Fun at home

2:51 p.m. Today's project was to enjoy some domestic tasks upon my returrn from the beauty salon with a head full of freshly colored hair! Now that the Thursday Bible study is over, and many of our friends are up at our church's Family Camp, I'm a bit at loose ends this weekend. I wish Steve and I could camp with them. Now that our RV is gone, a tent we'd have to purchase doesn't hold a lot of appeal with my arthritis and the stiffness we both experience after a night on our own bed with two mattress pads!! Heidi and Pavel even gave up on camping overnight, and are planning just to go visit with everyone on Sunday. (Heidi is not a camping fan!)

While I was at Upper Echelon, I called Pavel's mom Rodica to invite their family to our house one half hour before the engagement party on Septemeber 11th, so we can all get acquainted, and the two sides can arrive together at the Smokey Canyon Bbq restaurant just down the hill in Canyon Crest. Our conversation was a lot of fun, since we both garden and have had mixed results with our vegetables this year. It was a nice break from texting back and forth with my youngest, Steven over his college costs and chemistry woes!! It is definitely time to take our family's burdens to Jesus! He told us, Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Since Steven is attending The Call, a gathering of 500,000 Christians for a 12 hour prayer session at the Capitol in Sacramento tomorrow, perhaps the Lord will give him some answers and guidance as to what he needs to do, where he needs to live, attend school, or further still, what is the call on his life to be?

Back at home, what to do? Seemed like a good day to make fresh red salsa, since Steve just harvested some ripe Roma tomatoes. On hand, I had hot red peppers, pickled garlic cloves, cilantro, a lemon, purple onion and a little Lawry's seasoned salt to bring out all of the flavors. It came out well, making a pint and a half. I invited my younger daughter to pop in any time this weekend if she and Nick aren't otherwise engaged.

Another little accomplishment was to cut a pound of bacon in half and fry it up for future use in sandwiches and salads. We'll see how long those tasty, crunchy bites last...then I headed out front to pot some spider plant cuttings in my old hanging basket. I bought some coco fiber lining two days ago, and had Steve bring me a container full of potting soil to use when shade finally moves over to our front patio. After a terrible car crash in our front yard a while back, the overturned basket got disheveled beyond repair, so fresh plantings should look sharp now.

So far this afternoon, we've tackled cobwebs on the high-ceilinged window in the living room and polished the chandelier in the same vicinity. Steve had to put some liquid bandage on a sore toe and will be resting up for his walk with me later--no 2 1/2 mile fast trek with Bailey and Jada today. We'll head down to Staples for print cartridges, deliver the last I Samuel lesson to a friend who lives near Shamel Park, and buy a few groceries later. It's 104 degrees out there!

Now I'll need to take on the tough task for my day--editing and making changes to my book. Avoidance, like busying myself with little jobs, can only go so far before it becomes disobedience!!! And it's pretty silly of me anyway, since I love to write and am called to use that gift to bless the Lord and others. A dream come true is only as good as the work that leads to its becoming a reality!

How wonderful that the Lord loves me just the way I am, while seeing me as so much better than I could ever imagine!