September 2021 Mission Reunion, Road Trip, Food and Fall canning

 

MISSION REUNION 2021

We started the month with a reunion with many of the missionaries that we served with.  It is always a special time catching up with everyone.  I was asked to coordinate the meal for the event.  We were back in the kitchen with several of the Senior couples we served with - serving food to this group of almost 200.  A little bigger than a normal Zone Conference!  I cooked 50 pounds of ground beef, made homemade Salsa, 4 pans of corn bread with homemade honey butter, and shopped for all of the food.  It was a crazy few days getting ready for it, but always worth it.  Spencer Duce, one of our missionaries stayed with us while he was in town for the reunion and he was a

great help, especially hauling all of the food to the car.  Just getting 400 bottles of water on ice was an adventure especially when everyone had a limit on how much water you could buy.  

We found that most of the people were more interested in seeing each other than needing food.  With that said, they ate a lot of food and had a fun time visiting and photo shoots.  We were treated with a presentation by The Brown's and it was so good to listen and participate in the wonderful spirit they bring.

Vienna Group

We were so blessed to serve in Vienna with such a large group of missionaries.  They saw the chairs stacked on the side of the gym and it brought back memories of the photos we took every 6 weeks with the Districts.  So, they lined up missionary fashion for the photo.  

Some of the missionaries we got to serve with in both Vienna and Freiburg.  This is our special group from the Schwenningen District.  

Saturday was a real treat!  We had a Senior Breakfast and we got to just be together and visit and no work.  This group of people are the cream of the crop and we are so lucky to have them as new friends.  We are all experiencing adventures and challenges at this time of our lives and it is wonderful to share with them and support each other. We truly missed those who were not able to be with us.   Looking forward to the next time we meet.

Senior Missionary Group

Weddings continue to happen and it was a beautiful evening for an outdoor reception.
Brit and Michael

We served with this cute group in Vienna.

I am sure there will be many more of these events in the future.  It is great to be able to share this

special time with them.

After 6 months of waiting our contractor arrived and began the excavation for our walk out - our new front door.

It has been a month long process and is still in progress.  It has been interesting watching the process.

Footings framed and ready for cement.  Kids thought it looked like a fun place to play and tried to put a rope down and climb out.  It is deeper than they thought and Grandpa scared them enough with his concern that we have not had to worry about them crossing the yellow construction zone!!!

We had to take the fence down in front so Chip our family dog has had to be put on a rope.  He respects the hole and loves that he can see out to the front street - a whole new world out there. It will be nice when the fence is back and we don't have to tie him up,  He can still run around most of the back yard and is making the best of it. 

Footings poured and gravel for the drain.

Rebar installed for the walls.  Inspection completed and ready for the forms. They are in the process of putting in the forms.  It has taken 2 days and still working on it.  We have another inspection on Wednesday morning and hopefully the cement will arrive in the afternoon.  They are hoping to have all of the concrete poured by Friday.  Then the fun begins when they will cut the door in where the window currently is.  I was hoping to have competed pictures by the end of the month, but it is good that progress is being made.

While the work is being done on the house, Russ and I have been working very hard on the back yard landscaping.

We have had a jungle in the Oak Trees.  The vines have not been trimmed in years and had grown into the trees.  We have worked for several days removing the vine and the roots so that the trees can be healthier and we can have more light in the yard.  It is amazing the difference it is making.  You can now see the garden and the gazebo at the top of the yard.  There is still a lot to do, but we are tackling it a day at a time.  It has been a lot of work for the two of us.  It is worth it as we sit and enjoy the beauty of the mountain.

The flowers are absolutely beautiful for Fall.  So glad they survived the heat of summer and that we can enjoy their beauty a little longer.  
This is outside of my kitchen window - Oh how I love flowers!







This month has been filled with FOOD - I have had several opportunities to serve and share my love of cooking with others.  The Reunion was just the beginning.


 

I have been asked to serve on the Stake Humanitarian Committee and we are having a Day of Service in October.  I was asked to be the head of the Brunch for the day.  I had a meeting and had to present what I had planned to serve.  I came up with individual containers for each participant due to Covid and less food handling.  It will have a choice of homemade cinnamon roll or Pumpkin muffin, apple slices with caramel dip, antipasto skewer and a chocolate candy.  I think it will be great.  We are planning on about 200 to participate.

As a result of being on that committee, I was also asked to help with the dinner that was served to the Stake Presidency and the visiting General Authority Seventy and their wives.  I was asked to make apple pies.  I made 4 pies for the dinner and 1 for our family.  I love Fall and the fresh apples.

One of my favorite pies is a Dutch Apple Pie.  It has a crumble top crust and is baked in a brown paper bag in the oven for 3 hours.  It is delicious from the long slow cooking.

We served a savory green salad
Chicken cordon bleu
rice pilaf
broccoli
hot rolls with honey butter

ROAD TRIP to Coeurd'Alene Idaho and Spokane Washington 

Emily has dealt with endometriosis since she was 16 years old.  It has been a long road finding help and dealing with a lot of health issues and pain over the years.  She was finally able to find a Doctor that specializes in endometriosis and scheduled her for surgery.  With Covid increasing and hospitals full we were worried it would be cancelled.  Gratefully, she was able to have the surgery and start on the long road to recovery.  We knew the trip home would be rough but we had a great adventure on the trip there and took advantage of the time we had together - just the two of us.

First stop was Idaho Falls, Idaho to visit the graves of Grandma and Grandpa Grimmett.  It was a nice stopping place and a beautiful, peaceful setting and resting place.
We stopped for lunch and gas and on the road again.
The drive just got more beautiful the further we went North.

My niece, Arianne has Clothing Exchange called Runway in Missoula Montana.  We were hoping to visit her and check out the shop.  Unfortunately they had to quarantine due to a Covid threat and so we just got to stop at the store - Good news!  we shopped!  It was so fun to see her cute store and all of the fun clothes.  
Grabbed some dinner and  on the road again.  The most beautiful part of the drive was the final two hours.  It was surreal as we drove with the Sun and it stayed light even into the night.  The mountains were magnificent and I have to say it felt like I was driving in Germany again on the mountain roads at high speed!

We looked for a fun place to eat for Emily's last meal before her prep started for her surgery.  We found TILLY'S in Post Falls.  It is a home that was built in the 1890's and has been moved three times.  It has been a law office, day care, residence and for the past ten years this Restaurant.  It was so fun and a place for the local's to gather.  It did not disappoint.  The food was delicious!

We spent some time walking around Lake Coeurd'Alene and enjoying the beauty and majesty of the area.  They keep the downtown area so nice and the beach is pristine.  
Below is the Freedom Tree originally planted to stop development on Tubbs Hill.  In October of 1972 it was rededicated as a Freedom Tree to honor Captain Fred McMurray who was shot down by the North Vietnamese and held as a Prisoner of War.  This carving is from the trunk of the original tree.

We were so fortunate to have family close to Spokane that we were able to stay with.  Amber and her boys were so welcoming and made our stay so comfortable and just like home.  They live about 10 minutes out of the city up on a mountain that was so peaceful and quiet.  We saw a deer with its fawn, birds, fall foliage and clean mountain air.  We were able to catch up with family that we do not see very often and remember fun times together.  Tender Mercies happened all along the way.  

Surgery Day
As a mother who has watched her daughter suffer and not be able to get the help or care she needed for many years, it was so nice to be with her on this part of her journey.  We knew from the moment we arrived this was where she needed to be.  When she delivered Preslee 10 years ago, she had a heart attack minutes before her scheduled C-section.  They could never give her any answers and as a result she has been afraid to have surgery or other tests fearing what might happen.  We talked with the anesthesiologist and she had reviewed her records and was able to explain for the first time what most likely happened 10 years ago and put her at ease to have this surgery.  It really made a difference for her.  

I stayed with her the whole day and spent the night in the hospital as well.  They were so accommodating and even had me sleep on a hospital bed and not just the couch in the room.  Emily was the youngest patient on the floor and the nurses really liked her.  They took really good care of her.  She had her appendix removed and a complete hysterectomy as well as removal of the endometriosis.  

We then went back to my nieces home and stayed the night.  She did really good and we decided to start the drive back to Utah.

We drove a different way home so that we could stay with my Sister in Ontario, Oregon and give Emily a rest.  Brooke and Kirt always make it a fun time.  Emily rested, we had a delicious meal and then Brooke, Kirt and I played games.  We stopped at a Country Market in Oregon and they had amazing caramel apples so we shared the apple and had a fun time laughing, relaxing, eating and enjoying the competition of the games.  

We went to a local farmers market and  bought apples, pumpkins, fresh beef, etc.  It is always an adventure shopping with Brooke and Emily.  It just meant more work for me when we arrived home!
We continued on our trip and made a stop in Twin Falls, Idaho.  We stopped and visited my brothers wife for a quick visit.  He was not home - it has been almost three years since I have seen them or talked with them and it was a great reunion with Irene.  Another Tender Mercy that came out of this trip.  
Emily and Irene's granddaughter, Raeley
Our 6 hour drive was getting longer and longer, but it was good for Emily to have some breaks from driving.  The weather was changing quickly and we got back on the road and hoped to make it home before the storm hit.  The setting sun with the smoke and dust storm of Idaho was a sight to behold.  As it was behind us we drove into the dark with the light of a full moon and it made for a beautiful drive.  We were so glad to arrive home safe and to get Emily in the comforts of her own home.

So what do you do with a box of the best honey crisp apples I have ever had?  You turn it into Apple Butter, Apple syrup, Apple butter snickerdoodles and caramel apples!  It was a busy week, but the house sure smelled good.  This is a very easy recipe and DELICIOUS!

The nice added benefit to this is to take the peels and cores from this recipe and make the apple syrup.

SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER

4 pounds Apples (10-14 apples)

Mix together:

1 cup Sugar

2 Tbl. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Cloves

Peel, core and slice apples (I use my apple peeler, corer)

Add Apples, Sugar and Spices mixture to slow cooker.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Blend with immersion blender or put in blender in small batches.

Prepare jars:

8 oz. jars

Fill hot jars with hot apple mixture.  

Process in water bath for 10 minutes.  Let sit for 5 min. And then remove from pot.

Cool, check for seals. 

APPLE PEEL SYRUP

Place peels and cores in large Pot. 
Cover with water.
Cook until cores are mushy.
Place a bowl or pot under strainer that is lined with cheesecloth.
Pour contents of apples in strainer.  Press all liquid out of mixture.
Place liquid back on burner on high heat.
Add 4-5 cups sugar for every 10 cups of liquid.  

Continue to heat, bring to a boil and heat to 218* ONLY!

Cook to syrup (220* is jelly) so cook just below that for syrup.
Pour into hot jars (1/2 pint or pint)
Seal with lids
Water Bath for 20 minutes.
Cool, check for seals.
Uses:
3 Tbl. syrup to 1 cup hot water
Add 2 Tbl. to pumpkin pie filling
Hot Cereal
Pancake syrup - heat with a little corn starch
Use in homemade salad dressing using 1/2 apple syrup in place of vinegar

White Chocolate/Milk Chocolate Caramel Apple

Russ finished his morning workout on the rowing machine and went into the bedroom to get ready for the day and had a run-in with the carpet on the floor.  He fell so hard the end table - solid wood - lost its edge.  Russ got the bad end of the deal.  His back was pretty beat up and bruised.  He is healing, but has had to take things a little easy this past week.  As my Dad would say, "Growing old is not easy".  I am so glad he did not hit his head and that it was not worse.  Falls can be so fatal.  

I joined a Rowing Challenge for the month.  I missed my goal in the 2000 meter by 14 seconds.  I am not trying to break any records but it is fun to work at it and try to get a little better.  With Winter coming we will be doing more rowing than bike riding and maybe I will build up better endurance and skills.  

There is so much to fill in between the lines.  So many people have reached out and been so kind and accommodating to us.  Family that opened their homes and let us stay with them, fed us amazing meals and made us feel welcome.  When we arrived back home 3 friends brought dinner in and that was so appreciated.  On top of all that has been going on this month, Preslee tested positive for Covid last week.  We have her isolated and Russ and I have quarantined in our own home.  It has been hard for her to not have contact with Emily and we just leave her meals outside her door and she gets them when we leave.  We have all tested negative this week and hopefully will continue to be clear.  She was only visibly sick for two days and is doing well.  Life continues to be an adventure and every day brings new surprises.  

We do not take our good health for granted and are grateful for every day that we have together.  We have had so many friends experience accidents, illness, surgeries and loss in the past few months.  We continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers and hope to be able to see some of you in the near future.  We have planned a trip to Texas next week and hope to see a few of our friends.  

I was also called to serve as one of the Gospel Doctrine (Sunday School) Teachers in our Ward.  I taught my first lesson and I have to say it was so enlightening to be back in the classroom teaching.  It is one of the things I truly love and teaching the Doctrine and Covenants as we finish up this year of study is such a blessing to me.  I love teaching the scriptures and learning from others.  I am a little intimidated with those in my class and the thought of teaching The Old Testament next year, but I know I will be blessed and we will learn together.  I am grateful to have been tutored by some of the best teachers along the way.  

One of my favorite places in Germany were the ruins in Lorrach where you could climb to the top of the tower and see a 360* view for miles and miles. I was reminded of the parable in Isaiah 5 and also Doctrine and Covenants 101:42-62 that tells of a certain nobleman that had a spot of land, very choice, and said unto his servants to go into the vinyard and plant twelve olive trees. Set watchmen all about them and build a tower that one may overlook the land round about to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard. The story continues that they beganto build the tower and then began to question the need. They asked, why does the Lord need a tower? The Lord did not need a tower - they did for their protection. They began to consult among themselves no longer listening to the watchman (Prophet) and ignoring the council they had been given. They were good people who were obedient in most things. They got hung up on one or two things - like building a tower for protection. "The enemy came by night . . . and destroyed their works and broke down the olive trees." They asked why did this happen to us? The Lord said, "Ought ye not to have done even as I commanded you" I am so grateful for a living Prophet on the earth today who speaks for the Lord and guides and directs His Children on the earth. I am grateful for his council for us at this time in my life. I am grateful for experiences in my life that help me to ponder and reflect on the need for a Prophet like standing at the top of a tower in Germany and being reminded of this parable and asking myself if I am following the Prophet and taking the Lord's corrections when I need it. I am grateful for this coming week as we have an opportunity to listen to General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I invite all of my friends and family to take some time to listen Saturday and Sunday to Conference and the words of our Prophet. Much Love, The Grimmett's

August 2021 Family, Travels, Friends and Service

 

Motto to live by

This month has truly been one to remember.  So much has happened that it is hard to know where to even start.  We were able to travel to Idaho and Oregon and see family we had not seen in three years, welcome home missionaries, see "old" friends, work on the house, host at BYU Education Week and more time with friends and family.  

We started the month attending an Organ Recital at Temple Square on Sunday, August 1 with our good friends, John and Denise Sivo.  It is always a treat to spend time with them.    David Pickering, son of Rich and Claudia Pickering - friends from Texas who moved to Utah several years ago - was the guest artist for the recital.  He currently lives in Kansas and teaches at a University there.  It was so nice to see the Pickerings again and share memories from the past.  The concert was so uplifting and brought back memories of all of the organ concerts we attended in Germany.  David performed works from J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, a modern composer Daniel Gawthrop and two arrangements by David himself.  Through his selection of music he showed the magnificence of the Tabernacle Organ that rarely is seen or heard in weekly performances.  It was some of the most beautiful music I have heard performed on an organ.  

Sarah & Hunter

Sister Mogensen from Denmark

The Mission Gang

  Our next adventure was attending the wedding of two former missionaries from our mission, Sarah and Hunter Fairbanks.  What a wonderful party at Thanksgiving Point.  It was so fun seeing so many of our friends.  Several came from Europe to be at the wedding and we loved getting to see them again.  Sarah and Hunter are off to Utah State to complete their educations and the future is bright for them as they begin their new family union.  So happy for them.

Welcome to Idaho

Ken, Russell and Larry

  Two years since we have been to Idaho and it is always a welcome sign when we are back in the Great State of Idaho - the place Russ and I both grew up.  First stop was Boise to visit The Brother's.  Ken the oldest and Larry, the twin to Russ.  I will let you decide who the best looking is!  We had a wonderful visit with them and their wives, Pat and Kathy.  It has been years since we were all together and we have never been together just for a visit.  It was nice to catch up on their families and to see where Ken lives and his beautiful home.  

Our next stop was Ontario, Oregon to visit my Sister, Brooke and her husband Kirt.  I have never been to their home - we always met in Twin Falls or Salt Lake City for our visits and what a treat it was to be in their home.  They took us to quaint local restaurants, chocolate shops, antique stores - spent too much money - farmers market and even to the sweet onion capital in the city of Fruitland for a bag of onions!  

We had so much fun seeing where they live and work and spending time with them.  We ate good and played games that made us laugh 

Brooke & Kirt's Home

harder than we have laughed in a long time.  It was a much needed break from this past year.

Back to Meridian, Idaho to welcome

home Caleb Bryant from our mission.

The Bryant Family

We served with him in Vienna, Austria.

He was sent to our mission as a Persian Speaking Missionary.  What an amazing young man.  He arrived trying to speak Persian with a German speaking companion and learned better German than many others.  He quickly became fluent in Persian and made a difference in so many lives as he taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and also was just a great friend,  He helped other missionaries learn Persian and help the work move forward for those desiring to learn the gospel in their native tongue.  

It was also wonderful to meet his family and to be able to share our love of him and his service.

We then went to Buhl, Idaho and visited my brother, Tad and his wife Kris.  They had purchased a new home and it was fun to spend the night with them and to see how they were living and enjoying the good life in the country and small town Idaho.  They grilled the most delicious Idaho Fish and served it with some of the best Idaho potatoes I have ever had.  Life is good and even better with family!

Samuel Lott, Leisel Mendenhall
Ammon Bennett & Spencer Duce

We have always made our home open to those who want to come.  Spencer Duce from Red Wing, Minnesota and a former missionary- recently moved to Shelly, Idaho- came for a visit.  We invited a few others to come for dinner and it is always a great evening with this group.

RECIPE TIME!  FRIED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

When I was in Ontario with my Sister, we went to the Farmer's Market and purchased some fresh produce.  We got some squash blossoms and thought it would be fun to try.  I found the following recipe and they are delicious and a real treat.  

12 Squash Blossoms - Rinse, remove stamen and stem, and pat dry.  

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese

1 egg yolk

1/4 tsp. salt                                             1/4 tsp. pepper

1 clove garlic, grated

2 tsp. parsley, mint and oregano

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes.         1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Mix all together and stuff each Blossom with about 2 tsp. of filling.  Twist top.

Mix:

1/4 cup Corn Starch

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

Whip egg white till frothy.

Coat stuffed blossom with egg white with a brush.

Roll in Corn Starch mixture.

Fry in 3 Tbl. oil

Fried Squash Blossoms

August means the start of school for all of the Grandkids.  It is a big year for most of them as they move forward in school.

Emma 7th Grade

Zach 9th Grade

Jamie 6th Grade - Middle School

Preslee 5th Grade - Logan 7th Grade

Nora 1st Grade

William 3rd Grade

Zach started High School this year - he is really growing up.  Jaime just has two left in school - the homefront is changing.

Jamie started Middle School and making the adjustment from Elementary.  

Preslee and Logan are continuing at Ignite Academy and off to a great start.  Logan has attended every day all day this year - a real blessing after the past two years of struggle and trying to find the right school for him.  Every day is a new day and so far they have  been Wins for everyone.  

Nora and William are continuing at their Magnet School in Wichita Kansas and loving being back in school.

It also means Cheerleading Time and we will be spending many Saturdays at the Football field to watch Preslee Cheer.

We started another project on the house.  The front of the house is on a slope since we live on the mountain and it was hard to sit on the benches and weeds were growing up between them.  We decided to clear it of all the brush and weeds and to level it and build a small retaining wall.  It took us three days of HARD labor and we could hardly move when we finished.  We thought we left these kind of projects behind in Texas!  We moved so much dirt and finally got it level and then laid the stone and mulch.  It turned out so nice and we love sitting out on the front porch in the early mornings after our bike rides and in the evenings when the sun is going down.  

level for adding dirt

Finished Project

House in June

We had some special friends visit on Friday - The Barney's - our MTC Companions before we left for Germany.  We had not seen them for three years as they served their mission in Kirtland, Ohio while we were in Europe.  It was so fun to catch up and share our experiences.  It was a delightful afternoon but went way too fast.  We will plan a trip to Cedar City to visit them soon.  

We have our Mission Reunion this weekend and have a few missionaries staying with us.  Oh the projects you do when you have                                                          company coming!

We had a surprise visit from Josh this past weekend.  What a treat to have him come and see where we live and spend a few day with us.  We loved the time with him and especially all of the little projects he was able to do (TV connections finally hooked up right and a few design ideas).  There is "no place like home" and we were so glad to have him be here with us.  

We explored a few places in Salt Lake and took a walk through Temple Square to see all the construction that is going on there.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is doing a major renovation/seismic reinforcement on the Salt Lake Temple that was started in the 1840's and completed in the 1890's.  It is a sight to behold as they have excavated all around the building exposing the limestone and granite foundation that was laid in the 1840's.  This massive building is being strengthened to last another 100 years.  It was fascinating to see the construction process and all that will be constructed underground and above ground.  A true engineering miracle.  

We concluded our walk through the square with a stop in the Tabernacle to hear 150 harp students practicing for a performance.  What a beautiful sound!

                                                       BYU EDUCATION WEEK 2021

Brigham Young University hosts a week long Education Week every year in August.  I attended about 45 years ago and still use ideas that I learned that year.  I have always wanted to return to campus and attend but it just never worked out.  We had the opportunity to Host this year at Education Week and it was a highlight of the month.  We were given a free ticket to the event in exchange for Hosting.  We did a three hour shift each day and then attended classes the rest of the day.  Our days started at 7:30 am leaving for campus and we returned home about 10:00 pm.  It was physically and spiritually a marathon.  Jared Jepson, a former Institute Director that I worked with in Arlington Texas was one of the presenters and it was so good to attend his class and be able to hear him teach again.  We attended classes on  Nutrition, Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, The Archeology of The New Testament, The Chosen, Living in Times of War - Lessons from The Book of Mormon, Musical Performances and a devotional with Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  

One of the highlights for us was the class taught by Clark Hinckley on Columbus.  I will just give a few highlights.

"For centuries America was hidden from all the nations of the earth.  It was not until the fifteenth century that God inspired Columbus to go forth and see a passage across the Atlantic."  George Q Cannon

"The secret of the Ocean Sea had not been penetrated earlier because God wanted it hidden until He was ready.  Columbus believed that God had chosen him, a humble servant, as the vehicle through which the last great mystery would be revealed."  West and Kling, Libro, 63

"The events of 1492 radically redrafted the map of world religions and shifted the distribution and balance of world civilizations.  Christendom, formerly dwarfed y Islam, began to climb to rough parity, with periods of numerical and territorial superiority.  Until 1492, it seemed unthinkable that the West - a few lands at the poor end of Eurasia - could rival China or India."  Fernandez_Amesto, Felipe, 1492

Warning of history study

"I prayed to most merciful Lord concerning my desire, and he gave me the spirit and the intelligence for it." Columbus

"The Lord came to my aid saying, 'O man of little faith, fear not, I am with thee' And heh scattered my enemies and showed me how He cold fulfill all that was promised me."  Christopher Columbus

These are just a few of the thoughts about Christopher Columbus.  The World is changing today in how they think about him.  There is much that has been written about him that has been taken out of context and not historically correct.  This class opened my eyes to a greater story and there is so much more to his life than I had ever learned.  "Columbus suffered a terrible, continuous, painful and prolonged battle; a material one of weapons would not have been so sharp and horrendous as that which he had to endure from . . .many people who did not know him or had any respect for his person, receiving insulting speeches which afflicted his soul." Bartholomew de Las Casas

The Lord uses plain ordinary people like you and me and Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Joseph Smith to accomplish His work on the earth.  We each bring our unique gifts to contribute as He needs us if we are willing to follow Him.  

One of our other favorite classes was THE CHOSEN - the history of Biblical Films over the past 130 years and why this series is reaching so many people.

We have thoroughly enjoyed Seasons 1 and 2 of THE CHOSEN.  

In this statement by Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of this series, he tells how the story is based on true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ.  He chose to use a Harmony of the Gospels - meaning taking a little from each of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Each of them had a distinct writing style and different take on the stories.  He put them together and created his story.  He tells the viewers, "all biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures.  VIEWERS ARE ENCOURAGE TO READ THE GOSPELS."

This week long study helped us to see what was authentic to the scriptures and what had theatrical license.  We studied the customs, dress, pottery, political climate of the 1st Century.  Most depictions in film use 3rd or 4th Century history to pain the picture for us.  The series is helping people to see and understand the stories of the Bible better.  The Chosen Disciples have become real or human to us.  We can relate to them.  It is helpful to go tot the Bible and read the different accounts of the stories and draw personal conclusions of learning.  

Two examples of things to study.  This is the first Bible movie to be a series and to be able to develop characters and tell more of the story.  It is the first time a non European was used for the character of Jesus.  

Complexities of Integrating Scripture and Film:

Gospels Written as Ancient Confessional Texts

Limited Biographical, Social, and historical information

. . . NOT as Modern Screenplays

Backstories, Dialogue, and Character Development

We loved learning the historical context as well as learning how well it was adapted and put together in this wonderful series that is set to be 5 more seasons.  

One of the most poignant scenes in found in Season 2 with Mary returning to her old ways and Jesus forgiving her again and inviting her to continue to Follow HIM.

We attended a class by Marvin Goldstein, a piano performer that was absolutely beautiful.  It was a nice break in the day to sit back and listen to his wonderful music.  

We hosted a class on literature based on Jane Austin's Mansfield Park.  I would not have selected to go to this class but it was very good.  I had not read the book, but it was still fun to experience the history and literature that was presented.  Every class touched me in some way that will bless my life.  We hope to be able to participate again next year.  It was also fun to see so many people from Texas.  I think we saw more people that week than we saw the whole  past year in Texas!  

Spoiler Alert!  After 6 months of waiting, the excavators are coming tomorrow to begin the last major project on our home - the walk out basement to our apartment.  I hope next month we will have pictures to show off the completed project.

We keep saying we are going to slow down, but we have worked so hard the past few months.  Some days we can barely get out of bed from working so hard, but we have truly been blessed with good health and able bodies.  Russ finally had an MRI and MRA to follow up on the stroke he had in March of 2020.  We received good news that he is completely healed with no residual effects and they are taking him off some of his medications.  Another Tender Mercy in our life.  We are so grateful to be having so many enriching experiences.  We are especially grateful for the wonderful people we have met and associated with "Along the Way".  If you are reading this, you are counted among those people who have enriched our lives in our adventures throughout the years.  

Grateful to close the chapter on Summer and looking forward to a beautiful Fall!

Much Love,

The Grimmett's