Happy cloudy and rainy Thursday morning. It is thirty nine degrees but actually doesn't feel all that bad out there. I went out first thing this morning and filled bird feeders. The first thing that flew in for breakfast of course was three starlings. But, --- they didn't stay long and now there is a squirrel on each of two feeders. Just what I went out in the rain for!!! But life is interesting. I just had a huge brown cat come streaking across the yard and chase a squirrel about fifteen feet up a tree. I've never seen this cat before but it sure got the attention of the squirrel. The cat has now either left the yard or is hiding under my yard barn. The squirrel has made its way back down the tree but is very cautiously deciding if it is safe or not. We'll just call this little drama; "As the Squirrel Turns".

We got the bulletins run yesterday and we had choir practice last night. Another Wednesday under our belts. The choir practice went fairly well even though a couple of our soloists couldn't be there. I'm doing a duet as part of the cantata. No, I have no shame. I'm also going to sing a solo for the Maundy Thursday service. I'm no singer by any stretch of the imagination but I get by and our organist brought me this piece of music and asked if I would sing it. One of our parishioners had brought it to her to play because he apparently likes it that much. He might not be as fond of it after he hears me sing it. But, I'm going to work it in as part of the communion service.

Today is my grandson Matthew's 18th birthday. It doesn't seem possible although we are going down to North Carolina in June for his high school graduation. He's a great kid but has no sense of direction as to what he wants to do next. But then at 18 --- neither did I. At least I was sitting there with a music scholarship for college. He has a lot of things he thinks he was to do but has taken zero initiative towards actually getting there. He has a part time job, a truck, a girlfriend, and a comfortable living arrangement at home. What else would a kid need?? He'll figure it all out. Now that he is eighteen, he can apply for more jobs. He is most interested (at least today) in becoming either and EMT or fire fighter. I've tried to nudge him toward the Air Force where he can maybe be trained as a a professional fire fighter at one of the best fire fighting academy's in the world. But --- I don't think he can see beyond his girl friends beckoning finger.

He Pussy Willow tree is blooming right out side my porch. Just another sign of the constant presence of God in our creation as the seasons continue to roll on. The daffodils aren't having buds on them yet but my sister-in- law Karen has some blooming. It's all good stuff. So --- with that thought, I'll just sign off and give the Lord thanks for yet another day to to something in His name. Peace.