The world has gone crazier the last two months. At least that’s my perspective. So much happened in June, in fact, that I completely forgot to do a roundup post. After the death of George Floyd, racial unrest and protests filled my thoughts and my keyboard. My heart couldn’t write about anything else.
In these month end reviews, I usually tell you about what I’ve been reading, watching and listening to. I recounted much of that in Resources on Race in America. To add to that list, I read Sunday Punday: Celebrate the Little Everyday Joys that Make Us Smile by Thomas Kincade’s daughter Winsor. Simple, sweet and only took a few minutes. I’m also working on an advance reader copy of a book I will review on a later date.
Since we spend most of our time at home now, our TV and movie time is through the roof. I coerced my husband into watching Rebel Without a Cause starring the late James Dean – a classic I’ve always been curious about. I had no idea it was so tragic. And Chuck hated it. We also watched Chappaquiddick. I’m not sure why, but the Kennedy’s fascinate me. Shazam disappointed me. The Farewell with Akwafina surprised me. We caught up to Queen Victoria. We love those royal dramas. Oprah’s OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here? rounded out the adults’ viewing
As a Family we enjoyed Breakthrough, Remember the Titans and Just Mercy – all true stories. The last two were rewatches for Chuck and me. We’ve also kept a fire burning under YouTube for breaks from all the seriousness around us. James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke and Crosswalk Musicals fit the bill nicely. Disney+ reignited our obsession with Hamilton 3 years after seeing it on Broadway. We are catching so much more the 2nd, 3rd and 4th times. 
I took the recommendation of a bloggy friend and added Pass the Mic to my podcast subscriptions. And though I don’t listen regularly to Brene Brown’s Unlocking Us, I downloaded the episode with Austin Channing Brown.
In real life, we took our kids to downtown Dallas for a Potluck Protest. The event involved food from black owned restaurants. The month of July has been all about racial justice at our church as well with the sermon series Lead with Love: a Biblical Perspective on Race and a Prayer Night for racial unity.
Shelby and I added zoom karaoke, bingo and a brain booster class to give her back a little socialization and meaningful activity. We enjoy them together, even if we must participate online. In the brief period we tried to lift some quarantine restrictions, we took Allie and two friends to a sunflower field an hour’s drive away to take pictures. And Allie is still in an orthopedic boot – for four months. Bless. But after one last surgery (which had to be postponed a week due to a close call with the Rona), she sees the finish line. Hallelujer. 
I saved the retelling of our 4th of July celebration for last because it’s too mortifying not to tell. Chuck and I invited a neighbor couple over for snacks and games while the fireworks played in the background on TV. That’s how we roll in a pandemic with the Texas heat. Mid-game (Awkward Family Photos), my girlfriend asked me what I was drinking. I showed her the diet root beer and asked if I could get her one. She declined and then her husband regaled us with tales of how much she hates root beer. Can’t even stand the smell. He and the kids breath on her after drinking it or eating root beer barrel candies to get her goat. Not five minutes later, I took a swig while simultaneously feeling a tickle in my throat. Unable to control myself, I spit my drink across the table and all over my root beer hating friend.
I ran to the sink to spit the rest of my mouthful in a more appropriate location, where I coughed and laughed so hard that I cried down my face and down my leg. And then the horror set in. I not only spit on her, but during a viral pandemic! I could not stop apologizing and she could not stop laughing as we cleaned her up along with the table and the soggy game contents. I’m so thankful that our friendship is stronger than her gag reflex!
The moral of this muster? In times like these, it’s good to educate ourselves, it’s nice to be entertained, and it’s great to have a friend with a stout sense of humor.
What have you done so far this summer? Drop me a comment below.
And now for this week’s featured post!
I don’t usually select my fellow Grace and Truth hostesses for the feature, but this week I felt so in touch with Lisa Burgess of lisanotes.com since we both wrote about humility. Lean into Repeat After Me: “I don’t know!” for some humble wisdom 😉
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
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MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
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LAUREN SPARKS
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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