STILL WINTER

The groundhog lied!  He predicted an early Spring and Winter continues on.  I think I speak for the majority when I say that we are so tired of cold weather!  Thank goodness March is merely days away and that has to mean we're finally nearing the finish line for winter days.  

Kentucky basketball took a huge blow this month at our game against Florida at the "O" Dome.  Nerlens Noel went down with a torn ACL.  Our team had not consistently shown their full potential and I'm afraid without our block party guy in the middle, we were in a heap of trouble.  I had just read in our recent Bible study about how we, many times in our lives, excel, not despite adversity, but because of it.....so, I was hoping this was the scenario these young players needed to really cause them to grow into the team they needed to be.  The first game following Nerlens' ugly fall was at Tennessee and that did not go so well, as we were defeated, mercifully, by only thirty points.  Calipari was right when he stated, it should have been more.  I, and I'm sure many others, had been praying for these young men.  They're just kids, after all, and I know these had to be really tough days for them.  Thankfully, some growing up did take place and by the last ten minutes of the first half of the "must win" home game against the Missouri Tigers, these young men showed some real maturity.  The second half took us to an overtime finish that left the Big Blue Nation feeling a bit better, finally.  Tonight's game against MSU should be interesting as our team is hopefully hitting it's stride and the Bulldogs have been coming apart at the seams.  But, you just never know.

It was fun last night seeing Tubby Smith get one of his biggest wins ever against #1 Indiana and the Hoosiers.  

As always, I watched the Academy Awards.  Even though I don't usually see many of the nominated movies, I usually know what they're all about and who's nominated for what.  I did get the opportunity to see Lincoln.  Last year I went with my High School senior English teacher to see War Horse.  This year we went to see Lincoln.  It was a wonderful outing, except for the part where I got us to the wrong theater for the matinee showing and the trip to the right theater took long enough that we missed the first ten minutes of the movie .  Mrs. Roseberry said that she felt like she was on one of those city tours as we made our way around Lexington on Man O' War Drive.  I know we were both pleased to see Daniel Day Lewis win the oscar for his performance of Lincoln.

Our Esther Bible study is coming along, but I have to admit it was difficult leading the discussion through the material this past Sunday as my glasses fell out of my purse and under the passenger seat on my way to church.  Thankfully, our class forgives me my many shortcomings as a teacher, or as I remind them, a facilitator.  

The bluebirds have been hanging around their house out front and I'm hoping there are no hindrances to their having a full house of little ones on the way soon.  I constantly am looking for signs of Spring and was delighted to see a yard full of purple crocus across the street from my parents' house.  In my own garden I see the hyacinth, daffodils and tulips are all busy pushing up through the soil.  We're having an early Easter this year, so I'll be listening to my Jesus Christ Superstar in the coming days.

I had hoped to give up some things for Lent, but found that morning tea without sweetener or creamer can actually plunge me into a depression, so after a week, I asked for forgiveness and gave up on that.  I hope you are preparing yourself for the celebration that tops all celebrations at the end of March.  It still boggles my mind when I think about what He did for us, what He did for me.  

Have a great day and stay safe.  luv, Susan