There are many tender mercies from the Lord from the last couple of weeks.
Yesterday, Saturday, Derek surprised us and decided to come home! Yes, he's just in Rexburg, but he stays very busy and on task, so it was a treat. He called around 10 and said he felt like he should come and talk to Nikole, who had just been assigned her "undesireable" fall/spring track for BYU-I - which means you go to fall, you're off winter, and then you go to spring, he also wanted to visit Grandma Ripp, do his loads of laundry and work on some homework, he also wanted to sign up for some stocks with Blaine and fill his taxes out on the 1040 Supposedly Easy form.
Originally, Blaine and I were going to the cabin to cross country ski with Breckenridges, like we have done for the past few years. But they couldn't go this week-end, so we decided to stay home. I still wanted to cross country ski, but Blaine didn't, so Carl decided to go with me. We used the skis we bought for Nikole for him, and I have mine. We just took off out our driveway and skied down a half mile to "Lawlesses" and back. There is barely enough snow left. It was Carl's first time cross country skiing. I felt like that was the first tender mercy - he loved it. I had fun with him, created a nice memory, and got some physical activity in.
Derek arrived after that, around 11. It's just so good to see your son, when it's been a while since you saw him. And in our home. He is tall, dark and handsome, and most importantly, handsome on the inside, too. He had a date planned for 7 with a young woman in Rexburg, starting with an A, so he was going to spend the day and then go back. He had planned a fun night to iJump and dinner. He talked to us, talked to Nikole about her college plans, worked with Blaine on stocks - even bought some, did several huge loads of laundry - which didn't dry well - we think we packed too many in the loads : ), and talked and talked to us. That is a tender mercy - just to have him near.
It turned out that his date canceled at short notice, because her sister needed a babysitter. We didn't say anything until Derek himself said, "That is kind of a lame excuse, isn't it? If she really wanted to go, wouldn't she tell her sister she made other plans long ago?" This is the fourth or fifth time the same young woman has done this to him. We told him that we pray every single day for him, in this critical time of his life, when he is making the biggest, most important decisions of his eternity - we plead with Heavenly Father, to lead Derek and his wife to each other, to not let Derek make a mistake. I joked that, "I feel the Holy Ghost here again", meaning that this girl must not be right. Tender Mercy Time, for sure.
He is a bit discouraged, but we had told him he might need a trip to see his cousin Kelley in Provo. Kelley has a roommate, who recently returned from her mission to Australia, her name is Saysha. Kelley said she wasn't ready a couple of months ago, but now she is. So, he called Kelley and is going to go down to the Provo City Open House and go on a double date with Saysha. Derek is taking Gary Breckenridge. I think they will have lots of fun. A lot of Derek's companions live in Provo, attending BYU, so he will get to see some of them.
Nikole sang in our ward's young women's choir today. Elizabeth was the accompanist. They sang Abide With Me. It was very pretty. Tender mercy to see young women who are keeping the commandments and have high goals and love the Lord.
I have a big new assignment at work, which has turned out to be a tender mercy. At least the process of how Angela Booker asked me - I went from having bad dreams about it the first day she mentioned it to having peace the next time she explained it better. I will have to write about it later, because my daughters are pacing the floor, wanting the one lap top computer our family has.
Last week, Blaine and I attended the temple on a Thursday. I was feeling quite a bit of stress at work. I had several deadlines and not enough time to do them all. I had ACLS, PALS classes to take online and pass in person, NHSN to sign up for, L. Piquet demanded many things for her WEN report, plus many other duties. I just yearned to be in the Lord's House. Blaine and I prayed, like we always do, for the purposes of our children's needs, but also for me to receive some relief and peace.
As soon, as I walked in, I felt different. I started to cry in my locker, changing my clothes, because i felt "home", I could feel the peace I needed, already. The whole session was like that. I just felt Heavenly Father's love for me, His knowledge of my little life, His desire to help and guide me. I felt my grandparents that I had prayed would come to help me carry my burdens. Ohhhh, how I love the tender. Tender mercy!
We had been praying that Carl would find his temple names that his Aunt Tammie and Uncle Ken gave him to get baptized. It had been at least a month since we had them. They were lost. Carl found them on his bed side table! Tender mercy.
We are going on a trip to Las Vegas for our Spring Break! Tender mercy, because we were just talking about his. Our three youngest children really wanted to go somewhere warm - we had talked about Arizona or Blaine wanted Salt Lake. We looked at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, because Cindy Terry had told us two years ago that they loved it there. We checked it out and I reserved one room, because the hotel said they were going fast, since it is spring break. That was yesterday, and I knew I could cancel, if Blaine wouldn't let us go.
Turns out that today, he decided that it sounded fun. He asked his mother if she wanted to go, and she did! We are so surprised, because she hated to travel the whole time I've known her. Now, it's like she's gone mad, and wants to go on every trip we go on. She wanted us to see if Blaine's brother, Terry, would want to come, too. He lives in Safford, but he could meet us. Blaine called Terry and they think they want to come! We are just stunned and excited that we get a spring break! Yay! Tender mercy.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Supervisor Help and Lady Redskin Basketball, February 9, 2016
February 9, 2016
The tender mercies for the last couple of days are as
follows:
Yesterday, when I arrived at my office job Monday morning, I
was pleasantly surprised to see an email from my boss, Sandra
Woolstenhulme. I had had a difficult
day on Friday. I had gone in extra to
finish a big project for our Quality Officer and to interview a head
housekeeper. I was discouraged by the end.
It was supposed to be my day off,
and the job I was trying to do for Quality – I had no real guidance on how to
do it.
I had sent an email to Sandra and Angela B. just telling
them about the trouble I was having with the project, and about how hard I was
trying. So, the email from Sandra on Monday said that she knew someone that
would be able to tell me where to get help on the HEN and NHSN – I will know
what this is years from now : )
I called the lady.
She is from the state welfare program.
She knew what I was talking about!
She also referred me to two men in the state system who know how to use
both reporting systems. I was so relieved. They are going to be the resource I need to
finish a big job I’m on the brink of finishing.
At the end of the work day on Monday, around 3, when we both
get to go home, Sandra asked if I was doing better. I smiled and said that I had a nice weekend’s
rest, and that I had my good attitude back J She
smiled. I must have looked overwhelmed
and sad on Friday, which is not normal for me.
It was a tender mercy to get help and concern.
Nikole enjoyed watching the Shelley High School young men do
a half-time dance at the District Championship Game between Teton and Shelley. They were called “Tanks A Lot”. They wore white tank tops under their black
shirt and pants. It was really fun and
manly and made the crowd go wild.
We all enjoyed watching our Lady Redskins win the District 6
Basketball Championship tonight in Rexburg.
I had the tender mercy of getting out of the Pre and Post Op today at
5:30 instead of 7 or later, like I get sometimes. I got to be the before 6 am nurse, so that
let me go to the game with my family. So
nice.
Provo Temple and Packing, February 6, 2016
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Here are a few of my tender mercies for this week.
We are almost home.
We took a quick trip down to Provo to help our Heather and Brandon
Pilcher pack up their moving truck. In
the morning, around 6 am, they will start their long drive across the country
to their new home in Kentucky and his new job across the Ohio River in
Cincinnati.
One tender mercy is all the men that showed up to help us
pack things from the basement at Clint and Sherry’s house up the back stairs
and into the moving truck.
Brandon had asked about eight friends to come help. They were his mission companions, their ward
home teachers, an old friend from California and a couple friends that Brandon
met through his major at BYU. Clint had
put down plastic from the bedroom area in the basement to the exit door in the
basement. Brandon assigned “inside”
people, who wore socks and packed boxes first, then the smaller things then the
two bikes, to the door of the basement.
Others were assigned “outside”.
They came down the stairs and packed everything up and into the back of
the truck, where Brandon was inside, arranging everything.
At the end, they helped Brandon get his motorcycle up in the
truck, strapped it down. They had Nikole
and Elizabeth go pick up pizza at Little Caesar’s for all the volunteers
afterward.
I felt the Spirit as we all worked together. I felt grateful that those friends came to
help. It’s a blessing to have good
friends like that. I’m grateful that
Clint and Sherry let our family stay overnight Friday, and they let Brandon and
Heather store their belongings in a corner of a basement room for a fee, while
B&H were staying in our home for three weeks.
We will miss them so much, but we are very excited for their
new adventure.
We were able to see our niece, Kelley, and to see our
nephews – Lance and Riley Argyle and Riley’s wife, Bree.
Another tender mercy was being able to see the Provo City
Temple in their Open House. Oh, it is a
very, very beautiful temple. It was
special to be there with everyone in our own family, except for Derek – who was
leading a big conference at BYU-I. We don’t know when we will see Brandon and
Heather again.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Unexpected Place to Sleep in Denver and Work Burdens and Inspiration
To continue my thoughts on the Provo City Temple: I could feel the Spirit there, as we walked through those sacred halls and rooms. It is such a historic place in Provo. I feel like a few of the temples I've been inside have extra special details or things about them - this temple is one. It was wonderful to see Carl soak in all the details of the baptism font, the staircase, and to ask simple questions. Always impressed with how the Lord's church on the earth puts on an event. It was gorgeous.
One tender mercy is that Derek was able to finish his work this week with a big, big Marketing/Business Conference. Thursday evening, students who had signed up, checked into registration. Friday evening, there were about 6 speakers that are former BYU-I graduates, who have gone out in the world and made a successful business. Derek said it was very motivational. The speaker's main message was that you need to find something that you are passionate about and make that your business. They also played games to reinforce the ideas. Derek said there were around 2500 students that attended. Saturday morning, there were more speakers. After that, he went to his ward party. So, he was tired by late afternoon. We are grateful for his service in the Lord's Kingdom. He is working hard on classes, his work at the Career Center and in his ward. He is dating . . .
Heather's big tender mercy today is that they made it safety to Denver, Colorado, hauling a big packing truck and their car behind on a trailer. The roads have been perfect, even though it's winter. When they were about an hour before Denver, where they were planning on stopping for the night, Heather posted a picture on Facebook about traveling across Colorado. A missionary couple from Heather's Nauvoo Mission, commented that they should have stopped in Denver at their home. Heather called "Sister Jardine" and they invited Brandon and Heather to stay there tonight! We were all concerned about them having to stay in a motel and leave their moving truck in a parking lot, etc., so this was definitely a tender mercy.
We are back to just us five again. I loved going to my own ward today. It feels so good to be "home".
I also felt at home in the Provo City Temple. The video we watched before the tour reminded me that every temple really is the Lord's house. I feel Him there, and I am so grateful.
A last tender mercy for today is that Lisa Foster lent us a snow board for Carl to use for winter sports. It will be his first time to try snow boarding. I bought a used pair of snow board boots in Victor. We are excited for him to learn how.
One tender mercy is that Derek was able to finish his work this week with a big, big Marketing/Business Conference. Thursday evening, students who had signed up, checked into registration. Friday evening, there were about 6 speakers that are former BYU-I graduates, who have gone out in the world and made a successful business. Derek said it was very motivational. The speaker's main message was that you need to find something that you are passionate about and make that your business. They also played games to reinforce the ideas. Derek said there were around 2500 students that attended. Saturday morning, there were more speakers. After that, he went to his ward party. So, he was tired by late afternoon. We are grateful for his service in the Lord's Kingdom. He is working hard on classes, his work at the Career Center and in his ward. He is dating . . .
Heather's big tender mercy today is that they made it safety to Denver, Colorado, hauling a big packing truck and their car behind on a trailer. The roads have been perfect, even though it's winter. When they were about an hour before Denver, where they were planning on stopping for the night, Heather posted a picture on Facebook about traveling across Colorado. A missionary couple from Heather's Nauvoo Mission, commented that they should have stopped in Denver at their home. Heather called "Sister Jardine" and they invited Brandon and Heather to stay there tonight! We were all concerned about them having to stay in a motel and leave their moving truck in a parking lot, etc., so this was definitely a tender mercy.
We are back to just us five again. I loved going to my own ward today. It feels so good to be "home".
I also felt at home in the Provo City Temple. The video we watched before the tour reminded me that every temple really is the Lord's house. I feel Him there, and I am so grateful.
A last tender mercy for today is that Lisa Foster lent us a snow board for Carl to use for winter sports. It will be his first time to try snow boarding. I bought a used pair of snow board boots in Victor. We are excited for him to learn how.
Heather Headed to Kentucky
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Here are a few of my tender mercies for this week.
We are almost home.
We took a quick trip down to Provo to help our Heather and Brandon
Pilcher pack up their moving truck. In
the morning, around 6 am, they will start their long drive across the country
to their new home in Kentucky and his new job across the Ohio River in
Cincinnati.
One tender mercy is all the men that showed up to help us
pack things from the basement at Clint and Sherry’s house up the back stairs
and into the moving truck.
Brandon had asked about eight friends to come help. They were his mission companions, their ward
home teachers, an old friend from California and a couple friends that Brandon
met through his major at BYU. Clint had
put down plastic from the bedroom area in the basement to the exit door in the
basement. Brandon assigned “inside”
people, who wore socks and packed boxes first, then the smaller things then the
two bikes, to the door of the basement.
Others were assigned “outside”.
They came down the stairs and packed everything up and into the back of
the truck, where Brandon was inside, arranging everything.
At the end, they helped Brandon get his motorcycle up in the
truck, strapped it down. They had Nikole
and Elizabeth go pick up pizza at Little Caesar’s for all the volunteers
afterward.
I felt the Spirit as we all worked together. I felt grateful that those friends came to
help. It’s a blessing to have good
friends like that. I’m grateful that
Clint and Sherry let our family stay overnight Friday, and they let Brandon and
Heather store their belongings in a corner of a basement room for a fee, while
B&H were staying in our home for three weeks.
We will miss them so much, but we are very excited for their
new adventure.
We were able to see our niece, Kelley, and to see our
nephews – Lance and Riley Argyle and Riley’s wife, Bree.
Another tender mercy was being able to see the Provo City
Temple in their Open House. Oh, it is a
very, very beautiful temple. It was
special to be there with everyone in our own family, except for Derek – who was
leading a big conference at BYU-I. We don’t know when we will see Brandon and
Heather again.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
January 31, 2016 Carl Goes Inside the Temple for the First Time
One of my tender mercies for this past week was that Carl, Derek, Elizabeth, Heather, Brandon, Papa Ripp and I were all able to attend the Rexburg Temple together on Saturday. Carl had turned 12 on January 11. He had been looking forward to passing the sacrament, getting the Priesthood, and getting to go inside the temple. I had researched about eight of my Irlam family names, so Carl was able to get baptized for five of those, and Elizabeth did 3 of the female names.
I'm very proud of Carl for setting spiritual goals for when he turned 12.
We did confirmations first. Brandon was able to do the confirmations for Heather, Blaine did it for Brandon, Derek did it for Carl, Elizabeth and I. I felt such a power in the room, as we did those. I felt big old happy tears rolling down my cheeks during it.
Also, we ran into Derek's companion on his mission, Elder Berthelson! That was a nice surprise. He was one of the workers that did the confirmations with us.
Then the baptisms. Derek got to baptize Elizabeth, Carl and me, Brandon baptized Heather, Blaine was observing.
The whole event was just extra special to me - my own immediate family, doing temple work for my own deceased relatives! Oh, what joy!
We are down to Brandon and Heather's last week with us. We will travel to Provo to attend the Provo City Temple Open House on Saturday and to help Heather pack up into their U-Haul truck. They will begin their long drive on Monday morning. I've been very grateful to have them in hour home.
Another tender mercy was that I was able to attend my very own ward with my family today. I've been part of the Primary Stake visits to 3 wards the last 3 weeks, so this day with my family was very appreciated. We invited Shaun Anderson and his family up to have dinner with us, so he could see his cousin, Heather, before she moves far away.
Another tender mercy is that Blaine already decorated my bedroom with hearts all over, hanging from the ceiling, above my bed and m bath tube So fun!
I'm very proud of Carl for setting spiritual goals for when he turned 12.
We did confirmations first. Brandon was able to do the confirmations for Heather, Blaine did it for Brandon, Derek did it for Carl, Elizabeth and I. I felt such a power in the room, as we did those. I felt big old happy tears rolling down my cheeks during it.
Also, we ran into Derek's companion on his mission, Elder Berthelson! That was a nice surprise. He was one of the workers that did the confirmations with us.
Then the baptisms. Derek got to baptize Elizabeth, Carl and me, Brandon baptized Heather, Blaine was observing.
The whole event was just extra special to me - my own immediate family, doing temple work for my own deceased relatives! Oh, what joy!
We are down to Brandon and Heather's last week with us. We will travel to Provo to attend the Provo City Temple Open House on Saturday and to help Heather pack up into their U-Haul truck. They will begin their long drive on Monday morning. I've been very grateful to have them in hour home.
Another tender mercy was that I was able to attend my very own ward with my family today. I've been part of the Primary Stake visits to 3 wards the last 3 weeks, so this day with my family was very appreciated. We invited Shaun Anderson and his family up to have dinner with us, so he could see his cousin, Heather, before she moves far away.
Another tender mercy is that Blaine already decorated my bedroom with hearts all over, hanging from the ceiling, above my bed and m bath tube So fun!
January 23, 2016 Family Equals Happiness
This morning is a Saturday. I am feeling peace because we were able to spend the day together yesterday and we will again today. Brandon and Heather Pilcher are home, living with us for three weeks, before they move to Cincinnati, Ohio for his new job with Nielsen Research.
It is a tender mercy to have them so close for this time. I love Heather dearly, and Brandon, of course. Heather has been making children's beds that forget to make them in the mornings during the week. The first Monday she was here, when I arrived home after 3 that afternoon, she had vacuumed the floor, made the beds, tidied up my sewing room, tidied up Elizabeth's bedroom - ahhhhh. I said that everyone needs a "House Mom". How grateful I am for her service. Blaine gave Brandon the snow removal position, while he's here, which he seems to enjoy.
Yesterday Nikole, Elizabeth and Carl had their one Friday per month off from school. We've always tried to do something different or fun, on their day off. Sweet Blaine was at work at the hospital, which I know is a blessing. The rest of us were able to go to Rexburg. While Heather, Nikole and I were at Evans Beauty College - we all had a facial, Heather had a hair trim, Nikole had a manicure, Brandon took Elizabeth and Carl to Fat Cats, so Carl could use the tokens he had saved from something. I count that as a tender mercy, because our appointments were at 10 and we thought Fat Cats would be open, too, but they found out it didn't open till 11.
Brandon had our debit card. He filled the Suburban with gas, and barely had time to help Carl do his tokens at 11, before he came back to meet us. He did not complain. They had hoped to play miniature gold at 10.
We were able to pick Derek up from his work on campus at BYU-I. We all were able to have lunch together at Cafe Rio, but it's called a different name. The food is yummy Mexican. Derek told us about his work and about a Marketing Workshop or Fair that is coming up on Feb. 5. His office with career placement is in charge of planning it. He was chosen to be on the flyers or media, because he's the only student man in his office : ) He's excited about the Workshop. They've brought in speakers from everywhere - mostly students who once attended one of the BYU's and are now very successful in the business world.
He also told us about how his roommate bought these huge, perfect tubes for sledding and how they've been using them. This past week, they went tubing, ice skating and played games with a big group, including women in their ward. He was quite pleased. He did meet one young woman he was impressed with, at the game night Friday. He did not want us to "go crazy" over it, but he did mention her and showed us a picture on Facebook. He said he found out she is the daughter of his boss! His boss had never mentioned her, but when Derek told his boss he met her the night before, the boss asked if Derek was going to ask her on a date. He said, "Not yet, I just met her."
So grateful for BYU-I and the tender mercies Derek receives there in every aspect of his life.
It is a tender mercy to have them so close for this time. I love Heather dearly, and Brandon, of course. Heather has been making children's beds that forget to make them in the mornings during the week. The first Monday she was here, when I arrived home after 3 that afternoon, she had vacuumed the floor, made the beds, tidied up my sewing room, tidied up Elizabeth's bedroom - ahhhhh. I said that everyone needs a "House Mom". How grateful I am for her service. Blaine gave Brandon the snow removal position, while he's here, which he seems to enjoy.
Yesterday Nikole, Elizabeth and Carl had their one Friday per month off from school. We've always tried to do something different or fun, on their day off. Sweet Blaine was at work at the hospital, which I know is a blessing. The rest of us were able to go to Rexburg. While Heather, Nikole and I were at Evans Beauty College - we all had a facial, Heather had a hair trim, Nikole had a manicure, Brandon took Elizabeth and Carl to Fat Cats, so Carl could use the tokens he had saved from something. I count that as a tender mercy, because our appointments were at 10 and we thought Fat Cats would be open, too, but they found out it didn't open till 11.
Brandon had our debit card. He filled the Suburban with gas, and barely had time to help Carl do his tokens at 11, before he came back to meet us. He did not complain. They had hoped to play miniature gold at 10.
We were able to pick Derek up from his work on campus at BYU-I. We all were able to have lunch together at Cafe Rio, but it's called a different name. The food is yummy Mexican. Derek told us about his work and about a Marketing Workshop or Fair that is coming up on Feb. 5. His office with career placement is in charge of planning it. He was chosen to be on the flyers or media, because he's the only student man in his office : ) He's excited about the Workshop. They've brought in speakers from everywhere - mostly students who once attended one of the BYU's and are now very successful in the business world.
He also told us about how his roommate bought these huge, perfect tubes for sledding and how they've been using them. This past week, they went tubing, ice skating and played games with a big group, including women in their ward. He was quite pleased. He did meet one young woman he was impressed with, at the game night Friday. He did not want us to "go crazy" over it, but he did mention her and showed us a picture on Facebook. He said he found out she is the daughter of his boss! His boss had never mentioned her, but when Derek told his boss he met her the night before, the boss asked if Derek was going to ask her on a date. He said, "Not yet, I just met her."
So grateful for BYU-I and the tender mercies Derek receives there in every aspect of his life.
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