Sunday

 The first day of the week and that meant being ready!  We were off to church again at 10 with a 30 minute time before the service to hear the choir rehearsing among other things.  

During the month of February, we have heard many negro spirituals wonderfully song.  Today's gift to us and sung to God was I Got a Key arranged by Alice Parker.  Mark, our choir director sang the verses while the choir sang the refrain. 

Refrain: I got a key to the kingdom, oh Lord, I have it now, and the world can't do me no harm.              

Now if you know you're livin; right, servin' God both nigh' and day,                                                    then when you go down on your knees, God'll hear ev'ry word you say.  Refrain.                              

Well, blow your trumpet, Garbriel, an' come down on the sea;                                                              now don't you sound your trumpet, 'til you get orders from me. Oh, hear me singin,  Refrain

Now, when I get to heaven, I wan' you to be there too;                                                                             an' when I hollah, hallelujah, I wan' you to hollah too.  Hallelujah!                                                      

Pray'r is the key to the kingdom, an' faith unlocks the door                                                                        If you got a key to heaven, you can pray everywhere you go.  Refrain

 It's always a good 30 minutes every Sunday before the service that I really enjoy reconnecting with church people and visitors.   Three more folks joined church at the beginning of the service.  The bells played with Andrew and Noah each in their places commanding their bells to ring at the right time.  

                    The altar arrangements were stunning costing us nothing.  I like that a whole lot. 

Heidi and I talked about next Sunday's visuals when once again we want to provide something for the altar.  Kathleen suggested spraying some pinecones gold and adding gold branches to the arrangement. We decided that would be a great altar solution.  So, branches and cones came home with me and there was an early afternoon to ACE Hardware for paint that lead to a spray session on the patio.  It was warm enough there.  

We'll add these cones to the vases along with gold sticks keeping all the red berries. 

                                                    It will be stunning.  All to glorify God.

I spent some time with bird food filling the storage jars in the kitchen ready to be added to the feeders when needed.  I think most of the B Birds have taken a break.  Maybe it's a two-week vacation to the south. They really could take the name of snowbird.  They seem to disappear from time to time even in the summer.  They could be heading to Georgia or Texas.  Who knows?

My friend Charlotte had questions about attracting Cedar Wax Wings this morning.  I think they come when they want to, depending on the food available.  I've seen them clean off our crab apples in a few days when the apples are plentiful. The tree is declining so not many apples are available.  By now other birds have eaten what's still hanging.  Ceder Wax Wings are insect eaters, but that menu item isn't happening now.  The birds don't show up every year, or even every few years.  

A few messes disappeared.  Some knitting happened.  Girl's basketball did some entertaining.  There was popcorn and soda water for supper.  I would add this Sunday to many others that have been good.  How blessed I feel.  A super beginning to what I pray is a good week.