The fog is thick again this morning and I love it. I've always loved foggy mornings. The air is fairly still and the fog dampens all sound. One goldfinch is eating from the thistle seed feeder and that is the only bird I have out there this morning so far. I expect the cardinals will be flying in shortly although in truth, there isn't much left for them to eat. The snow is about 99% gone from my yard so I should go out and fill everything up again. I'll need to find my boots because the yard is going to be a mushy mess and I'll be dragging hulls etc from under the bird feeder around with me, and I'm sure Ms. Kate doesn't want that in the house and on the carpet. Today's forecast calls for rain turning to snow; a lovely thought. So, I might as well get everything filled up again if I want to continue to enjoy my morning critters.

I started reading an interesting book last night written by John Dorhauer who is the General Minister for the United Church of Christ, in other words the "President" so to speak of our denomination. It is far more interesting than I thought it would be. I bought it because several of the pastors in our Pastor's Circle were wanting to do a book discussion on it. Dorhauer is discussing what he sees as the future of the denomination as a whole and more importantly what he sees as the future of "The Chuech" in this post modern reformation. Unfortunately, it is a fact that the church we baby boomers grew up with is headed for its death bed and if The Church is to survive, there will need to be some major paradigm shifts. I'm enough of a realist to see that picture right in the two churches that I serve.  It is a sad thought but the church buildings that sprang up everywhere after WWII now house congregations that can no longer afford to maintain them.

But enough on the dreary subjects for today. The fog is lifting and the cardinals and the mockingbirds have come in. The junkos are running around pecking at the ground cleaning up after the mess the blackbirds left yesterday. I counted ten cardinals out there and even though the sun isn't shinning on them, they still look beautiful. It looks like I may have to go get some more safflower seed. The dang blackbirds cleaned out that five pounds of food pretty quick. I might as well pick up another fifty pound bag of sunflower seed too because the can is over half empty. I need to re-hang a couple of suet feeders that the squirrels knocked down. If I don't fill the feeders, they will tear something else up trying to get the last crumb of food out of it.

So, I'm off to do my duty and take care of God's pets. I'm glad to do it for the joy I get out of watching them and feel blessed to be able to do it. I hope you find joy in whatever it may be that you are doing today. God loves you and so do I. Never forget that the Holy Spirit is your constant companion waiting to lift you up when needed. Have a blessed day.