Connecting again

Just a few days ago we learned that friends who had moved to New Hampshire were back in Indiana and were hoping that we could get together for lunch with another couple. Meeting at a restaurant was a possibility but we quickly sent out an invitation to come for lunch on Saturday. Since we had an abundance of zucchini I decided to make a Zucchini Quiche and also picked some red beets from the garden for Harvard Beets. Karen offered to bring a salad and dessert. Plan complete!

So when  Saturday rolled around, we were experiencing one of the hottest days of the summer -- it reached 105, just one degree shy of tying a record. But the heat didn't bother us as the conversation flowed continually and the afternoon flew by. Before everyone left, I had everyone pose for a photo.

Me, Ray, Trish, John, Bill & Karen

The three guys worked together at Lilly but all have been retired for quite a few years. These three couples plus a 4th couple who now lives in South Carolina gathered annually for a Super Bowl party until two moved away. Now there are only two couples taking part in the tradition.

This morning I headed to church hoping that we might get some relief from the heat and drought, but more on that later. Again, we had a guest speaker. It's still vacation time for our pastor. The theme of the sermon was "It's Just Jesus." That was the sentiment of the folks who lived in Jesus' home town of Nazareth. He wasn't welcomed as a hero. The citizens of Nazareth were astonished by the things he was saying, but this soon turned to resentment. They thought "Who does Jesus think he is?" He is a local boy with delusions of grandeur.  He claims to be greater than we are. We are often like the people of Nazareth -- not accepting of Jesus. We forget he is with us as we sing, worship him, listen to His Word, etc. He isn't "just Jesus or no one special" but he is our Savior!

After returning home, I took a photo out the front bedroom window to illustrate how dry and scorched our yard looks.

Notice the brown areas on the shrub

Just yesterday we realized this shrub is dying. It's needles are turning brown. We haven't been watering our shrubs or trees, but now it's too late for this one. Late this afternoon, we heard thunder and soon after we actually had rain -- 1/8 inch! So the drought continues...