I do hope that this email finds that you are each doing well today. I am preparing to leave to get Noah from school today so that we can travel to Chattanooga, TN to allow him to participate on another churches Trek 24-7 team. I will be judging for Bible Quiz tonight and sharing the Gospel tomorrow with about 200 teens and many spectators at the AwanaGames competition.
Please be in prayer for me as this will be the first time I have shared the gospel with a large group since Ferrol’s death. I know that the Lord will be with me and I want Him to speak clearly through me to each one listening. I pray that someone will come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
Our family, well we are coping well I guess. I am receiving emails from Griefshare.com each day and those seem to help me when I read them. The kids are all dealing with their loss in such different ways. Please pray specifically that the Lord provides the very hugs they need to comfort them. Each day when they would come home from school, our lovely Ferrol would make them each one come to her for a big hug. It was neat watching them grow as they each gained strength. When Terry John was young, he would try to hug his mother so tightly that he would raise her off the ground, or at least he thought so as she would raise herself to her tippy toes. Then one day he was truly strong enough to lift her, and when he did she looked at me as if to say, ”Wow! My little boy is getting strong and growing up”. Well, I must say that process took place with the other two boys as well, and yes, she would look at me with the same surprised look each time.
Each of them had such a unique relationship with their mother. I know that they miss their one on one time with her so badly. We are getting some time in watching sports with each other and that seems to be helping us a little. Goldie is back in her apartment fulltime mostly, although Noah does miss her when she’s gone, so she comes home sometimes to be with him.
Strangely enough, I never realized how much Ferrol’s cologne and sprays were prevalent in our home and it was not until this morning that I began to miss the smell of my wife’s perfume. It was about 2 years ago that I was going through the Chicago Airport when a little old lady in front of me had the very perfume that my mother wore for years. It was at that moment that God brought back that sweet smell to me as a reminder of my mother. Wow! God is good.
Well, I must go for now. Please continue to pray for our grieving to proceed as God brings us through this trial. I will write to you soon. God bless each of you.
TJ Sipes Sr.
Romans 12:12
