“May the 4th be with you!”  Yes, I know it’s “hokey” and it has been around since the first Star War’s movie, but I think it is still cute. We find our humor in small doses most of the time and take advantage of it. 

About 0530 this morning, the sky let lose. It may have been raining before then but that is when the thunder and wind got my attention. My weather station out in the yard shows we got .85 inches. I need to go out and se what is in the rain gauge, For some reason it always seems to collect more than “the official” report says.  —— yep, my glass rain gauge had and inch and a half in it. I don’t think it is very accurate. But, going out and checking it gave me an opportunity to check my garden and pull some radishes. I also need to cut some lettuce. I have two kinds out there and they both need cutting. The new lilac I planted out there at the edge of the garden smells heavenly. 

I have beautiful goldfinches  and cardinals out at the Backyard Buffet this morning. I had a squirrel earlier but it took off, and I’ve had an occasional blackbird dart in, grab a couple ll of beak full, and then fly away. The turtle doves and small woodpeckers are flitting in and out too. It makes for a very tranquil setting this morning and I give God praise for another day on His beautiful earth. The rain and the wet atmosphere makes everything look so lush. I wish you could hear all of the birdsong that I am hearing right now. It is beautiful. 

It is currently 67 degrees and we are supposed to have more storms today and tonight, maybe severe. Parts of the nation is having really severe weather. Atlanta had a tornado yesterday and one person was killed when a huge tree fell over on his SUV that he was sitting in. There were at least 20 tornadoes reported yesterday. I haven’t watched the news today so I don’t know what happened last night.  I hope no one else was injured or killed. 

I finished up my May 16th service and sermon last night. Next I work on the 23rd of May which id also Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost Sunday is generally a bit more lively than other Sundays. I pastor a “traditional” parish. Our music is slower. (A bit too slow for my opinion) The hymns are older and have been around forever. Our denomination runs the full gambit of “worship style”. There are churches like my parish and there are churches with bands and loud music and lots of “Praise and Worship” singing. That’s the great thing about a denomination that celebrates individual church autonomy. We don’t get direction “handed down” from the UCC headquarters and we can take it or leave it. Although they certainly let you know their preferred focus and direction. The leadership at the top is very liberal, way too liberal for me. But our parish is just a couple of small rural churches in love with the Lord God. We focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Triune God. 

That’s it for today. Stay dry, stay safe. Take time to lift up your voice to God. Peace.