It has been a rainy, cool and windy morning so far as I sit out here with my coffee. But now the sun is starting to brighten the day and the showers have passed. Perhaps today will be a beautiful one after all.

This morning I have four Downy Woodpeckers vying for food where there isn't any. They like the bark butter paste and I'm out of it. There is, however, the same thing in pellet form out there for them as well as a suet ring hanging on a different pole. The suet ring was on the ground this morning so I don't know what got into that. Most likely that raccoon, or perhaps the wind was strong enough to take it down. But --- I'm betting on the raccoon.

It is Friday and that is my "offical" day off along with Saturday. However, my Saturday is ruined this week because I have a class to attend in the morning. But it is only for four hours and I guess I can handle it. This happens five times a year.

I never cease to be amazed at the agility of squirrels. This morning I have one that hangs by one rear foot as it bends around the feeders to get some seed and then pulls its self back up to eat them. They absolutely must have stomach muscles of iron.

My prayers go out this morning for loved ones and friends. I learned yesterday of an aquaintence that has developed alzheimers. He and his wife ran a favorite bed and breakfast over in Eaton, Ohio. She has closed the business down because his condition was affecting the guests. This morning I received another request for prayers for the mother of a paritioner who has severe liver cancer. It has not been a good week for news of loved ones and friends. And yet, I constantly remember that God walks every step of our lives with us. We never walk dark paths alone. That thought gives me comfort and I hope it does the same for all of them and for you too. God is good and constantly showers us with blessings, including that silly old squirrel that sits out there and amuses me.

Have a wonderful day.

The day is a bit more normal today as I absord the news from two nights ago about Byron into it's proper niche in my life. Isn't it amazing how we can do that? Once we get past the initial shock of something, I think we create a mental working file to store the data, then read and process each new bit of information as it comes in. This ability is a blessing. Were we not able to do so, then instead of a working file, our mental process would halt to a single object and that would become an obsession, creating a roadblock with no ability to move on with life. Again, God is good.

Something from the nocturnal world of critters has developed a real taste for "bark butter". I have two feeders that are made strictly for that kind of bird food. It is a paste like product made mainly from peanut butter, I think, and is mainly used to attract Woodpeckers. I just filled those two feeders yesterday evening and they were full as late as midnight --- but they are cleaned out completely this morning. I think our local raccoon or opposum has developed a new taste. It would be interesting to watch because the feeders are hung so that it would be precarious to either to eat from them. Hmmmmm! We have a mystery.

Today we go to the churches to run the weekly bulletins and to mow the churchyard at St. Lucas. We are expecting a warm day so it should be pleasant out there on the mower. I'll have to retrain myself on using that church mower. It is a great mower but it is a ZTR type that uses levers rather than a steering wheel. I got off into the bean field with it for a few seconds last year while I was learning to use it. I hope I have better luck this time.

Ms. Kate and I went to the greenhouse yesterday and picked up all of the plants that she had ordered a couple of weeks ago. The wallet is a couple of hundred bucks lighter but the yard and some of these planters will look great. We need to get the weedkiller put on where it is needed, and it is time to get the plants in the ground.

I was finally able to get my thoughts together enough last evening to start on my sermon for next week. I hate to not be at least a week ahead on things because I never know when a funeral or something or another crisis might pop up. I'm just not a last minute guy.

So, the Cardinals are happy this morning as are all of the other critters and birds who are singing their songs today. My prayers are prayers of gratitude. God has again entrusted me with another day to celebrate life and the blessings that surround me. As the scriptures say, "This is the day that the Lord had made. Let us us rejoice and be glad in it.". I hope each moment of your day brings you another moment of peace and happiness.

I'm up earlier than usual this morning, so is Ms. Kate.  While I might tell myself I don't know why, --- I know it is because our hearts are heavier this morning. My sister called last evening with the doctor's report on Byron and none of it was good. The doctors confirmed bone cancer in his ribs, pelvis, and sternum, as we'll as cancer in his stomach and some lymph glands. So my heart is heavy as I share their heartbreak, and feelings of anger, unfainess, frustration, and knowlege of the physical issues that Byron is going to face in the fight to maintain quality of life. They have been through this with his mother and with our father. We have also been through this with my brother-in-law Kenny. My prayers for strength, courage, and peace within their hearts go out to them this morning and in the hopefully, coming years. The doctors have at least told them a "five year plan" is not above a possibility. So, let's take that and run with it. The reality of life is that we have no guarantees of longevity and death eventually catches us all. It is the belief and expectation of rejoining our loved ones on the other side of the veil that separates life and death that provides the peace within our soul. God is good --- all the time.

The notation at the top of my Nook says it is 46 degrees this .morning. but, the sun is shining brightly, the flowers are blooming beautifully, and there are birds and squirrels all around the yard. At least two of our azelias are in full bloom across the yard and make for a marvelous picture. Yesterday I got the snow blade off of the John Deere and the mower deck put on. I mowed our front yard and the neighbor's yard too. Today I need to mow my back yard. I have to do that with my little mower because the back yard is fenced in and I can't get the JD back here. It only takes me about twenty minutes and the walking is good exercise.

We need to go to the landscape garden and pick up a bunch of plants that Ms. Kate has ordered. I'm not sure where all of those are going --- but I bet I'll find out soon enough. Tomorrow's schedule includes mowing the church yard an running the weeks bulletins. It seems there is never a shortage of things that need doing.

So, --- while my thoughts this morning started out dark, my time out here on the porch has brightened them. God has a way of doing that if we will just take the time to sit down and talk it out. I give God thanks for every day I have on this earth and I count each moment with my family as a blessing that was given freely and totally undeserved.

May your day be filled with love and peace.

It is a comfortably cool morning with bright sunshine a a blue sky. A gentle wind is blowing out the showers that we had last night. The earth smells clean. The showers and breeze though are also taking the blooms off of the Bradford Pear trees so it looks a little like a light snow has fallen beneath those trees. The season creeps along and nature changes as it should.

I'm up and showered a bit earlier this morning. (Not early for those who are already behind the wheel or at work) We have the air condition service man coming for our spring service this morning. I didn't think it appropriate for me to be siiting here in my pajamas when he gets here. Besides, I had a good night's sleep.

I filled the feeders again yesterday evening so there should be some satisfied critters today. I have a Downy Woodpecker just out the door that is certainly munching or pecking away at the feeder. The Titmouse takes turns eating at the same feeder as the Woodpecker. The Mockingbird doesn't take a turn, it just bullies in and eats off of the same feeder too. It is a little early, by about half an hour
, until the bigger birds come swooping in. The squirrels haven't shown up either. It truly is peaceful when they aren't here.

There are some chores I need to do today and then I need to sit and work on sermons for the month. I give up a lot a writing opportunity every morning by sitting out here on the porch. But sitting out here in communion with God and His glorious nature is far too important to give it up. It puts my day right and gives me the time to make a conscious decision that I will have a good day and I will be thankful for the blessings in my life. It puts my mnd and soul at peace. I wish everybody had the time or opportunity to do this.

Take the time to make someone smile today. Be the reason someone is having a better day. You are the messenger for God. A kind word, gesture, or smile will speak volumes more than a preacher's sermon.

Have a blessed day.

Mid level clouds and 57 degrees this morning. The squirrels are doing acrobatics trying to eat out of feeders that they can't possibly be on. I need to fill feeders some time today, but for the moment there is enough food out there to keep the Cardinals interested and of course the squirrels too.

Easter has now come and gone. It was a great weekend though. Julie surprised us by coming a day early which made it even better. The services were full of people and the parish breakfast went well. The cantata went off without a hitch and we received many compliments. Now life will settle down to a slower pace.

The Redbuds are in full bloom and the Dogwoods are popping out too. The scenery out the windows changes daily. The Azelias are starting to bloom, and the Bluebells are in full bloom too. As one flower fades away for the year, another takes its place. No wonder we love spring time. It is just a season of continual blessings and beauty. Before too many weeks the lilies and peonies will be in full bloom.

It is a day to be thankful for life. So many people have real problems in their lives and at best I am lucky enough to have only minor annoyances every once in awhile. Our prayer list at church has grown again with people facing a variety of health problems from cancer to upcoming knee replacements to grief issues due to lost loved ones. I pray each will feel the presence of God's holy touch and healing spirit. Several members of my own extended family are facing these same issues as they wait for test results and doctor's reports. Life seems to not be fair sometimes and that thought can really drag us down without a strong faith base. So this morning I just ask God for another bucket load of grace and love to be heaped upon all His children.

I hope you have a wonderful day full of spiritual sunshine.

The dogs go out, the dogs come in --- the dogs go out, the dogs come in. I 've only been less than a half an hour and they have been in and out at least five times. It's a squirrel in the yard thing, don't you see.

It is another beautiful morning, thank you Lord. More and more of the trees are filling out there leaves. From the look of the Maple trees in my two neighbor's yards, it will be "helicopter" time very shortly as all of those Maple seeds come flying off in the wind, filling the gutters of every one around. This a wonderfull continuous cycle.

We have yet another day with nothing of import on a schedule. I have to slice up a ham for Ms. Kate to fix for the parish breakfast tomorrow morning. And, -- I think we need to go to the bird food store because they have a sale going on and I could use some things. I could also run to Rural King and pick up some five gallon buckets to plant my tomatoes in. I cut the bottom out of them and fill them with a good garden/potting soil and the tomatoes do very well. So, I guess there are things on my list; the question is though, do I want to get off my butt and do them?

The daffodils are about done and will soon start laying over and looking ugly. But then the lillies will be coming on and the yard will turn beautiful again.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and so my prayers today are prayers of gratitude for a faith that sustains me regardless of what is going on in the world or in my life. God just continues to heap blessings on me and my family.

I think it is time to vacate my recliner. The coffee cup is empty. Have a blessed day.

Another most excellent morning. I have a day with nothing on my schedule, lots of sunshine, and Julie and the pups here to visit for the Easter weekend. Life is just so very good.

We had a nice Maundy Thursday service last evening. I guess we had around fifty people in attendance. I used a Tenebrae vignette as part of the service and that went well too. It was also first communion for my seven confirmands. They are now completely done with confirmation. As I have said before, the test now comes to see if they continue to attend church or not. My guess, unfortunately, is that of the seven, two will be regular attendees because they are the only two who have parents that attend regularly. That is the sad state of the church universal these days. There are too many reasons to not attend church these days and unless we become an entertainment industry, as so many of the huge churches have, people easily justify to themselves as to why they don't go. I can't be too critical because unfortunately, I didn't bring our kids up in the church either for all kinds of "good reasons". We raised the with Christian values, but failed miserably in the church attendance department.

On a much brighter note, Lauren rode her bike in the World Mini- Grand Prix MX race yesterday. She came in second in yesterday'race. She runs her second race today. The great thing is that it is on live stream telecast and we can watch it on our computers here at home. It was an exciting race. The top three riders were literally within four sconds of each other at the finish line. We will be glued to our computers around 4:30 this afternoon waiting for the next race. Good luck Ms. Lauren!!

With a beautiful day like today, how can I not offer up prayers of thanksgiving. I also offer up prayers of concern for my brother-in- law, Byron who goes in for MRI and CAT-Scan today. I pray for good results and a successful treatment plan for his cancer. I also pray for peace within your mind and spirit. I hope you will have a most blessed day.