a lot of people in a country where there are no jobs.  So, my prayers also go up this morning for that woman's family and all of the families like hers.  Count your blessings today because I can guarntee you that your cup runs over with the goodness of God. Peace!