All Green in Mississippi

5:21 PM 642 miles.

9:42 AM The blogosphere is now 60 times larger than it was 3 years ago. Technorati.com now tracks 35 million blogs, with a new blog being created every second.

9:38 AM The Boston Globe says blogging is good for your career. The article offers eight benefits of blogging. I love the last one: "Blogging makes the world a better place."

9:21 AM Okay, let's go over this one more time. Thorpe Shoenle, Deal or No Deal?

9:17 AM Summer is not far away, which means the humidity will soon descend like a heavy cloud. One local writer celebrates the joys of a hot Southern summer.

9:10 AM It's all green in Mississippi, green as far as the eye can see. In just two weeks the leaves have returned, the kudzu is spreading, and it's time to start mowing the grass. Earlier this week Alan took the tractor and mowed the grass along the half-mile gravel road from the fence to the cabin and then on around the lake to the conference center. I think if Alan weren't a doctor, he might be a farmer. Our grandfather had a big farm outside of Oxford, about 40 miles from here. When I was growing up, Dad would take us to the farm on the weekends where we had several horses and a donkey named Jack. The big treat was sleeping on the feather bed on the screened-in porch.

9:10 AM Speaking of Marlene, I am definitely ready for her to return from her trip to Vermont. And about that diet stuff . . . she was right.

9:01 AM A big Saturday shout-out to Bill Hyatt, David Thompson in Chattanooga, Janice White in El Cajon, CA, Jeff Helton in Nashville, Tawnia Rogers-Ladd in Omaha, NE, Ed and Liz Papierski, Jane McEwen in Michigan, Jeff Smith in Tupelo, Pastor John Thweatt in Pell City, AL, Eric and Kristin Duus, Lissa Hutcheson in San Diego, Brian Saffold, Dave and Mary Wyrtzen in Midlothian, TX, Wayne, Becky and Megan Johnson, Ken and Barb Sadler, Ramesh Richard in Dallas, Gene Heidt in Glen Ellyn, my buddy Charles Rosson in Fayetteville, AR, Gregg Boonstra in Palm Bay, FL, Valerie Eaton who just got engaged to Anthony, Henry Nti-Boakye in Ghana, Rita Moritz, Lucy Toy, Rich Moon in Ohio, Phil and Sarah Martinez, Mary Beth Shaw in Nashville, Anthony Cerra, Tatia Gibbons, Tola and Rachel Adeodu, Kathryn McBride, Rosa Cervantes, Chris Smith, Heidi Cherry in Joliet, IL, Sheryl Oder, Diane Westphall in Madison, WI, and a special thank you George and Blanche Thayer of Halifax, Vermont for opening your home and your hearts to Marlene and Ruth this week.

You can reach the author at  ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free weekly email sermon.