Happy blessed Monday. As seems to be usual, -- it is raining again, or still, or something. I know I'm ready for some much sunnier days as are most people. On the other hand we've been spared the flooding and storms that have plagued Louisiana. I pray for those folks who have lost their homes and for those who lost loved ones in the flooding.

I have had a busy couple of days. Saturday we spent a good portion of the day at the church. The Women's Guild of St. Lucas do a chicken pie making / baking day once and sometimes twice a year as their major fund raiser. It is a fun event full of fellowship and hard work that always brings in a good amount of money for them. They take orders for the pies in advance so they know how many to make and are sure they sell them all. They try to limit the number of pies to around 200, (we made 214 on Saturday), and it takes a lot of people. We had about forty people show up on Saturday. All of the ingredients are donated by the members of the church so it does make them some money for both charity and needs of the church. It is an event that they have been doing for decades. They have a good assembly line and everyone knows their job. It took me to give them names. We have the "Studley Stirrers"; they cook the chicken and broth. We have the "Holy Rollers"; they make and roll out the bottom shell and the top covers. We have the "Crusty Crimpers"; they put the top cover on and crimp the edges. And finally we have the "Fetchers"; that would be me and a couple of others who "fetch and carry" what ever is needed and move completed pies here and there. The workers ranged in age from 8 - 86 as new generations learn traditions of their church. It is the definition of a faith family at work.

Yesterday was a typical Sunday; two worship services and a church council meeting, then out to our favorite restaurant for lunch. Yesterday afternoon and evening we went out to a craft store for some stuff  Ms, Kate needed to make her greeting cards and then we went back to the church so I could put my office back together now that the painters have finished in there. I wanted to get that done ASAP because I have a young couple coming in for their first pre-marriage counseling this week and they need a place to sit. It also gave me a good chance to get rid of a lot of stuff that has been collecting in the pastor's office over the years because people didn't know where else to put it. We don't have a lot of storage room in the church and church people like every one else tend to keep stuff for decades that they didn't need to keep in the first place. So, my recycle bin here at home is fuller today with copies of old bulletins and stuff Iike that and their were older Bibles and hymnals that we don't use that are now going to another church to send off for a mission. Re-use and recycle; it's a good thing.

It's nice to have time to sit with you again this morning and enjoy my coffee and watch the rain. The feeders are all empty out there so that is a job for after the rain quits today. I have a busy week again this week with meetings and stuff so I better get to it. I pray you will have a blessed day full of the spirit of God.