It got a little chilly around here this past weekend. Friday night outside temperatures dropped to 31 degrees. We did what any normal American family would do and turned on the heat. Except the heat wouldn't kick on. In the middle of the night I'm asking Brent why the heat won't go on. Says he doesn't know and would figure it out in the morning. Meanwhile, inside temperatures dropped to 61 degrees.
Come 8:30 in the morning I suddenly remembered we were supposed to be at the church, as I had signed our family up for cleaning. They always pass the sign up sheet around when you're sitting there in your meetings, feeling the Spirit so strong, and you're thinking "Yeah, let's get up early on the only morning we can sleep in and do service!" And then Saturday morning rolls around and you're wondering at what point was this a good idea? On this particularly cold morning my kids were all jumping out of their warm beds saying "Yay! We get to go to the church for service this morning!" LIES. After dragging everyone out of bed, throwing sweats on, and denying all the chirping birds breakfast, we arrived at the church 20 minutes late, only to find out they didn't need us.
So we came back to our frigid house and Brent investigated the lack of heat problem. It appears the heat did not kick on because there was no ventilation. Somebody (or several somebodies) packed the vent with dirt. Here he is remedying the problem and lecturing the culprits.
A Pouring out of blessings
Once upon a summer, specifically the summer of 2006, we took a family vacation to California. En route along the I-15, our van engine seized in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Grandpa and Grandma Ririe came to rescue us around midnight. Fast forward to the engine replaced with the price tag of a mere $7,841 and some odd change.
Later that year Brent's brother, Taylor, alerted us to a class action suit against Toyota for oil gel problems. One particular symptom was excessive oil consumption. After sending in the requested paperwork, Toyota denied our claim, stating there was not sufficient evidence that the engine seized as a result of oil gel problems. Enclosed in the letter of denial was an address of a court appointed third party evaluator that we could contact if we felt we wanted to further pursue the claim. So we did. That was over a year ago.
Saturday night we picked up the mail and found a glorious letter. It was from the third party evaluator ruling Toyota to reverse their decision to deny our claim, and ordering them to reimburse us THE FULL AMOUNT !
I wish I can say that we could now afford that trip down to the Bahamas...or tell all of you to send us your Christmas lists (my Dad's idea:)...but the Federal Government who partially subsidized Brent's education is giving us that arms folded, foot tapping glare.
How absolutely grateful we are to receive this amazing blessing in such a time of extreme need. Yet another testimony that Malachi speaks the truth. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)
The more things change...
July marked three years since we moved out west here to Stansbury Park. This past Sunday marked our second ward boundary realignment due to abounding growth in the area. It was reported that our ward totaled more than 650 members (95% probably under the age of 3). We are now members of a new ward called Ponderosa Ward that was created from two existing wards.
My BFF :), Heather Miller, and I are now in the same ward. How do I even know Heather? She and Brent worked at Cloth World together a very, very, very long time ago when Brent and I first started dating. Crazy, after 18 years we would end up in the same state, same city, and now even same ward. God bless Jeremy and Cameron's primary teacher, as they will be in the same primary class now.
And just when we were looking forward to that coveted 11:00 am time block after paying our dues and attending the 9:00 am time block for nearly a full year...we are getting kicked to the 1:00 pm time block, only to start the 9:00 am time block all over again in January. I think the same thing happened at the last ward divsion.
Being that we are in a newly created ward, we are expecting phone calls from the bishopric very soon to extend to us our new callings. Brent said not to answer the phone for a few days. J/K
So that concludes our weekend report. Be sure to join us again for updated news and information.
3 comments:
Sounds like your weekend was filled with a lot of fun and interesting things! I love those experiences that really confirm our testimonies about the law of the tithe! And that picture of Brent and boys totally cracked me up...they looked so guilty...even from behind!
Oh brrr! I thought the same thing as Angela...your boys looked so guilty, even though it was from behind! It is such a cute picture and so funny!
yes, I'm just finally getting around to reading your blog! I think after these few months of 1:00 church we are actually going to gladly welcome 9:00 again! And thank goodness that Jeremy and Cameron are in separate primary classes! Now, if we could only actually spend a RS meeting together... well, guess beggars can't be choosers, maybe enrichment!
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