July 2020 Surviving the hot humid days of a Texas Summer

Feeling of Freedom by Josh Grimmett 6th Grade

 Oh, how I love July and all of the celebrations that represent the things that mean so much to me in my life.  America! The Land that I love.  My parents taught me Patriotism from a very young age.  My Dad is a WWII veteran and continued in the Air Force reserves for the next 25 years until the 1970's when they required him to retire to make room for the returning Vietnam Vets.  He retired as a Major in the Air Force.  Because of his love for God, Country and his fellow man, he instilled within me that same love.  Oh, the stories I could share of 4th of July celebrations in Idaho and Colorado with fireworks from Wyoming!

The picture above was painted by my oldest son, Josh, when he was in the 6th Grade, 1988-89 for a PTA Reflections Program.  He represented his elementary school at the District competition.  It has always been a favorite picture of mine.  He followed in his grandfathers footsteps and served 12 years in the military.  He tells a beautiful story in the book he wrote about his experience in Iraq that made a difference for him and for his unit as he embraced the teachings he had been taught in his youth.
"Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them . . .We do not doubt our mothers knew it. . . .Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them. . .And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared. . .and we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe - that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power." Alma 57:47, 48, 21, 26.
My prayer for this time in our lives is that we will remember these same truths and exercise our faith in God and obey and observe to do what we need to do with exactness that we may be blessed to overcome the ills of our day.

We watched the fireworks at Globe Life Park - home of the Texas Rangers - in the parking lot with everyone in their cars or just outside - everyone wearing masks for protection.  We missed the annual parade that we have been a part of for the past 35 years.  It was a year for more quiet reflection on the liberty and freedoms that we have.  We also have a tradition of watching 1776 every year on the 4th of July.  We watched it while we were Europe and this year was no exception.  Our Freedom is not free.  It comes with a great responsibility and accountability.  Agency is the right to make our own choices.  Freedom is the ability to exercise our agency. Grateful for those who have paved the way and to those who continue to work and serve to preserve this great land.
As President of the Constitutional Convention, George Washington said, "Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair.  The event is in the hand of God."
I took the time this year to go back and read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, something I had not done in many years.  I would suggest it as a good read.  Just the preamble reminded me of important truths that are worth remembering:  WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

 What better way to end the day than to serve someone in need.  I had been given an assignment in our Church to minister to 3 sisters.  I had felt all week that I needed to contact one of them and invite her to our home on Sunday.  I kept putting it off and on Saturday as we were watching 1776 I had a prompting that I needed to call her NOW.  So I called and invited her to come.  She was happy to come and then she went silent and I asked if the time was OK or if there was a problem.  She hesitated and then said under her breath, my car.  I asked if she needed a ride or if everything was OK with her new car.  She said she got a flat tire the night before and could not get it fixed until Monday with the 4th of July holiday.  I knew she used her car for her employment with UberEats and that with a flat tire she was not able to work on what would be a very busy day and good income for her.  It was a very hot, humid day and not one we really wanted to go out in, but service is never convenient.  I said, that is something I can do and I will come over.  At this point I was not volunteering my husband because I knew he would not be as willing:)  My grandson, Shannon just started driving and I decided it would be a great experience for him to change a tire and to also help me give service. (Grandmas are good at knowing what is good for family to do.) He was so willing to come with me - I knew I would need some muscle help and moral support.  So, now it was not just me going and Russ did not want to be left out of the fun and so he came along and actually did most of the work.

We had a wonderful visit from our friends, The Bretzings, from Arizona.  They were in Texas visiting their Son and his family and spent a day with us.  It was so fun to catch up on our lives since we were all sent home.  Winter picture to help us feel cooler in this heat.  They are still serving as missionaries and hope to return to Germany.  We were so blessed to serve with these beautiful people who are now mission family.

We ventured out on our first Airplane trip and flew to Salt Lake City.  We spent a week with Emily and her family and so enjoyed the cooler evenings of Utah.  It was hard to return to Texas after the evenings on her front yard and Russ watching the flight pattern into  SLC using an app he found of Air Traffic Control - he was hooked and in his element.
We also got to have a quick drive by - ok, we got out of our car - visit with Cambree Griffiths who we served with in Freiburg and then she ended her mission serving with us in Vienna.  We will be so glad when we can have a reunion with more of the missionaries and our new friends.

I am so grateful for Sherry  who ministers to me and regularly has called or dropped by to check on me.  She brought me these beautiful flowers just because and it truly brightened my day.  I am blessed to have  wonderful friends who continue to reach out even amid Covid-19.
I was invited to Lunch with two friends, Lisa and Lori,  at their home and share mission stories.  It was a special time together and the time went so fast.  Nothing better than girlfriends sharing delicious food, catching up on the last two years and sharing in our love of the gospel of Jesus Christ.




So many memories in July.  It was two years ago on July 16, 2018 that we entered the MTC to begin our mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We have spent most of the month putting together a Video presentation of our experience that we hope to share when we can gather again.  We have spent countless hours organizing our photos so that we can share them better.  We have also been going through boxes of photos from the past 40 years and organizing them.  It has truly been a walk down memory lane.  It has been fun sharing them with our grandchildren.

July is also the time on the 24th that we commemorate the Pioneers arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.  Religious freedom has been a part of our Church from its beginning days and continues to be an important issue.  Again, there were no parades or parties this year, but some quiet study and movie watching about the pioneer heritage that is so dear to me.

July is also a month for Birthdays. My Dad's birthday was in July so we usually gathered as a family and celebrated with him and my sister, Brooke who shared his birthday.  The last thing I did before leaving for Germany was gather with family in Bountiful Utah and celebrate his 97th Birthday.  July will never be the same with him gone.

Over the years I have served in our Church as a Young Women President.  I have had the opportunity of catering many of their wedding receptions and being a part of that special day.  There are only a few who have not married and Elise called me in June and asked if I would cater her wedding reception.  I told her I was no longer in the catering business and her mother reminded me that I had just spent the last 20 months cooking for the YSA on my mission.  I thought about it and decided it was something I could do, even amid Covid-19 and most of my catering things  still packed in boxes.  So, no buffets and things having to be done a little differently, we catered the reception.  It turned out really nice and it was a nice evening for her family and the few friends who came.  We wore masks and gloves the whole evening and took all of the precautions that we could.  It was good to see a few friends that we had not seen for a few years.  One more event for the history books!

Every day I ask, am I doing what The Lord needs me to do today and am I learning what I need to learn through these pandemic days.  I have become more focused in my learning and reading on things that truly matter.  I have made family a priority, something that often was taken for granted as I served others and was busy in "other things".
I am reading Christ and The New Covenant by Jeffrey R. Holland and want to end with some of his words:  "the task of the children of God in these concluding days of the world's history is to proceed with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save, to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men, . .feasting upon the word of Christ, and enduring to the end.  This is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God."

We live in the "best of times", a time that we were given to live on this earth.  We are needed for "such a time as this" to bring hope and peace and comfort to those seeking for truth.  We may never live in the past "normal" again, but we can go on and embrace the new and make it a better world.  I have learned to adapt to new things and to simplify my life. I continue every day to adapt and to see what the new "normal" brings.  It is an adventure and one that I am trying to make the best of.
Enjoy the closing days of Summer!
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's