Mudshake and quake

I haven't posted to my blog for a few days. It is Sunday night and almost time to retire after a day of Church and yardwork. It has been a while since I did any gardening. Our house that we rented fortunately had the services of a gardener, and now that we have our own home, such a luxury is not possible. This has resulted in me having to assemble garden equipment and remembering how to cut the grass, whack the weeds, water the garden and keep the yard as tidy as my neighbors. Just when I thought I could sit in my little office space and tap away on the computer - all that has changed as more and more time is spent on making things look pretty. Nancy fortunately has the green fingers - all I do is follow instruction and get the work done. Oh the one thing that has really made me appreciate the garden is the abundance of birdlife. We are now within walking distance of the little lake, and so there is a constant flury of birds in the garden. What has really caught my attention is the presence of humming birds. These little guys have to be the busiest birds I have ever come across. I have a hanging feeder filled with nectar for them, and they actually have resorted to fight over vacant spots on the feeder. Today I cleaned the regular bird feeder and filled it with birdseed and cleaned the birdbath and literally as I turned my back the birds arrived for a meal.

I seem to have gone off on a trail here - my main reason for tonight's blog is to acknowledge with great sadness the catastrophies of the weekend. The earthquake in Pakistan that has at this hour claimed 30 000 lives, the mudslide in Guatamalla that claimed 1500 lives - what a terrible weekend for volumes of people who didn't see it coming. Makes you wonder what life is all about doesn't it? We prayed tonight at our 40 Days of Community meeting for those who have been left with such a loss to contend with. Seriously - where are we without God? I don't think we can ever say "oh never, it will never happen to me..." It is in those very words that we can be found wanting...