And a blessed Thursday morning to you. If there is to be any sunshine today it is going to have to come from from within our hearts because the sky certainly isn't fesssing up any this morning. It's a cloudy grey morning, but it isn't raining and we didn't get any snow that was predicted. So, let's start with with thanks to God for that.

Ms. Kate and I went to the churches yesterday and we got the bulletins and newsletter run and the church set up for this coming Sunday. We stayed for choir/cantata practice. I love that we are doing a cantata, and admittedly I am the driver behind that,  but I don't like that all of our choir practice is taken up by the cantata. The choir has only done the Christmas cantata and sang one other Sunday since we started back in September. We should really be able to do better than that.

There are lots of empty bird feeders out there this morning so I know what one of my chores is going to be today. I also need to do a yard walk-through and pick up twigs and branches again today now that the wind has died down some. There is one branch hanging precariously from the poplar tree and it is just out of reach. I might try to somehow knock it out of the tree if I can do so without boinking myself in the head. It looks to be about six feet long but is thin and dead, so it will be light if it does fall on me.

My stack of limbs is really starting to stack up and I need to get it moved and gone. Ms. Kate told me that it is sitting on the astilbe plant, (what ever that is) so I need to move it before that starts coming up. The sad part about moving it is that it really provides a great shelter for the cardinals and other birds. But, the fire bushes will begin leafing out before too long and the cardinals and their friends can hide in there. I was out there a couple of mornings ago walking around and there is so much raking to do this spring again. But not today.

Ms. Kate and I have some more work to do at the church today and some other running around to do. I also need to do some writing but I'm not in the mood to do it. I sat down last night and read the scriptures from the lectionary for the 13th of March which the week I'm working on. I read it, re-read it and read it again and got nothing. I was totally blank. So, maybe after we do our other work today, something will pop into my brain as an idea. It sounds terribly pious of me to say that I need to wait until God tells me what to say; --- but the truth is that without His help, I woudn't be able to write a single sentence. So, Lord, I need a nudge again to get started. Or, I could get started on on the 20th of March. That will be Palm Sunday and will be much easier to write about.

I'm lifting up folks in my prayers this morning who are going through trials. We have several on our prayer list that are going through some habitation for one thing or another. I just heard from my sister-in-law that one of Ms. Kate's cousins had a heart attack, and I lift up my sister who is now at the four month period of her grief from the loss of her husband Byron. For each of these people I ask for God's touch of peace and strength. I'm also lifting up prayers for safe travels for our three girls who are making round robin trips to see us this weekend. It will be wonderful to have all three of them here. Ms. Kate and I are so very blessed. With that, I will wish you the best possible day you can have. Trust in the Lord and walk with Jesus. You'll love the trip. Shalom.