Love

I know I started with the word 'hope', I will go back to that, I think love is needed for right now. Maybe not in your life so much, but, I know I need it in mine & I know there are millions of others who do also...God's love is where I wanted to start....

Tell me if you know this one: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but, to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17

How many times have you heard this Scripture? I, myself, not only hear it all the time but read it all the time, recall it and bring it to memory....why?

It's simple.............Our Lord sent His Son, His begotten, into this chaotic, crazy, fallen, sinful, idolatrous, {need me to keep going?} world---to die for it. Meditate on that for a moment. He died for everyone---everyone. The young, the old, the poor, the rich, the well, the sick, the adulterer, the prostitute, the drug user, the drug dealer, the violated, the violator, the betrayed, the betrayer, the lied to, the liar, the abused, the abuser........the murdered, the murderer...I still can not wrap my mind around how He sees sin. I, myself, have a hard time with God seeing a lie the same sin as a murder. Hard to understand in our mere human minds. I know I can not. I can not fathom what it is like to love and die for everyone.....everyone.

That's how much His love is.........we can not even fathom....we can't. There is no way the human mind or understanding can understand God's love....when Jesus was dying on the cross He said, "Forgive them Father for they don't know what they are doing."....who was He talking about? He was talking about those that had falsely accused Him, arrested Him, spit on Him, mocked Him, stripped Him, slammed a crown of thorns on His head, whipped Him, punched & kicked Him, put a cross on Him to carry, betrayed Him, pounded nails through His hands, pounded nails through His feet, put Him on a cross.....do I need to continue? He loved them that much that He died for them! ....Wow! Doesn't it just blow your mind?

I know it blows mine.....it may be a common Scripture for lack of a better term, but, it is powerful! Powerful! It shows His love and how much more and more He is above us....that we can not figure it out---we need Him....His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways not our ways....Can you imagine if He left us in charge of being judge and jury.........

Meditate on that Scripture a bit---He loved us enough to die for us!

In Christ,

Lill

Just Thunder & Thunder

I was just at someone else's blog & they were talking about the hurricane named Dolly. I am happy they made it throught it & I found myself talking about our weather in NY.

I love summer thunderstorms....majestic & powerful, our Lord in His glory. Yet, I have to say this summer has become ho-hum because of them. It does nothing here but rain, rain, rain, thunderstorm after thunderstorm after thunderstorm....then when it's not wet, its extremely hot & muggy. We have been doing nothing because of it! Just sitting in the house, waiting for a small reprieve so we can get to the bus to get to the market or on the hot days we are using them to cram everything we need to do in those couple of days.

Saturday night all it did was thunder & pour....the thunder just rolled and rolled and rolled for hours! I am not exaggerating....upstate New Yorkers support me here....there is just too much wet. Last Friday and today are nice days. So today I have to run to the market because I have to get fresh veggies & a couple of items I forgot on Saturday.

Ok now, forgive me for complaining....

No exciting news to talk about right now. I talked for some time yesterday to Nonny's paternal grandmother & she wants to come get Nonny overnight next week before school starts again which is very soon.

There is a play date down at my friend Dee's house this coming Friday. But it is during the time I am working so I am hoping she can pick up Nonny & then I will come down after work & pick her up.

I am going to pull out my camera & go nutty with it a little later---always fun---and give some pics to you....

Be back soon!

Lill

What I Did On My Birthday

My birthday went great. Nonny & I did the grocery shopping. We used the bus to go to Hannaford & home. We bought 3 bags of groceries {I use the cloth grocery bags & a hot/cold bag} & cat litter & it cost me $111.67....still trying to figure out why. Then after we arrived home & all the groceries were put away, my friend CR called, she is our church office manager. We talked for 3 hours! It was great....she had called to just say Happy Birthday & we talked about everything....My daughter as I have told you before is a fish and CR has a lake right by her house, so, next Sunday after service we are heading out to her home.

Then Nonny & I headed out to dinner. We go out to dinner 2 times a month. She wanted to go to MJ's which is a nice restaurant a few blocks away. It is a historical building built in the early 1800's & was used for many things & now it is a restaurant. I love it because the inside of the structure has not been altered & when you sit at the table, under the glass are historical newspaper clippings of the town I live in.

Then we went to CVS pharmacy & picked up prescriptions, 3 of them and it came to $75.00!!!! It is amazing how the health care industry has made this our health into a billion dollar business. I could not believe it---one of the medz is new for Nonny's asthma.

After that we went to Stewart's. For those of you who don't know, Stewart's is a convenience store all over upstate New York & I believe there are a couple in neighboring states also. They sell everything. They can be a little pricey.....but being that it was 86 degrees & I didn't want to stand at the bus stop with milk, half & half, eggs & ice cream, I needed to go there & thats what we bought there....Nonny got a pint of ice cream called Monkey Business, it's banana ice cream with chocolate swirls going through it & I bought a pint of Raspberry Fudge Torte, frozen vanilla yogurt w/raspberry swirl & pieces of chocolate.

After we arrived home my friend S showed up with birthday gifts for me! {I love presents & my friend knows this}. She bought 2 towels & a pkg of washcloths & 2 beautiful pictures to hang on my walls {photos later}. Then the rest of the night was relaxation. I had a glass of wine & watched America's Most Wanted {did you know the FBI is now 100 years old---and on my birthday}.

I did a little reading before going to bed & got my next couple of movies set up on Netflix because they will be coming this week. I ordered the first disc, season 2 of Punky Brewster for Nonny & The Golden Compass for myself. We just returned the Spiderwick Chronicles { I didn't like that too much} & The Legend of Waterhorse {which is the legendary story of the Loch Ness Monster--remember him} and this movie was actually pretty good--it was pretty much told thru the eyes of an 8 year old little boy.

I did enjoy my birthday, nice & sweet.

Ok, have to get ready to go to church---be back later to talk again, we are catching the public bus today.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me! happy birthday dear Lill...Happy birthday to me!

Thank You Jesus, for a wonderful year. With all the joy & grace, the mercy & love, the correction & discipline, the struggles & victories. Thank You for choosing me out of this world & making me Your own....Thank You Yahweh--for giving me another year & for loving me anyway!!!


Thank You for reaching down from on high and pulling me out of the mirey pit! If I had never met You, I don't know where I would be today--and that is just alright with me! To You is all glory, honor & praise. I love You Jesus!

Lill

Mexico Missionaries

The missionaries to Mexico left for Mexico this morning out of JFK airport in NYC. The last update is they were flying over the Gulf of Mexico.

Please pray for those who went on this trip. This is a wonderful opportunity to share Christ's love. They will be with the sick, needy, poor & lost. They are definitely out of their comfort zone. Most of them have gone every time there was a missions trip there---a couple of them are new.

This is an exciting time & opportunity for our brothers & sisters in Christ in missions all over the world.

Please keep our church in your prayers when you pray for missionaries, for they are your brothers & sisters too.

In Christ

Lill

No Bake Mac & Cheez

This recipe is really simple and you can mix up ingredients to your liking. Any pasta will do as will any cheeses. This is easy for kids {use your best judgment because they will be near a stove}.

We enjoyed this recipe tonight with sweet corn & peas, cajun bratwurst & papaya.

Ingredients:

• Any pasta. I find that wide egg noodles are to my liking for this recipe & that is what I used tonight. Use the amount you would use for your family.
• Butter/margarine. I use I Can't Believe Its Not Butter -Light. It is my favorite spread
• Salt & Pepper to taste.
• Any cheese. You can use one cheese, 2 cheeses---10 cheeses if you like. I always use what is available in my fridge. Tonight it was American white & Mexicano mixed. I used a half of a slice of American on each plate & then sprinkled the Mexicano cheese on top.

Boil water, cook pasta to al dente, drain pasta {do not rinse}, return pasta to pan and add a tablespoon of butter/margarine for about every 1.5 servings that you are using.

Now I put a serving of pasta on individual plates & let people add their own cheese just because some don't like it really cheezy. Now you can also layer or mix & put in a microwave safe bowl or casserole dish, microwave on high until the cheese melts. Add salt & pepper to taste

This is a great dish for your mac & cheez fans--who don't want to turn on the oven in this sweltering heat & don't want the box mac & cheese & as you see the kids can do it too..............

Have fun!

Ole Faithful

There are no colors left on this chair, it is full of old stains. It is beaten up, one side I think is broken, not pretty to look at....yet it is the most comfortable chair I have ever sat on in my life. And anyone who sits in it will tell you the same thing. I even sleep in it alot. Nonny & I have made mad dashes to get to it when getting ready to watch a TV show/movie.

It was part of a sectional set, probably mid to late 80's. It was given to me some time ago & it has proved to be faithful. I curl up in it with books, my devotions, pop the legs back & push it back & fall into to lala land in no time. My cat finds her way into this chair & sleeps for hours in it.

It made it through the fire I had in 2006. I lost alot of stuff, but, Ole Faithful stayed true to its name.........It still sits in the corner of my living room & though it does not look attractive---you will melt right into it......I don't know what it is going to take for me to let it go....

Do you have a favorite couch, chair, piece of furniture that no matter how bad it looks or sags, you will not get rid of it? Let me know!

White Picket Fence? .....Maybe

I think I have made up my mind to go forth & see what is out there for me as far as buying a house. I spoke with some other who went through a federally funded program & were given federal grants so they could have a home. I called that program today & I am eligible.....The money I make is under the limit of what they allow for my household size. In September I will be going to an orientation and then start applying. They have all kinds of classes to take, that I am interested in, such as:home improvement & home repair, principles in landlording, what to look for in a home....Of course I have to find the lender & the house...Their inspectors will go through the house to make sure it is ok for me to buy. I will update as I go.....just the thought of having my own home has kind of made me feel "giggly", like a Princess in His Court---ya know? I spoke with one of our Elders wives today, Dee & she confirmed that this is something she not only sees me doing but is something I should be doing. So I am going for it.....keep me in your prayers as I go on this journey.

This is what I am looking for: 3+ bedrooms {I need one for work}, backyard (fenced, we are animal lovers & we like our privacy), single family, good sound structure {I am so tired of leaking roofs}, has to stay in the city I live in because I don't drive & I need to be near my church, buses & shopping. Oh yeah, the lady I spoke with at the program today said that you can apply for home improvement grants and/or loans also, like, new windows, new roof, new heating system, new hot water heater---anything that will improve the way of life and improve the property....so if I like a home and the only thing that is keeping me from going for it is the water heater---I could get money for that....and on down the line. So fellow bloggers & Brothers & Sisters in Christ, this has been a desire of mine for a long time---I have been pondering & praying for quite some time & I believe that this is something that can be brought into fruition.....and I think Dee helped me make that "final" decision, she was confirmation....

I will let you know how it all goes---I am quite nervous about some things that I won't share here on the blog due to they are private, just please keep us in prayer about this....

Breeding Grounds

When you give an encouraging hug, a shoulder to lean on, a word that makes someone's day, an encouraging Word from the Scriptures.....this becomes a positive breeding ground. When you help the poor, the needy, respect your leaders, your parents, teach your children the way to go, spread the gospel, lay hands on people, pray & intercede...also a positive breeding ground. When you love someone 'anyway' no matter where they come from, where they are, who they are, what they did to you in the past, what they are doing to you now, what they wear, where they work, where they live, what they say, how they eat, what they eat....this is a positive breeding ground....nothing but good can come out of building each other up, encouraging each other, loving each other, doing the work of the Lord......so what is the opposite of that?

When you don't love, when you cause arguments, you speak gossip, you tear someone down, you sit back & do nothing, you find faults in your leaders {cuz they are supposed to be perfect.}, you look at an outward appearance & judge, you argue, bicker, cause division.....this is a breeding ground for negativity AND a doorway for satan.....the power of the tongue, "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." {James 3:5-6}

Or how about---"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing.My brothers this should not be." {James 3:9-10}

So why do people do this? Here we are saved, Jesus died for us......He gave His life. And His bride is hurting each other, causing strife, bitterness and you know what happens when we allow a brother or sister to gossip to us? tear down someone? do you know what happens....well, the breeding ground starts---and before you know it--you are doing the same thing..............

We need to be an example of Christ.....I remember hearing one my elders say: "If your attitude is bad, if you walk around miserable all the time, if you treat others badly, or snap at them or swear or anything in the matter............how do you bring others to Jesus? How do you do it?"

I think that if we are negative and are not standing out, not the salt of the earth......not loving and kind.............why would they want Jesus? If we are miserable with attitudes....if we are no different then what they already deal with---geez, I could hear myself saying "If that is what happens when you accept Jesus---well, why would I want Him?"

Think about it............if someone is doing something and you see it is hurting others and that person says "hey you should do this, it's the only way you live." hm....well, would you want it?

Meditate on the things that are good, that's what Paul said....think and speak on the things that are pure, right, Godly and just.

Think before you speak AND before you act..............................

Hungry

Last night at the ministry went great. I spoke with Brenda {Pastor Dave's wife} & she said in children alone was 110 heads. There was turkey w/gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, bread, baked beans watermelon,grapes....there were a couple more adults to volunteer. There was beading go on with the kids, that is where Nonny & my friend Brezo jumped in. I got to serve corn & baked beans. The food was great, everything was homemade.

I forgot my camera--it was raining on & off so it was held inside Pastor Dave's church CORE. I am hoping they get more adult volunteers. I hope some people from my church want to jump in & help out.

There were some elderly, homeless.....some of them came for seconds. There was a small group of children who touched my heart there, 4 of them. They come every time there is food and they must come up 3 or 4 times for full plates. We don't know their story--yet, but, Jesus does. We thought at first they might be dropping it or throwing it away or something--so one of the ladies followed them to see what was going on--they were eating all of it. Not only that, but, there were other children that would be getting up to throw their plates away & they would tell them they would take it & they would eat that too.............The community leaders, they need to see that...there are your hungry children--the children they say don't exist. They are little one's too....

We know right now that this ministry will be going on every Monday, Wednesday & Friday all summer--don't know what is happening in the Fall right yet. Pastor Dave also feeds them breakfast on Sundays and then lunch after service, that gets done all year.

They also have a bookbag ministry, where they hand out school supplies to all the children that have a need. They need everything...everything. There are not very many donations for them this year.

It's early in the morning right before I have to start work. I know there is so much more I want to say about this......I hope I remember my camera next time, which is Wednesday.

What Hungry Children?

Tonight is Monday and it is time for the Feed A Kid Ministry I told you about before, under "Pastor Dave" in my blogging friends list.

I sent a couple of emails to 2 of our Elders and found out that our Senior Elder will be meeting with Pastor Dave this Tuesday to discuss this ministry and a few others and also some long term suggestions.....I am so excited about this---there are already 3 churches involved and now my home church! Jesus is taking over.

Pastor Dave has shared that he has received some resistance from community leaders...they want him to take it inside the church. I told him, well, you know why that is don't you? Because once Jesus takes over the streets, they don't have that title anymore....they have had the opportunity for YEARS to find ways to get the children off the streets, away from gangs, drugs & prostitution, to get guns off the street, to become a part of their lives---and now there is a Bible based church & churches that are doing what the Lord called us to do---and they are a little resistant? hm.....yeah.

Tonight on the menu is supposed to be hot open faced turkey sandwiches {yummy}...I hope some of the people let me take some pics to share with you. Because it has been raining so much here, the ministry might have to be inside tonight. All the news coverage they received the first night has led to much bigger responses. Some community leaders do not believe there are hungry children here---well, I can remember being without work and depending on our government to help me and my daughter and we were at food pantries & soup kitchens and we would not have got through the months without them---AND there are times when we still need them....so if me, a full time working person who makes "okay" money to the US standards, needs help here and there---what about those on the "slim line"??? More children.....how about those children who are not on their parent's priority list?? What about them?? Do we say "NO, your Mom has a job, your Dad gets food stamps" .....

No, we do what Jesus would do.....we preach the gospel. Part of preaching the gospel is doing what He would do if He were here in human form walking the streets......He would be there, right in the midst of the chaos, the drugs, prostitution, gangs...homeless, destitute, pushed aside, walked over....yes that is where He would be.....maybe some of those community leaders have not been exposed to the truth---the truth on the streets & the Truth of our Saviour.....if they did, they would be there, handing out plates, washing dishes, changing the garbage, standing in the trenches, loving them anyway---doing it all for Him........washing feet, yes, that's would they would be doing.

Sometimes people are afraid of the truth, whatever it may be....especially if it is foreign to them...they have never lived it. They have never been addicted to a drug, felt unloved, hungry or been without a home---kind of makes you feel sad for them too--because they are caught up in the same lie as those they claim to be leading.

I know the Lord pricks my heart right there---right in the heart of all the chaos---it's like He calls me---over here Lillian--over there---him right there Lillian--her over there....it's this filling up that makes you want to explode!!! And until you do it ---it fills and fills till it is brimming and bursting ----

Have you ever sat down and had a conversation with someone nobody else "sees"? Laid hands on someone nobody else considers "clean"? Talked to a child whose Mom is home sleeping off a hang over? A little girl whose father is in prison? A prostitute that everybody spits on? An elderly man whose life partner passed away and the family is too busy to see him? A single Mom with 5 kids who works hard and still no getting ahead? Someone who just needed a hug? A smile? A kind word? If you have not....you should come down to this ministry.....come and see what the Lord is doing there. People are coming together....these people who have never even been given a second thought to are being reached out to by Jesus....He calls me there....Come over here Lillian, I am here, in the midst of the chaos.....I am the Calm here, the Calm in the storm....

"Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words." I don't remember exactly who said it, it sits at the bottom of the stairs when you come out of our church's sanctuary to enter the fellowship hall---it always struck me---and it is appropriate right now...................

I am grateful that He pricks my heart there and for other outreaches and missions---I just get my socks blessed right off................

Road Trip!!! Woo Hoo!!!

I don't know whether I have posted about this or not, my church is going on a missions trip to Mexico. They leave Friday, July 25th and will be returning Aug 4th. They are going to leave JFK Airport in NYC so there are people who are going to drive them down to NYC and then people who are going to go get them. So on Aug 4th, Nonny & I will be riding shotgun with another person from the church to go pick them up! I love road trips & I can not wait! Of course I will be bringing my camera for a picture documentary. We will leave home Aug 4th around 7 pm and then we should get there by 9:30-10:00 pm depending on traffic, the plane arrives at 9:00 pm and they have to go back thru customs and bags and all that, so we will probably be leaving NYC around 11:00-12:00....And arriving back home approx 2:30-3:00 am, again depending on the traffic.

I will keep you updated on all the info as time goes on.

Flea Collar Alert

For those of you who have been reading my blog you know that my cat, Lilah, has seizures. When we moved down here to the first floor she had not had one in 2 months, so I figured {why? I don't know} that whatever may have been causing the seizures was upstairs....well, I was wrong.

Friday night Lilah had the worst seizure ever. It took a long time for it to go away & I had never seen it that bad before. Guess what? Our local news, http://www.cbsalbany.com/ had coverage on a woman in Ballston Spa who had a cat who had seizures & it died. Cause? Hartz 2-in-1 Flea Collars. Found out alot of kitties are having seizures and every single one of them that has/had them are from the collar.....On Friday night while she was having the seizure, I prayed the Lord would show me what was causing these things so I maybe, could get rid of them......So many people have kitties who are having seizures. A lady at my church told me her cat had them also. If you call the emergency number on the back of the box, noone answers. I called the vet, he told me not to buy any over the counter collars----thing is he told me that before---but me, in all my wisdom {duh} thought that he was saying that because he wanted me to buy what he had......

I have had animals all my life....all kinds and we always used Hartz products. So why would I think any different???? Why would I think something has changed???? Something did, somewhere along the line..............because I have heard & personally spoke with quite a few people whose kitties were affected by these collars, with seizures & sometimes death.....

This Is Going to be Lengthy: Flying Felines, Homeless & Hungry, Dancing and Colds

So here I am...I have been very busy!

Pastor Dave {he has a blog here, see his link "Pastor Dave" on my Blogging Buddies list on the left hand side of my blog} is a man in my community who has a church right smack dead in the middle of the crime ridden area of our city. He has joined up with 2 other pastors -Pastor Willie and another one, to take back the streets. Our kids, our families are dying out here. They started a feeding children ministry--which they have not given a name to yet....LOL, don't we always look for "names"? On Monday I went there---and wow! Pastor Dave had been given an empty lot right across from his church and here were all these people from all these different churches....from our church was me, Nonny and a friend. There was hot dogs, chicken wings, macaroni & cheese, potato salad, corn on the cob, watermelon, juice, water.....it was great!!! They are doing this every Monday, Wednesday & Friday as long as the Lord allows. I want to be there as much as I can. Pastor Dave is also looking to invest in a building to have a ministry for children. Pastor Charlie over across the river in Albany has a ministry for children to have hot meals and lunches everyday....this is something Pastor Dave is looking to have here in Troy. He wants it so there is clothing, cooking lessons, help with homework, art & crafts, mentoring...........yes how wonderful! Do I want to be a part of that???? Absolutely....I would love to help with the cooking lessons and homework that is a definite....I think this is wonderful and he does have the back up of Pastor Charlie, Pastor Willie and the other Pastor {I keep forgetting his name!}. Oh how the Lord is working....I will keep you updated on this....

Also on Monday we had a fllying feline! Yes you heard me right---I have placed her picture on this post. I found out later her name is Patches. I live on the first floor and there is an addition to this apartment that has 2 rooms. One of them is my bedroom and the other one is the office. Early that morning I heard a thump as I was getting up---we have a neighbor who has a huge SUV and when he shuts the door he shuts hard and sometimes it sounds like something hit the house--that's what I thought it was....until I was bringing Nonny to the boys& girls club, and when I came back I hear meowing but I know it was not my cat---and I look up and right there on my roof {remember it is an addition so it is only one story} is a calico cat---I walk up the back steps leading to the second floor apartment and bring her in my house....I recognize her as a neighbors cat and go to his home next door and find out from others he is at work for the day. I went back outside to try and figure what had happened when an elderly gentleman came to my fence and told me she fell from the 3rd floor window onto the addition.......WHAT?!?!?!?!, He said he saw the whole thing---she was in the window and then all of a sudden on my addition---wow!!! she fell 2 stories!!! she seemed fine. When her owner came home he was very distraught and very worried about her---he said that the screen in the bathroom window had torn and the landlord was replacing it, in the morning he opened it to find out how the weather was and must have forgot to close it and that is how Patches made it to the ledge and fell....his other cat Sasha and his dog Mike however never went to the window....This cat was so happy to see her Daddy and he was so happy to see her---

Wednesday we went to the soup kitchen at my church and it was packed. Seems more and more people are showing up there. Pastor Joe and his wife Donna use our church's fellowship hall to do a soup kitchen every Wednesday {The Lord willing Donna would say}. It has been so hot and muggy that they made a bunch of salads...tuna salad, macaroni salad, toss salad, corn, pickles, bananas and cake....I brought some of my clothes there and the women were so happy to get them.

When we got home Wednesday, Nonny went straight in her room and went to sleep. I knew then that she was getting sick so I prayed. She woke later on with a headache and sore throat, checked, no white patches---thank YOU JESUS. No fever, gave her some ibuprofen, prayer and a freezy pop.

Wednesdays and Thursdays we watch, "So You Think You Can Dance", and we were very please with the show, we love Joshua, Gev, Twitch, Katee, Courtney & Chelsie, yes thats alot but we love them....Yesterday Gev had the least amount of votes so he had to leave. No worries, he is in the top ten and will be in the tour around the world.

As of last night Nonny had a slight fever 99.6, so she took a tepid bath and she felt much better, with some prayer her fever broke before she went to bed. Needless to say she has not been going to the boys & girls club and they won't let her come back till she is fever free 24 hours, so she misses her miniature golf trip today because they said she can come back Monday if she is fever free....she did not seem too disappointed {?} I also think when you are sick you are not thinking of those things.

It has been a busy week....I hope to get here tonight and tell you more and do some posts on Bible study and all that.................also thank you for all your kind comments and for visiting my blog....I have to go to work now....which is next to this computer!!!

What we did Sunday 07/06/2008

This is my nephew B

This is my nephew O
This is their Mom, BAM my baby sister and my Nonny
Here they are with their new bikes
that is from left, Shir,Keith & our step grand popsy, Nonny's great grand popsy

Sunday was my twin nephews birthday, they turned 2 years old. We had a blast. There was a ton of food: burgers, dogs, potato salad, tuna salad, pasta salad, green salad...chips, dips...The cake was great, it was marble, the frosting was a little too sweet but all in all it was good.

They got new little bikes and helmets and were just having a great time. Nonny and my sister BAM {mom of the twins and my baby sister} had a water fight and they both left having to wear BJ's clothes. BJ is my other sister, where the party was held. We got see my step-grandfather & great Auntie. It was a beautiful day, temps only went to 85 yet it was hot! The twin B went four wheeling where his brother O wanted nothing to do with it at all.

See some pics up top...you can see what a great time we had. I will add some more later. Be back really soon!

Oh yeah, hurt my back, so I walk like a duck!

What We Did Yesterday

Yesterday I spent the day at my good friends home. Their daughter, HRB, graduated from high school, so yesterday I was at the graduation party. {see slide show in post below}. She is on her way to FIT {Fashion Institute of Technology}in Manhattan. We had a really great time. The food was awesome. There was fruits, veggies, pasta salad, pasta w/pesto, BBQ chicken, burgers & hot dogs, Italian sausage, ziti, baked beans. The cake was great. It just could not have been better, the weather was great also. My Nonny got to go swimming.....so she could grow another fin..lol. That is their house and the graduate on the right.

When I get paid this week I am getting HRB her present. She will be living in a dorm & pretty limited on what she can bring. I am going to get her a laundry bag & stuff it with some towels {thanks for the idea Faith} & her faves of green tea & applesauce. I wish when I was just recently in the City I would have thought to get her some subway tokens. I will also get her some colored pencils and sketch pads.

Today is another fun filled adventure and I will be back to tell you all about it & to upload another slide show.

Have a wonderful day! Talk to you soon.

HRB Graduation 2008...Congrats! Great Job

Fried Chicken Recipe #1

I have a few different recipes for fried chicken. One that I will share with you today is simple.

To do 5 whole chicken legs {whole being the thigh & leg as one} I use the following ingredients:

1 egg, beaten
Approx 2 1/2 cups of Italian breadcrumbs w/garlic
Canola or Vegetable oil---enough to cover the chicken half way
5 whole chicken legs

Put the oil in a large frying skillet and set your flame on medium or 6 if you have an electric range.

While the oil is heating: clean & rinse your chicken.

Put beaten egg into a bowl, in a separate large bowl put the breadcrumbs. Dip pieces of chicken one at a time into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.

When the oil is hot {I take a little dab of water on my fingertips and fling it in the oil, if it responds it is hot enough}

Carefully place chicken into hot oil and then turn your heat UP. Yes, UP. If you have an electric range go to 8 and high on a gas. Reason you are doing this is because when you put the cold chicken in the oil it cools the oil and the chicken will not come out great. Cook until done---yes the oil will be very hot---it will boil like water. I flip every 5 - 7 minutes until it is done { I do cut in to a piece and make sure it is done}

Please note then when frying with breadcrumbs the look of the chicken will be darker than when frying with flours.

While the chicken is cooking line a large bowl with paper towels or napkins {I use a glass mixing bowl}, don't use plastic, when the chicken is done, carefully remove from the oil & set in paper towel lined bowl, the paper towels will soak up the oil.

And then: ENJOY!

We are having this tonight with corn on the cob & left over spanish rice from the taco cafe and macaroni salad left over from the soup kitchen.....no BBQ for me this year, just resting.....fireworks tonight though!

The Call of My Heart

I have been really trying to "soul" search and "find" my heart. Where is it? I love my Jesus, my Saviour, more than I thought I could love. He has filled my heart with such joy and has given me drive & direction. My heart bursts with love of the poor, needy, homeless, sick............It cries "let me help...." "do you know Jesus?"............I want to wrap my arms and heart around the abused, the hungry, the lost. I want to walk in domestic violence shelters and let these victims know that someone loves them, that Jesus has a plan for them. I want to go to the nursing homes and talk for hours with those who have been forgotten and left alone. I want to go to the homeless and give them love {and of course all the practicals}...I want to go on the streets and let the young man know---gangs is not love, not family, not salvation. I want to go to the hungry and feed them....the sick and lay hands and watch our Healer set them free.....the rape victims, the lonely, the set aside, the abused.....isn't that where Jesus would be?

My heart bursts with this overwhelming need to go and do it.....I want to support missionaries & reach the children......I could go on forever to what I want to do ---but where? how? There are only 24 hours in a day you know...only 7 days in a week and at best 31 days a month.

Our church has another church that comes on Wednesdays and does a soup kitchen. The people who run it are amazing and have the heart to serve the lonely & homeless & lost. Nonny & I went there to eat {cuz the food is always good & these are the times} and then what joy I felt as I saw she needed help---can you believe it? I felt joy to clean tables & put food away....to talk to those who came & get names & hear how much they appreciated coming & being fed.......all different situations...all different reasons why they were there & I needed to hear them.....

My heart was bursting that I could be there. There is a coffee house next to our food pantry ran by another church....I want to be there....serve there...the man who runs it has the heart for the community...the college students....his church is located in a crime ridden neighborhood. He is having a community outreach there & I am going to be there, cooking & serving, my name is on the list---my heart calls me there.

It's like my heart is in all these different places....and it calls me "Lillian, over here" and I get this bursting feeling {best way to describe it} inside me and I go looking for my heart.....

The set aside call my heart, the lonely call my heart....where do I go Lord? What do I do? Where is my heart?

The Fourth of July 2008

Fireworks!

Today is July 4, 2008. Another celebration of our Independence! This is our day USA. Don't forget your freedoms! Don't forget those who went to war to fight, don't forget those who still are and lets not forget the veterans who, as anyone who has experienced it, came home 'different'......

This excerpt below is from Wikipedia on some history and customs of July 4th and all the pics that will remind you.

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Congress approved the wording of the Declaration on July 4 and then sent it to the printer. Whether John Hancock, as the elected President of the Second Continental Congress, or anyone else signed the document that day is unknown, because that document has been lost — presumably destroyed in the printing process.[1] Hancock's name and that of a witness do appear on the typeset broadside that was published within a few days. On August 2 in the following month, an engrossed document in script form[2] was signed by Hancock and other delegates.
Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, baseball games, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States, but is often also viewed as simply a summer festival, apart from its patriotic overtones.

Independence Day, the only holiday that celebrates the United States, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Independence Day celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (like the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people.
Families often celebrate Independence Day with a picnic or barbecue, and take advantage of the day off and in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades often are in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.
Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as the national anthem ("The Star-Spangled Banner"), "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and, regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in northeastern states and "Dixie" in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812.
Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. Illicit traffic transfers many fireworks from less restrictive states.
Major displays are held in New York on the East River, in Chicago on Lake Michigan, Boston on the Charles River, in St. Louis on the Mississippi River, and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the annual Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival, Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario host one of the world's largest fireworks displays, over the Detroit River, to celebrate both American Independence Day and Canada Day.
While the official observance always falls on July 4th, participation levels may vary dependent upon which day of the week the 4th falls. If the holiday falls in the middle of the week, some fireworks displays and celebrations may take place during the weekend for convenience, again, varying by region.

Old Glory

Declaration of Independence
This is the fallen soldier war memeorial. when a soldier dies in combat, they put boots, arms, helmet and such for a memorial.
some of our soldiers

Have a blessed 4th--lots of burgers and dogs. fireworks and picnics.....

Report Cards & School Supplies

I am so proud of my Nonny. She is now well on her way to 5th grade. All year she was on the honor roll--the 3rd quarter she had all straight As, all the others 4 As & 2 Bs. She did not get the teacher she wanted but she got the teacher she needed.

One thing I appreciate about the school in my area is that they send home the school supply list of what the next grade teacher wants when they send home the report card, so you have 2 months to buy the supplies.

I hit WalMart the day of the list. I was somewhat disappointed to see that the 1 subject notebooks were gone---because they sell them for 10 cents there. And do you know how hard it is to find 2 subject notebooks? Last school year I had the same issue and this year not only do I need a 2 subject but it has to be purple! Yes our school coordinates the notebook with the folders! And she is allowed to have 2 folders of her choice this year vs. only the homework folder all the other years. In case you are wondering, they do this because there are alot of children whose families can not afford the fancier stuff so they don't want to the children to feel they are not getting the same as other children AND it does knock down the "stealing" of the child's folders and notebooks because noone's is better than the others.

So anyway her list is {the item with ** means I still have to purchase it}:

Folders: red, green, blue, yellow & purple
1 Subject Notebooks: red, green, blue & yellow **
2 Subject Notebook: purple **
Pencils
1 pkg of loose leaf paper
Pencil case
Blue or Black erasable pens
3 Composition notebooks
Erasers
Crayons or colored pencils
2 low odor Expo markers
2 Folders any design
3 glue sticks
Highlighters
Box of tissues--boys
Ziploc Storage bags--girls
Scissors

So as you see I don't have to get anything but notebooks. Everything else I bought last paycheck.

5th grade is the last grade in elementary here. I remember it was 6th grade when I was growing up. So this is a big year for Nonny. This year she will have a small family birthday celebration vs. a big one which we normally have, because I would like to have a barbecue for her on her moving up day---not a huge thing, but, something where good friends and family can come and celebrate her accomplishments.

I told her the other day "I love you" and she said "Who doesn't?" lol....