There is a cardinal sitting on the edge of the electric bird bath getting a drink and there is steam or maybe “heat waves” coming off of the water in the bird bath because the water is probably 45 degrees and the temperature out there is eight degrees and wind chill makes it minus nine. So the cardinal just sits there enjoying the rising warmth of the water vapors. It is a neat sight.

On the other side of the story. The starlings are walking around on the ground trying o eat dropped seeds etc. They walk a couple of step and they sit down on their feet to keep warm. I have read about the process that occurs in their bodies that keeps them from freezing, and while I can’t quote it to you, it is `another one of those billions of wonderfully intricate miracles that God put together to create this world and everything in it. I’ll take Divine Design over “accident” every time.

Stacey May, one of our local weather reporters told us last night that we would wake up to beautiful sunshine and a beautiful day but once we open the door, — reality would hit us in the face. She was exactly right. It is a beautiful day. I have the door from the sun porch to the house open or I’d be unable to sit out here. It is 56 degrees out here. Yesterday we kept it closed most of the day and it was  forty degrees in here last night when we opened the door.

I never got out and filled the feeders yesterday so I absolutely must do that today. There are still suet cakes and seed cakes out there and some bark butter is still there but by and large, things are empty. I’ll just have to dress warm and go do my duty. I see that the goldfinches and other small birds are finally eating from the thistle feeders that I filled several weeks ago. They had been eating from it and it was totally empty so I made a special trip to get more thistle seed to fill it back up, and they haven’t touched it since. But now they are eating from it. So, like I said, there is certainly plenty of available food for each critter out there, but I do need to refill stuff.

There are only four days left of 2017. I haven’t been very productive this year I think. But, Ms. Kate and I have had a good year with our traveling and visiting our kids. 2018 looks to have some changes coming once again. I may be going back to work —- yes, again. It is in the works for me to serve part time as an interim co-pastor at our church. Our current interim pastor asked me if I would consider doing that. He serves on a part time basis and if I could too it would give the church something fairly close to a full time pastoral care. The church is actively seeking a full time pastor but there have not been a lot of candidates coming our way. But, God could send the right person at any time. Pastor Art is two years older than me so we are both trying to enjoy our retirement years; but —- if God needs a servant, who are we to say no. The last hurdle is the winter congregational meeting where the congregation must vote whether to spend the money for a second part time pastor or maybe they will vote that Pastor Art is doing everything they need to be done. He is a wonderful pastor for them and I can see how they would vote to just use him. God’s will be done.

That’s it for today my friends. Stay warm and pray for those may be out in this weather and homeless.  Share your love with someone today if you get the chance. Peace.