"A Great Day To Be Alive" (with thanks to Travis Tritt for a great song title and a great song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4tSE2w53ts
I've been having some computer issues lately, or at least some errors related to operator ignorance which are blamable on the machine, and so I worked from home to finish up a couple of projects while everything was up and running.  It turned out to be a wonderful day.  A close early morning inspection and removal of burlap netting revealed that the cold temperature of the preceding night did not damage any of the fruit.  God willing, we will have good harvests of grapes, peaches, and apricots this year, and a fairly good showing of apples and cherries on the younger trees.  A quick trip to the church to open up revealed that our volunteers were hard at it doing the work of the kingdom, and enjoying the same!  Then it was back to spend the rest of the morning working on a leaflet for the funeral of William George Lantz, who lived well, worked hard, enjoyed the beauty of music, and loved his family.  At noon, Tristan and I broke for a lunch picked freshly from the garden, accompanied by a glass of California claret.  Rebecca joined us on her break, and we were mesmerized in good conversation as we laughed in the sunshine.  The mid-afternoon brought another trip in to the church for a consultation about the funeral and to load some necessary props for the evening's fund raiser for Young Life http://lancaster.younglife.org/Pages/default.aspx, a parachurch Christian youth ministry with which our town has been recently blessed.

After a trip to Dr. Kitzmiller DVM for Oscar's Rabies shot, it was off to Newark to meet Ashley and the children at City Barbecue for dinner.  Tristan leaves later this morning for his summer term in Luxembourg, and this was his send off dinner of sorts.  We laughed and ate and played hide and seek on the patio with the girls, and little George slept through most of the meal.  It was a magical time.  When Momma told the girls to wish Uncle Tristan a safe and happy trip, almost five year old Margaret teared up and said "I'm sinking into sadness."  Momma assured her that this was nothing like when Captain Joe went to sea, and that it was going to be a happy trip with presents from Europe and regular Face book messages from her uncle and godfather.  Everything was fine then, and we said our goodbyes.

I thought at the time how right she was.  This was nothing like when Tristan, or Matthew, or Joe went off to war.  And for that I am ever so thankful.  All of the men in my grand children's lives are home now, and we are thankful.  Some of you may remember the posting of when Joe put to sea from the Port of San Diego http://thecountryparson-rector.blogspot.com/2012/09/godspeed-captain-joe.html.  He and the fleet are home safely now, so I can post some of those old and dated pictures that I did not post before because of operational security considerations.

 
Welcome home Joe, and God bless you all.  How I look forward to the day when wars will cease, and all people, under the Lordship of King Jesus, will live in peace and harmony.

It was a good day, and today promises to be every bit as wonderful, with friends, family, and things to do for our Holy Mother the Church and for the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  May your day be as blessed, and may you find peace, and hope, and purpose.  AMEN!