Good morning on this 15th day of February. It is also the 45th day of the year and we have had yet another mass shooting in this country, again at a school. My heart breaks for the grieving loved ones of the seventeen people (last I heard) who were gunned down “by an angry person”. The thoughts race through my mind as I read comments about the shooting and instead of a nation joining together in pain — people want to get into political debates about it and they spew more hate. The most ironic thing, and “truth-telling thing” in my opinion was as I was scrolling down through Facebook, I was reading a long post about the shooting and the next post was advertising a video game glorifying being a sniper and blowing people’s heads off from the roof tops. Is it any wonder that people with certain mind sets and conditions become totally unsensitized to taking a gun and shooting as many people as possible?  Congress and our national leadership will once again wring their hands and shake their heads while they take their money from the NRA and the anti-gun lobbyists and then they will do nothing as they always do. Much attention will be given to the “motive” behind the shooting, his loss of his mother recently, the mental health care state in the nation, and blah, blah, blah, and nothing will have been accomplished. I know I tend to be cynical sometimes but I think the gun control question in this country is no different than treating cancer. There is no money if you actually find a cure. There is only money in drawn out research.

On the much happier note this morning; it is a beautiful February morning here in southern Indiana. I have unhappy squirrels and less than happy birds because the feeders for the most part have been emptied. It has been raining over the night so the ground is rather sloppy, but I reckon I better go out and fill feeders. We are supposed to be getting more rain today and for several days on and off. But, while it is over sixty degrees this morning, it will be fine to go out and take care of my guests. Weather dude is talking “rain/snow” mix by the weekend. Hello February.

We had a well attended Ash Wednesday service last evening. I was glad to see that. Now we have officially started the Lenten season and we’ll be having extra services and extra events at the church for the next forty plus days. The forty days of Lent do not include the Sundays. I’m looking forward to it all. It is so good to back serving as a pastor again.

With that, I need to refill the coffee cup and move on to something different. My prayer today is that your day will bring you peace and love. Take care of yourself and others. Share your love and blessings with someone. Have a great day.