Happy Saturday to you. It’s 51 degrees and the sun is trying to shine up I think the clouds will win out before too long. It rained last night and is supposed to rain agin tonight and also tomorrow, although the temperature is to climb up to almost 70 tomorrow. This is sure a pleasant change from a week ago when we were digging out from the snow. It look like Spring is starting to raise it’s beautiful head. I have daffodils up about four to five inches but no buds on them yet. Give them another week. Sister-in-law Karen has buds on hers but she is always at least a week ahead of us\, I wonder why that is. Perhaps it has something to do with her living on the Ohio River front. She probably gets a different wind flow and moisture level. 

Yesterday Ms. Kate and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary. We didn’t do any “big” celebration per se’. We did go out to lunch with Mr. Bob and his daughter Brenda. They are our “Beer and shrooms” buddies and I think I’ve told you that we try to get together for lunch about every six weeks. When Bob’s wife, Georgia Ann was alive, the four of us would go. When Georgia Ann passed, it became Bob and Brenda, and sometimes Brenda’s husband, Andy, will join us. We get one pitcher of beer to split between us, two orders of deep-fried mushrooms and then order what ever the special is for lunch. It’s a good time and Ms. Kate and I don’t have any other friends that we do that, or anything else with. We’ve gotten to be be such “old fogies”.

After lunch, Ms. Kate and I went to AT&T to get her a new IPhone. As opposed to other experiences that we have had with AT&T customer service and sales people, the young lady we dealt with was very knowledgeable enough to answer all of our questions and had the patience to deal with us who don’t really understand a bunch of technology. I gave her an excellent rating on the post visit survey. So now, Ms. Kate has the latest and greatest, the IPhone 12 Pro. It fits her hand much better, the keys are a little larger, and the camera is amazing. It met all of her requirements. She was really interested in the camera because we have the family reunion coming up in three months and she wants good pictures. 

Today, I have to get back down to my office and finish up the sermon I started for next Sunday. I’ve outlined the sermon, done my research, and found my scriptures, so what am I having such a hard time putting it all together? It is frustrating. Maybe I’m not supposed to give it —- I don’t know. Any way, that’s all for today\. Have a great weekend. Peace.

 Thursday morning, February 25th; wow the month is going fast isn’t it? I hope your morning has started off with you feeling well and blessed. I certainly do. The sun is shining, I have visitors at the Backyard Buffet, mostly starlings up still visitors. The other smaller and more noxious birds try to get in for a bite or two but the starlings run them off. But they run each other off too. They are some nasty, selfish greedy dudes. I haven’t had a lot of other guests yet this morning, just an occasional sparrow and a junko or two. I have one squirrel at the feeder across the yard. But the rest of the gang will be along before too long. 

We had a good day yesterday. We went to R’z, our nice restaurant up in Ft. Branch. We have not been there since November. In fact, we came down with COVID symptoms the day after our last visit. I don’t think it had anything to do with going there because we had used all of the safety precautions and so had they. I just think it was a coincidence that the symptoms manifested themselves after that visit. So, it was nice to go back. The really good thing is that people know that we like that particular restaurant and we have several gift cards to there. So, yesterday our lunch was compliments of one of our friends. 

After we finished lunch, wee went to the churches and we ran the bulletins for the week. Tat doesn’t take near as long as it used to. First of all, we aren’t running near as many, and I think I’m going to cut down of what we do print. Since we have the screens at St. Lucas, hardly anyone uses a bulletin because everything is on screen, including the music. We don’t have any of that technology at St. Paul’s so I have to make bulletins for them. Speaking of our system at St. Lucas, we have finally put the order in for the new camera. I’m looking forward to when the system is finally installed and done. I think it is going to greatly enhance our ability to broadcast our services. 

Tomorrow is a special day around our house. It is our 55th, wedding anniversary. We’ve come a long way haven’t we. We don’t have a big anything planned, but we are going out to lunch at St. Joe Inn with our friends for “schrooms and beer” and good company and conversation. It is really hard to think that Ms. Kate and I have been married for 55 years. But, one day leads into another and another and the next thing you know, you’ve gone from innocent and wide eyed youngsters ready to take on the world to senior citizens sitting in your recliners and not in a hurry to take on anything. And, we aren’t ready to quit any time soon, although days left are a lot fewer than days spent. We are just glad to have one another to hold on to and snuggle up to at night. So many people never get that chance. So I give God praise for this very special blessing and opportunity. 

That’s enough for today. I need to go to the optometrist today and order new glasses. I told you I lost one lens out of my glasses and still have not found it. That was I think the third time that I had that lens fall out so obviously the frame isn’t a very good one. An, I want to take Ms. Kate to get a new IPhone. That means there are chores to be done. 

Enjoy your day. Think happy thoughts and take time to give God praise. Peace. 

 Coffee, orange juice, and a fried egg sandwich for breakfast. Who says I can’t cook?  What I find interesting about myself is that I love cereal, but I very, very seldom have cereal for breakfast. Cereal is my “go to” midnight snack. My perfect breakfast is what the family has always called “my big breakfast”. I want eggs, a meat, (not particularly bacon) biscuits white gravy, fried potatoes, juice and coffee. When we go out for breakfast I want it all. You can even throw in a small stack of pancakes. But, I am not good at fixing breakfast like Ms. Kate is. I don’t know how she gets everything done at the same time and nothing has gotten cold. I always amazes me. When I fix breakfast something always gets cold before I get the other stuff done. I like cooking on a griddle and I bought myself a Blackstone griddle last year. I just haven’t used it enough. Ms. Kate is never ready to eat a breakfast so it seems like a waste of time to get everything out, and carry it all outside to fix for just me, when I could just throw it in a skillet in the kitchen. I also like my sweets for breakfast. I go to Schnucks or to Walmart and I pick up either some donut twists or my favorite, cherry turnovers. I do love me some cherry turnovers. I’ll bet if I checked what kind of dough I need, I could make some cherry turnovers. I think all it would take is some crescent roll dough and some cherry pie filling and some granulated sugar on top. I need to Google that and give it a try. 

Can you believe it!! It is going to be 60 degrees today. The snow is really melting and should be almost all gone by the end of the day. It is currently 40 out there and even that is a blessing. I’m waiting for the snow to all let so I can check to see if my daffodils are coming up at all yet. I look forward to that every year. Most of the tie they come up and then we have another cold snap but it doesn’t seem to hurt the daffodils at all. I’m starting to get spring-fever and am anxious to get out there and clean up flowerbeds. But, I read an article the other day that said don’t start raking out the flower beds until you have at least five days in a row of 50 degrees or better. The reasoning is that many of the insects that are helpful to the plants are actually hibernating in the dried stalks and grasses. By raking it out early, you re just throwing away th every thing you may need to pollinate. That was all news to me. One is never too old to learn something new, and I got a lot of “learnin’ “ to do. 

I got some work done yesterday on my services and writing. I still have more to do for the 7th of March. I may do that tonight while I’m watching television. It felt good to be “back in the saddle” again and doing something creative. I’m changing up things a bit for this coming Sunday but the topic of the day is going to be God’s Grace. I don’t think a person can say enough about the grace that God provides us. I need to read my sermon over several more times to make sure I’m not giving myself more credit for this message than I should and that it says what I really want to say. I wrote this several weeks ago and have let it set. Sometimes I write them and then when I give them, they just don’t turn out to be as exciting as I think they should be. I always want my sermons to make an impact and give people something to take hoe with them and think about. But, while I love to write them and give them, I know I’m not the best presenter. Ms. Kate told me just last week that I “read” my sermon too much. But that has always been my style. I admire the guys and gals that can just get up there with an outline and have at it for thirty minutes and the congregation still wants more. But, that ain’t me. I just feel honored that God allows me to be a pastor at all. 

Time to color this one done. I pray you will have a blessed day. Never forget to stop and give thanks for thee bucket load of blessings that was waiting for you when you woke up this morning. Peace. 

 Good morning and happy new week! It is a happy new week because it is all the way up to 38 degrees already this morning. That is fantastic. They snow and ice are melting. We had a little rain last night that helped that along. Today it is supposed to get into the mid 40’s and tomorrow it is to get into the midd 50’s. Is it possible that the weather haas turned a corner?? Well, I won’t count old man Winter out just yet. I’ve see it snow on Easter and that is still another few weeks away. Easter will fall on April 4th this year and that is I think, 41 days from now. Anything can happen although we are officially in the last third of the winter season, which changes to Spring on March 21st. But, let’s just give God praise for a “warmer” day today and be satisfied. 

Church services went well yesterday and it was so very good to be back in the pulpit. This is the first Sunday that I have been there. The 7th of February I had a terrible cold. The 14th and 17th we got iced and snowed out so it was wonderful to be together once again, —- and we have decided to start singing in our services again. It was wonderful to hear the voices of the congregation blend together once again. Attendance was fairly good at each church. I know some people didn’t come simply because they were concerned about walking or slipping in the parking lots, but the fellows had cleared off the lot pretty well, and the sidewalks were totally clear. 

Today, my oldest daughter, Julie and her hubby Jim celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary. That seems almost impossible to believe. But then, Ms. Kate and I celebrate our 55th anniversary this coming Friday. But when I look back on those two kids at the time they got married, I can’t think of any two kids that were less prepared for married life. They were broke, they were reckless, they lived for awhile in his parents basement and then for awhile in our basement. They gave us two weeks notice that they were getting married in the middle of a Massachusetts snow and ice storm. But, they were in “lust and in love”. And for all of the things that I considered to be their “faults”; —— I’ve got to say that Jim loved Julie deeply and with all of his heart. He would have done anything in the world for her then, — and he still would today. And Julie, being the independent kid she was, and still is; was going to prove to the world that they were right for each other; —- and it appears that she was exactly right. I love them dearly and they bring so much joy to all of our lives. I pray they will always be happy together. 

Today I’m going to head to the basement and my office and spend the day writing. I’m having to change somethings about next Sunday’s sermon and bulletin and then I need to get started on my March 7th sermon. I’ve put the service together but I need to  write the sermon. It’s a good day to do that. 

So, I guess I will sign off and get busy. Maybe I’ll toast a couple pieces of the home made bread first for breakfast and then get ready. In the mean time, I pray you will have a fully blessed week. Be careful and be safe. If you haven’t gotten your COVID shot yet and are eligible, please do so. I send you God’s peace. 

 Fourteen degrees this morning but the sun is shining brightly. The real feel temp is 22 It doesn’t happen often during the winter that the real feel is higher than the ambient. But, I’ll take it. 

I’m moving slow this morning. I spent hours outside again yesterday shoveling snow both by Hans and with the John Deere. I think I have spent at least ten hours this week chipping ice and shoveling snow, I’m getting too old for this crap. On the other hand, I give God praise and thanks that I am able to do it. And, Ibuprofen does help take the soreness away.  But my driveway looks great and is one of the few in the neighborhood that is cleared. I even got some of the street cleared. I just saw a mail truck go up the street with no problem and that’s partly due to me, thank you very much. . I have no idea how the local streets are and there is no way we will ever see a county truck come through here. A couple of years ago a fella who lives next door used to drive those trucks and would come through here. But he has changed departments and no longer drives them. I have a couple of UPS items that are scheduled to come today and now they can easily walk up my dry driveway and sidewalk and deliver them. 

Speaking of deliveries. I had to put in an order for more stuff from Wild Birds Unlimited yesterday. I spent $142.00 on food for my birds. I think I’m going to declare them as a business or as dependents on my taxes. They eat me out of house and home. LOL. I wonder if I could declare the Backyard Buffet as “non-profit”. 

I heard from my church council president that the farmers cleared the parking lot for my St. Lucas church so we can hold church service on Sunday. And I talked to a member of the St. Paul’s church who lives next door to that church that the driveway up to the church is clear although the parking lot is still a mess. Hopefully by Sunday we can get in there too. I’m planning on it anyway. Sunday it is supposed to be in the forties and believe it or not, next week is to be in the 50’s. It would be wonderful to think that the snow and ice is about done for the year. 

I may have to adventure out today and try to get to a grocery store. We don’t need much so it would be a “being nosey” trip as much as anything. I think I have a bit of “cabin fever”. 

That’s all for today. I pray you will have a safe weekend, that you have water and power, that you will stay in touch with the Lord God. Peace, my friends. 

 It was and is still snowing when I got up today but it appears that the snow is just about over. I pulled up the radar and it looks like we are just about in the clear and the Accuweather says that snow is ending in about 10 minutes. The good news is that we actually have 22 degrees this morning. Why that is good news I guess is silly but it is the first time in a week that we have had temperature that “warm” in the morning. It likes like we got maybe another inch to an inch and a half of snow last night. It shouldn’t be too hard to clear off. I put ice melt down on the drive last night before it started. If the sun would just pop out now, it would do wonders. I look out the window now and it is a bit hard to think that by Sunday we are going to have temperatures in the 40’s and next week in the 50’s. 

One of the biggest problems I have at the moment when it starts to melt is that there is snow and ice of course on the sun porch roof. When it starts to thaw, I get dripping into the sun porch. I have two buckets and a wastebasket out there at the moment to catch the drips and will have to watch them today and keep them emptied. But, I cannot complain about something so minor. I saw a news story last night about all of the power outages in Texas and they showed one home that actually had ice-cycles hanging from the ceiling fan. I’ll hush about my buckets. 

I taped an Ash Wednesday service yesterday and posted it for my folks. It went well. I had not done that before so it was good to know I can if I need to. There were several pastors that did that and at least one that I know of that actually had a church service. We still can’t get in to our parking lots. I hope that they melt enough before Sunday. I don’t want to miss another Sunday of live services. 

I guess I’ll drop off now. Sorry this is short but not a lot of news happening in the neighborhood these days. Have a blessed day. 

 Happy 14 degrees! It turns out that snow shovels and 76 years of age isn’t the best combination in the world. I’ve been waiting for a John Deere worthy snow fall and we finally got it. But, living on an incline just doesn’t always work well with my JD. I really do need weights on the back end of that John Deere. The addition of the snow blade on the front end raises the rear end just enough that it will sit there and spin. I spent as much time shoveling the JD out as I did riding it I think. The snow was supposed to be “light and fluffy”. Somebody forgot to tell the snow producer. It was heavy and hard to move. I have a set of chains for the other John Deere but they don’t fit this JD right They are about an inch too short or something. I tried them last year and they kept coming off. And, using them tore my concrete up.  So, I shoveled and I shoveled, I used the JD when I could and I spent about three hours out there. To top it all off, I also lost one of the lens out of my glasses. I was sitting on the JD and the glasses had fogged up and was actually freezing the “condensation” on the glasses. I took them off and was going to put them in my shirt pocket but when I was folding them up, the lens popped out and for the life of me, I could not find that lens. Luckily, I still have my older glasses and they work pretty well. Things aren’t quite as clear as they should be but I’m doing okay with them. I can read and witch TV and see well enough to write. So today, I have a sore back, sore arm muscles, the wrong glasses and we are expecting more snow today. 

I talked to a couple of my parishioners yesterday by phone. One of the folks is my buddy, Bob. He was very glad to hear from me. Bob lost his wife several years ago and is 87 years old, and lives alone. He was really glad to hear from me and I was glad to know that he was safe. He’s one of the folks that doesn’t have a computer or internet and has to rely on personal contact via one method or another. Most all of my folks have the the internet and I talk to them via Facebook messenger. Others I call once in a while so they know someone is thinking about them. It’s a good thing to do, doesn’t cost anything and I think other folks should reach out like that too. 

I’m going to sit down and attempt a live broadcast today via Facebook and conduct a very short Ash Wednesday service. I’ve put it together, now I just need to get cleaned up and dressed up just a bit and try it. My friend and fellow pastor does these once in awhile and so do several of the other pastors. I reckon if they can figure it all out, so can I. I think I talk self out of trying technology things simply because I think I am going to mess something up. However, at the moment, I’m having to work from my IPhone Hotspot because the internet is out from Spectrum They are aware of it and are trying to fix it, but It is a area wide issue. 

That’s it for now. Have a blessed day. Stay warm, stay safe, and stay in touch with God. 

 Welcome to “snowmageden “ This is our first actual winter storm is several years. The entire nation is suffering through this so I can’t feel sorry for myself. This particular storm is coming in two waves. It started last night around midnight and we got an inch or a bit more at our house. It quit sometime during the night and now it is 1030 and it has started again. The prediction calls for anywhere from six to twelve inches depending on where you are. I was debating with myself whether to go clean off the driveway from what had already fallen or to just wait. Well, I debated long enough that it started snowing again and answered the question for me. Actually, I just stepped out there and it feels much more like sleet than snow. Oh boy. I think it is time to just make a pot of chili and brew another pot of coffee and enjoy the day. 

This storm is supposed to be east of us around 1700 hours today and then tomorrow is supposed be be a day of calm before another one comes in late Wednesday and Thursday. But guess what? Come Sunday, winter will officially be 2/3 over and perhaps a month from now we will be looking at early daffodils. It could happen. And if it did, it would be greatly appreciated. I think the whole country is ready for some warm weather and some sunny days. Between being told to stay home for the last year because of COVID and just when things were starting to loosen up this storm takes the nation, it can be very depressing if we let it. So, I’d ask you to check on folks around you and loved ones that may be concerned or depressed. Let them know you are thinking about them and that you are concerned about them. This will all pass eventually. 

That’s it for me today. If you are reading this then know that I have said a prayer for you today. God loves you and so do I. Peace. Be safe. 

 It is still a frozen world out there and doesn’t appear to be letting up any time soon. I’m so lad I don’t live any further north than we do. I feel sorry for those folk that have to put up with this kind of weather all winter season. Our weather guy just keeps bringing more bad news. He’s talking two snow storms next week. This week brought a minor ice storm that has knocked out some power around the region. But, according to him, next weeks snow will be a “dry” fluffy type of snow, no good for making snowmen or sledding or any of the “fun stuff” . I’ve heard through Facebook rumor that we could get eight or more inches. But heck, who knows. I guess when the sky finally clears, we’ll know. My only concern at the moment is that I am supposed to hold an Ash Wednesday service next Wednesday evening and right now the forecast says that we’ll be in the start of the second storm. But, it will be what it will be. There’s no use worrying about it today. I’m just hoping that the temperature will rise a little bit today. I need to get out side and fill bird feeders. 

I looked out yesterday and I said there was no way I was going out on the driveway because it was totally covered in ice. Well, I lied to myself and to you. I waited until around noon and threw on my coat and gloves and went out and started chipping away at the ice. I spent about two and a half hours out there chipping and scraping and I got one half of the drive all cleaned off so we can get in and out of our garage if we really need to. I guess I could have waited and let the clouded sun melt it off. Much of the street has melted off and can be driven on safely now. But —- call it stubbornness or independence, I had to do it “my” way. That’s not in any way unusual for me —- just ask Ms. Kate. LOL Sometimes it pays off, and sometimes I fall on my keester. 

I finally was able to run my 1099R from the Air Force last night. So, now I think we are ready to spend a day fussing and fuming and maybe even doing a little cussing, and sit and do our taxes. I hate doing our taxes. I should just take them to an accountant and have them done but I hate to pay out $400.00 to have it done, although doing it myself through Turbo Tax certainly isn’t cheap. My biggest problem is that my two churches don’t seem to be able to agree what form to send me and this year they each did it differently  than we’ve had it done before, so I don’t know what to do; and then there is the property in Illinois that we own. I get a Cash-Rent check from that every year and have to claim it. It’s all just a pain in the butt. And — this year we each received one of the COVID stimulates checks and I don’t know how all of that is hoping to be figured in. It was said that we won’t have to pay tax on it, but —- “They Say” a lot of stuff. 

Enough for today. I think I will go downstairs to my office and concentrate on some writing. Lots to do and I haven’t done much this week at all. Have a very blessed day and a very blessed weekend. Take time to give God praise. 

Peace. 

 It is 23 degrees and the world is a sheet of ice from where I sit. So, nope, I’m not walking outside. As I posted on Facebook, I’m too old and I heal slow. I remember my late brother-in-law, Byron (bless his heart) fell on the ice a year or so before he passed and cracked his head really bad. It took him forever to heal. I didn’t take my garbage can down to the street yesterday and I notice that the truck has not been by here yet today and I’d be surprised if they even try. Buying a house on a hill in a hilly subdivision wasn’t the smartest thing I ever did. Yes, it is beautiful when it isn’t iced over but times like now are no good. However, this will melt if the sun comes out. Thank goodness it isn’t snow. And thank goodness the ice isn’t heavy enough to take out the power. It wouldn’t be a big deal for us because we have a whole house generator that is connected directly to the gas line and kicks on automatically. Accuweather says that we (the area) will be impacted with significant ice storm through tomorrow morning and there may be several power outages. Of course the John Deere is useless against this. I did just see a truck go by the house but it was from a house up the street a bit and it was going down the street. The dude may not get back home. —— Yep, just got a call from the garbage truck folks saying they are delaying services by at least one day. Smart move on their part.

Well, Ms. Kate and I are almost 24 hours post second vaccine. I’m not having any ill effects from it, not even a sore arm. Ms. Kate is still snuggled in under the covers so I don’t know if it is bothering her or not. The nurse warned me that we may have a reaction because many people report that the second shot was much worse than the first. But, Praise the Lord, so far, so good. I am still getting over the affects of my head cold though. My sinuses are still giving me a problem and I have a cold sore on that is ugly and taking way too long to heal. I guess there is a benefit to wearing a mask in public after all. 

Speaking of wearing a mask, The Nation’s head COVID guru is now saying that we should wear multiple masks, one on top of another in a layered fashion.  Of course he is the same guy who initially said that masks were ineffective. He has changed direction a dozen times, loves to hear himself talk, and is enjoying the fame. I wouldn’t trust him to clean my canary cage. 

I guess I should be using this iced in period to get some writing done. One of these days we’ll be out of the deep freeze and things will begin again. I’m really hoping that we will be able to have service this Sunday but at the moment, I would not count on it. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t prepare. If worse comes to worse, I can maybe record my message for Sunday morning here at home and play it on Sunday morning. That is an interesting thought. I have my IPad to record it, I play the keyboard, I can certainly do my message and a prayer and scripture. Hmmmmm. Where there is a will, there is a way. 

Okay, that is it for today. Please stay safe out there. God loves you and so do I. Peace. 

 Oh boy, am I glad we had an early appointment at the COVID clinic to get our second vaccine today. I looked out my window first thing this morning and saw that there was a glaze of ice on everything. There was no body traveling up the street and no track of cars that had. That was at 0730. Around 0800 I called the clinic and the lady I talked to said they were still open today and doing shots. I asked her how the streets were and she said she had not had any trouble getting to work. So, I told Ms. Kate, we might as well give it a go. Our appointment was for 1010 so we goto our selves ready and about 0900 we decided to head out. Our drive was ice covered but I threw out a bunch of ice melt around 0830 and it had done a little magic and we had no trouble getting down. We weren’t sure how or if we would be able to get back up. But, we took it slow through the subdivision and when we got on the main road it was wet but did not appear to be too slick. 

Once we got on the main highway it was much better and for once, people were driving like they had some sense. We got to to clinic and were done with our vaccines by 0930, had to wait our required 15 minutes and then headed home again. The trip went fine and we got back home and were able to get on up the drive and safely back in the garage and house with no problem. I give thanks to God for our safe trip each direction. 

We ate a little breakfast, had a little coffee, and then took a nap. Now —- I look out the window and the garage and it is literally raining ice pellets and sleet. The street is covered with it. And I am happy I don’t have any reason to go outside or drive to anywhere. Tomorrow is garbage can collection day but I think that I will not take my can down. I don’t want to even think about falling out there on the ice and I only have a couple of of bags of trash in the can. It can wait a week. 

Wow! I just saw a UPS truck go zipping up the hill so that’s a scary thought. 

Okay, have a great day. Stay warm, stay inside, any in touch with The Lord. Peace. 

 Good morning, this may be just a quick note depending on the speed of getting my 15,000 mile service done on my Prius. I’m at the dealer and just turned the car over to them It shouldn’t take too long. But I don’t know what all they will do. 

So today is another cold, cold day. Depending on where you are in the Tri-State you either got nothing, or rain, or freezing rain followed by snow. There is about four inches or so I’m being told on Facebook up in the Ft. Branch area where my churches are. We got a good dusting up to maybe an inch here at our house. The roads were fine as I drove here.  The Prius was covered this morning but it was all dry snow and blew off easily. Down below the KY line it was all rain. Welcome to the mid-west winters. I still haven’t seen a John Deere worthy snowfall yet tis year or last year. However, the forecast calls for ice tonight, anywhere from aa tenth on an inch to a quarter of an inch and then snow on top of that. I really hope that does not materialize because we are supposed to go get our second COVID shot tomorrow and I’d hate to see that delayed or have to drive on icy road s to get there. Yeh, I want my winters to convenient for me. LOL

When I leave here today I need to go to the grocery store. Ms. Kate gave me a list of stuff so I reckon I’ll go to the Neighborhood Walmart. I that’s where I do most of my grocery shopping. I don’t know when I got to be the chief grocery shopper in our house but that does seem to be the case now. I don’t think Ms. Kate has shopped for groceries since she got COVID back in November. BUT, frankly, I don’t mind it at all. I’ve pretty well figured out everything is and I take my time. It isn’t as big as a normal Walmart and mainly only has groceries with a few other things like a small pharmacy, but that’s about all. It also seems to be patronized by people my age, many of which live in the high-rise apartment complex behind the market. I imagine those folks were thrilled when it was built. 

Okay, time to go. Have a blessed day and stay warm and stay safe. I’m sending you God’s peace. 

 

 Twenty four degrees with a breeze! That will make you pucker up, won’t it? But the sun is shining again so there is that. Most of the snow has melted off of my vehicles although I won’t be driving them until tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to take the Prius to the dealership for my 15,000 mile servicing. Thank goodness it is still free. Then Wednesday Ms. Kate and I go to get our second COVID Immunization Vaccine injection. 

Welcome to Monday and a brand new week of challenges and opportunities to do something good for someone. Start your week off with a prayer of gratitude for being alive. I’ll be glad to have that over and done with. The best news I have heard is that effective the 15th of February, (a week from today) Indiana intends to reduce the social distancing to three feet instead of six. The infection rate is dropping somewhat as people are getting their vaccines. As I told Ms. Kate, the next thing you know, we’ll be able to actually touch one another. Can you remember what it is like to shake hands with acquaintances or give one another hugs? That is what has been so different and unusual at church. Both of my churches are “touchy-freely” churches. We like to shake hands and we like to hug. My St. Lucas Council President asked if we could open up all of the seats now and I told him to wait until after the 15th. We have played by all of the rules to date so let’s not make a mistake at this point. 

I sure missed not being able to do my job yesterday and conduct my services. But, my coughing and runny nose was just miserable. I’m doing so much better today, the Mucenex is doing what it is supposed to do and is drying up all of the crud. I also had some Sudafed here and took a couple of those. I used to rely on Sudafed or Actifed when I would get a cold. But, the Actifed made me drowsy so I quit using that. Then the government made it so that you had to get it from the pharmacist because druggies were using it to make illegal drugs. I haven’t bought any for a couple of years so I don’t know if it still that way or not. But, I still have plenty. And hopefully I won’t get another cold any time soon. 

Did you watch the Super Bowl? I actually did. It was the first sporting event I have watched in maybe three years. But, I wanted to watch it to see of Quarterback Tom Brady would win his seventh Super Bowl ring and he did it with style. The young QB that he was up against is a good guy too but he got shut down hard yesterday. He will be a QB to watch in the future. I think he actually won last year’s Super Bowl. 

That’s it for today. Stay safe, stay warm, and stay in touch with God. Peace. 

 Well, well, well! The ground is covered with white stuff this morning. I think we may have gotten as much as an inch, but the temperature is 12 degrees so it is going to stick around for awhile. I suspect that the roads may be a bit slick but since we aren’t getting out today, tat doesn’t bother me either. 

Yes, I know it is Sunday but I have this stupid head cold and could not go to work today. I have no doubt that with my coughing and my runny nose that I would have been gross in the pulpit. I mean who wants to look at the pastor as this COVID mask fills up from a runny nose. So, late last evening, I contacted the church councils and let them know that I could not do the services today. 

I’m glad to say that today I am feeling better. I took some evening version of Mucenex and slept like a log. This morning I took the day-time version and I’m not coughing near as much and the nose has dried up considerably. I really need to get over this thing before Wednesday because we go for our second COVID vaccination on Wednesday and if I have any symptoms, they will put me off. 

The sun is shining brightly but as the weatherman said last evening, it will be “Useless sunshine” because the temperature is so cold that the snow is not going to let. We are supposed to have aortic temperatures all week. I guess winter finally arrived. It can go away now. I’ve seen the snow, I’ve made comment that it is in fact beautiful, and now it can warm up now the snow can go away. 

I don’t have much else to say today. I just stopped by to wish you all a very happy day. The Super owl is on Television this evening. I’m not a sports fan so I may or may not watch it. I don’t have a dog in the fight but I would like to see Tom Brady win another Super Bowl ring. The QB for the other team is reportedly a rally super nice guy too, so may the best team win. 

Have a blessed day. {each. 

 It’s a bit nippy out there this morning at 28 degrees. But, the sun is shining brightly so that will certainly help the “feels like” temperature. We had a pretty stiff wind last night. I could hear the chimes ringing until after I went to bed. I’m sitting at my kitchen table because it is cooler than I want to be out in the sunporch. I have a seed cylinder feeder just outside of the window that hangs over an azealia bush. It has two cardinals feeding from it at the moment and there is a wren and a finch waiting for their turn. It makes for a “blessing view” this morning already. Life is good. 

I have a stupid head cold. I started coming down with it yesterday. It’s not COVID. It’s not the flu. It’s just a runny nose, sore throat head cold. I don’t know when was the last time I had one of those. But, I have my box of tissues handy and I’ve taken my Mucenex to try to stem the flow. I need to be over this thing before Sunday. I once heard someone say that if you go to the doctor for a cold, it takes a week to get over it. However, if you don’t go to the doctor —- it only takes seven days. That’s kind of a silly thing to say but there is a lot of truth to it.                     

I’m back to reading and working on the work book for the “Screwtape Letters” book by C.S. Lewis. We are hoping to do a Bible study using that book during Lent. We had planned to do that last year and then COVID hit the universe and we had to shut down. I have read the book a couple of times but I never did the workbook/study guide. It is a great book and so very relevant to our society of today. We’ll ask the congregations on Sunday if there is any interest. People may still be too timid about getting together to do aa Bible Study, but we have plenty of room to spread out and do it either using the sanctuary like they do for Sunday school or by going to the other church and using the recreation room. It doesn’t take a lot of people to do a Bible study. Frankly, —- you could do one with two people but I think we could get some good discussion going with this book. 

I need to go to the grocery store today. We have several items that we need. I told Ms. Kate last night that I knew we were getting desperate when I used the last package of Ramen noodles. LOL. But, we do need some things like bread and other stuff so I’ll go in a couple of hours when it warms up a few more degrees. Right no I’m doing an experiment for breakfast, I’m trying to fix some of those crescent rolls like they have at Rafferty’s with the honey on them. 

It’s going to be a good start to what promises to be a cold and possibly rainy or snowy weekend. So, if you need to go out, —- do it today. Until next post —- God bless you. Peace. 

 Thursday February 4th. It’s raining and the rain is supposed to get harder before the day is over, but be gone by tonight. It’s also 39 degrees outside and that means it is a cold rain. I think I’ll just stay inside and let the world pass me by today. 

Yesterday we of course went to the churches and we ran the bulletins for Sunday and set the pulpit up. It doesn’t take very long these days. The last time I was pastor at this parish running thee bulletins was a major deal. Tat was because I was making work for myself by running off the hymns for the older crowd, making a lot of large print bulletins, and I was even writing a monthly newsletter and printing that out. When I retired from the parish in November of 2016 I don’t think the pastor that replaced me did any of those things, but I know he hated running the bulletins. Since I returned to the parish a year ago, we have had the COVID outbreak and because of that we have had to alter so much of what we do. For a while, we were shut down and only dong virtual services. Then we started back to doing both in-person and virtual services but no singing. However, we don’t have a large attendance in person so I don’t have to run a lot of bulletins. What we have changed though is that because we now have two large screens at my St. Lucas church, I’m doing slides to go with my sermons which I had not done before and because we have the screens, people follow the liturgy on the screens and use very few of the bulletins that I do make. And the order of the service has changed somewhat too. We no longer pass the offering plate because of COVID restrictions. We just set the offering plates at the entrance to the sanctuary and people drop their offering into that. When we do communion, we no longer pass the elements but rather we use the pre-packaged sets and people pick them up as they come in for worship. It meets the requirement but I personally think it loses a lot of the ritual. Ash Wednesday is coming up on the 17th, and I am hoping to do the Imposition of Ashes. There are a lot of pastors that would not do that but I’ve had my COVID Vaccine and allegedly can not acquire or spread the virus. And of course, people have the choice to either come forward and let me touch them or not. 

I woke up extremely early today. Got up to make  bathroom visit and then my mind flooded with all kinds of stuff including the fact that we still need to put together our taxes and get all of that pout of the way. So I got up, went down to my office and collected the stuff I need into the appropriate piles. I still don’t have everything I need because the military won’t be releasing our 1099R until the 10th of February and my two churches need to figure out what form I’m really supposed to get. They each sent me  different form. One church sent  W-2 and the other sent me a 1099NEC. So, I’ve texted the treasurer of each church and asked them to straighten it all out. 

That’s about all I have for you today. Try to stay warm and dry and safe. Have aa blessed day and maybe help someone else have a blessed day. Peace. 

 Yep, it has been awhile hasn’t it? But I’ve been on vacation and well —- I’ve taken full advantage of being on vacation. 

We spent our last three days in Biloxi at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. Our room was magnificent and the peace and quiet was wonderful. I got a little over half of my novel finished tat I am reading. There is no telling when I’ll actually take the time to finish it. I can do that, put a book down for months and maybe even years and pick it up and go right back to where I was before without review. It took me I think at least five years to read Stephen King’s “The Stand”. His novel that I am reading now has been sitting beside my sunporch recliner for at least a year. This one is called “If it bleeds” and is a compilation of short stories. I recommend it if you are a SK fan. 

It was so very good to get home yesterday afternoon and “be home” again. I guess I am getting old because frankly, being at home is just the best place to be. I know where all my stuff is, I don’t have to deal with crowds or wear my mask. We have gotten to the point that “touring places or doing activities” is no longer comfortable or fun. So, we end up doing vacations like this one where we rent a hotel room and sit in it. I can do that at home for free. And, my coffee pot is always waiting for me. 

One of the first things I need to do today is get a haircut. I needed to get it cut before we went on vacation but decided to wait. Ms. Kate wants to go to Target later today and my barbershop is in the same parking lot. So, we’ll just make it in one trip. I also need to fill bird feeders today as most everything is empty. And it is supposed to be just a tad warmer today. Today is “Groundhog Day” and I guess the little dude saw his shadow and therefore six more weeks of winter has been declared. What a stupid “holiday”. Of course there will be six more weeks of winter. March 21st is six weeks away and that is the first day of spring. Duhhh!

I’m watching a little wren out there on a feeder and it is just enjoying itself as it pecks away at that seed cylinder. In fact there are two of them, one on each side of the cylinder. This particular feeder hangs protected in an azealia bush and only the wrens and a couple of cardinals seem to know it is there. I’m in my kitchen and the bush and feeder are maybe ten feet from me. They are  joy to watch. I do love my wrens. They have such a wonderful song and are always happy to share it. And their movements are so animated and quick. 

Time to put a my jacket on and go to Target and go get my haircut. It is goos to be home and back with you. Have a very blessed week. Stay warm, stay safe, and stay healthy. Sending God’s blessing and peace to you.