Blue skies and sunshine a mile wide: what a beautiful morning. It is currently 54 degrees and climbing. It is going to be a good day to get out of the house. The first thing on my agenda today is to meet our good friends Bob and Geotgia Ann at the St. Joe Inn for lunch. We get together there to celebrate birthdays over plates of fried mushrooms and a good cold beer. Today we are celebrating Bob's 83rd birthday. Georgia Ann and I have the same birthday, July 20th. Come that date she will be 87 and I will be 72. They are really great people. She played the organ at St. Lucas for fifty years, and now her daughter Brenda plays and is as good as her mom. I love to listen to her play. They both "understand" music; and if you aren't a musician, that statement won't mean much to you I guess. Brenda and I are going to do a keyboard/trumpet duet this summer again.

Unfortunately, my afternoon and part of my evening will be spent at the funeral home. I had a parishioner pass on Sunday and his funeral is tomorrow morning. I'll meet with the family at 1500 today to see if there are any last minute arrangements they want for the funeral such as extra speakers etc. . Funerals are the worst to prepare for. I do good funerals and I spend a good deal of time putting one together. But almost always the emotions of the family come into play and at the last second people seem to realize that this is the last time I'm ever going to be able to do something for my loved one and they come and want to insert stuff into the service. That is what has already happened to tomorrow's funeral. So, after I leave the visitation this afternoon. I'll come home and pare and tailor the service to meet their wishes. It's all good; it's just part of the business. If it gives the family closure --- it's just time on my part and time is something that I have to give.

The sun is really lighting up the azelias out by the fence. They are a light pink and the bushes are huge. It makes the red tulips look even more brilliant. I just never cease to be amazed at the work of God and the creation God put into motion. There are people who deny the existence of God and I don't understand how they can look at the flowers in my yard or anywhere else and even possibly think that all of this just "accidentally" happened. In fact, I think their denial of the existence of God is an oxymoron. To deny that God exists means that one must have an idea of what God is or is not. If you have that --- then you would have to accept the fact that the concept you have of God is based on something or your logic is false. So --- just trust me when I say that beautiful scene I see out my sunporch with all the flowers and birds --- that is a Heavenly scene; brought to you by the one and only ---God! Now --- go have a perfectly heavenly day!