IS YOUR BURDEN HEAVY?

Heartbreak. I spent 4 hours with a lady who lives in my building today. She was so teary and sad (she's always got a sadness to her - I often think of her as Eeyore - from Winnie the Pooh). We talked a LOT. She lost her mom to cancer when she was 9 -- said her mom was dying as long as she can remember her mom, she remembers having to give her mom enemas. Can you image? A child? Dad died at about 10. At some point she was in an orphanage. Then stayed with an aunt who died when she was 16.

I'm not a psychologist - but I know she has deep deep problems, that part isn't a secret - but I couldn't help but feel that her life sort of ended before she even got started. It's like she never moved past those traumatic losses, and those losses were 3 1/2 to 4 decades ago. 

Pray for her - we talked about Jesus and she says she believes. She likes music she said (you talk about a LOT of stuff in that amount of time). She wishes she knew her Bible more. She had an abortion and feels guilty about it I told her Jesus would forgive that.  I talked to her about Paul and how he murdered Christians, but yet became such a 'warrior' on God's behalf ... A FORGIVEN warrior.  Something told me I needed to come home and get my scripture song CD's and give them to her. I did. I now pray that the words in those scriptures - put to music - will speak to her and be a salve to her wounds.

Pray also for a friend of mine who will be having surgery on the 9th. They believe (she said 90%) that she has cancer. I am praying for a miracle on her behalf, please join me.  I believe with my entire being that God heals.  I also believe that He knows the beginning from the end and that all WILL be to His glory.

Oh - the sadness of the world weighs on us sometimes, doesn't it?

The joy is there too -- like when I finally got off work at 8 p.m. tonight and drove up in front of my house a few minutes later ... a teeny little girl was walking outside with her mommy and daddy. When she saw my van she came FLYING to the car. She knew Gram(me) was home and we hadn't seen each other the whole entire day!  Little arms and legs wrapped around me - and happy little smiley face and jabbery voice ... this is awesome having her here.

That was today ...

Over the 4th we had LOTS of fireworks and fun.  Drove up to JoDe and Josh's house in Davenport for supper - they grilled (love grilled vege-chik patties!!) and we all brought some stuff to add to the feast.  I made a couple of things that turned out pretty tasty - or at least people liked them.  A pasta salad and smores dessert!

Not very often do I have requested recipes ... but here you go for the Bow Tie Pasta Salad ...  YOU ASKED!

BOW TIE PASTA SALAD
Prep Time 20 minutes


1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/3 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
3 cups (6 ounces) bow tie (farfalle) pasta, uncooked
20 pitted ripe olives
16 cherry tomatoes
1 medium cucumber
1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (¼ cup)
Salt and ground black pepper (if desired)

1. In Small Bowl, mix mustard and basil with Whisk. Gradually stir in dressing and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

2. In 4-Qt. Casserole, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Place pasta in bowl.

3. While pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut olives and cherry tomatoes in half.

4. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Remove seeds of each cucumber half. Place cucumber halves, cut side down, on cutting board. Remove thin strips of peel by running a fork down side to create a striped effect. Cut cucumber halves crosswise into slices.

5. Add olives, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers to pasta in bowl. Pour dressing over pasta mixture and mix lightly.

6. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over salad and mix lightly. Cover bowl with lid and refrigerate 30-60 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle salad with a little salt and pepper, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

We went to fireworks in Davenport -- a fruitless attempt to meld 4 or 5 cars full of people into one group of fireworks viewers!  Not sure where everyone actually ended up - we parked in a big dirt lot and walked to the river front where we had a nice grassy spot to watch. 
 
July 4th was a special day!  Mark came over with Holly and Zach.  We get to see Zach often, which we love!  But we hadn't seen Holly in a very long time.  It was so nice to see her (thank you Holly for making time in your visit back here to come see us - we love you! ... oh you too Zachary!!!  I know you were thinking it!) and catch up a bit.  Hoping you can be here for Turkey-day too!
 
Then Nick, Rhiannon, Ryan, Jaimee, Randy and I went to the parade.  We joked as we drove that we should go to our old 5th Street house and walk down (we were so close to it then!) - and ended up parking at the alley of our old block!  On the way back it's sort of 'up' hill.  I saw an old man pushing a big lady up the hill in a wheelchair!  I told the guys to come help him -  he looked like he was about to expire as he was pushing!  Poor Randy ended up pushing her all the way up the up the hill by himself.  He was so sweaty and stinky!  I was proud of him for doing that kind thing.
 
Well, it's getting later and later!  I needed to go down and finish my card project tonight - but will do it tomorrow sometime!  Thursday is our monthly stamping night.  I have a couple of projects I think are pretty.  Well - one isn't totally done, but it's mostly created.  I still need to cut the pieces for the 2nd project.
 
Remember that Jesus is coming soon.  We need to make that our central theme!  At least I do! 
 
Love to all of you!!!