Henry K. Ripplinger's Blog, page 2

Precious Memories From the Past

Henry and Louise whose parent’s store inspired Engelmann’s Grocery.
Note: The photo was taken by Vivian Barwell, a journalist, who was there at the time and got caught up with the re-union.

I knew the Lord had a special reason for me to have a final book signing for the year at Coles Bookstore in the Northgate Regina Mall this past weekend. It was great to meet Louise after almost 60 years. It was her parents who owned the grocery store on the corner of  Broder St. and Victoria Ave that I pictured in my mind when I created Engelmann’s Grocery and Confectionary in the Angelic Letters Series story. What a wonderful reunion it was and to talk over some of the precious neighborhood  memories gone by! Louise informed me that the store was taken down in 1979.

~Henry

BOOKSIGNING EVENT-COLES BOOK STORE IN REGINA! FANTASTIC PROMOTION THIS WEEKEND!!!! BUY THE FIRST THREE BOOKS GET THE FOURTH FREE!!!!! A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!!

Hi Everyone! This is a great way to end my year of booksigning events! Chapters and Coles in Regina have a great promotion this weekend…Friday , Saturday and Sunday. Buy 3 books and get the 4th free!!! Perfect deal for my four books!! I will be signing book 4, The Angelic Occurrence as well as my first three books in the Angelic Letters Series: Pewter Angels (book 1), Another Angel of Love (book 2) and Angel of Thanksgiving (book 3) at Coles Book Store in Regina Northgate Mall this Friday and Saturday, November  29 and 30, from 10-5 pm each day.



Readers who have previously purchased book 4 or any of the other three books and would like them signed, please bring them to the signing.

Also, Coles has a few hardcover copies left of book 4, The Angelic Occurrence for sale. Receive a free angel print of the cover with each purchase of the hard cover book. REMEMBER buy the first three books in soft cover and get the 4th free!! A great savings and Christmas gift for all ages 12-99, male and female!

Please let your family and friends know of the signing event. Hope to see

you there!

For more information on Henry Ripplinger and the Angelic letters Series

visit: www.henryripplinger.com

Henry

BOOKSIGNING EVENT THIS WEEK: COSTCO REGINA!

Hi Everyone! I will be signing book 4, The Angelic Occurrence as well as my first three books in the Angelic Letters Series: Pewter Angels (book 1), Another Angel of Love (book 2) and Angel of Thanksgiving (book 3) at Costco Regina thisThur., Friday, and Saturday, November 7, 8 and 9 from 10-5 each day.

Readers who have previously purchased book 4 or any of the other three books and would like them signed, please bring them to the signing.

The series make a great Christmas gift for all ages from 12 – 99, both men and women are enjoying the books!

Please let your family and friends know of the signing event. Hope to see

you there!

Henry

BOOKSIGNING TOUR IN NEW BRUNSWICK AND NOVA SCOTIA OCT. 16-26, 2013

Here is my schedule for my upcoming tour to the Maritimes – it will be my first visit to this beautiful part of Canada and I am so glad I am able to take the trip at this time of year when the colours are said to be amazing! My artist eye will appreciate the beauty! Looking forward to meeting my East Coast fans!

Store 1090, Costco Fredericton, 25 Wayne Squibb Blvd. Wed. Thur., Oct. 16, 17 from 10-5pm daily.

Store 1055, Costco Saint John, 300 Retail Drive. Fri., Sat. Oct. 18, 19, from 10-5pm daily.

Store 538, Costco Moncton, 25 Trinity Drive. Sun., Mon., Oct. 21, 22, from 10-5pm daily.

Store 519 Costco Halifax, 230 Chain Lake Drive. Wed., Thur., Oct. 23, 24, from 10-5pm daily.

Store 551 Costco Dartmouth, 137 Countryview. Fri., Sat., Oct. 25, 26, from 10-5pm daily.

One Mother’s Story – Is Every Mother’s Story

I received this message from a reader who wanted to tell me how the books have helped her in her quest to raise her children through this crazy world. I’m so glad to know they have offered her guidance!

*****

Vanessa Horner and her family.

Good Morning!, I just finished the fourth book Angelic Occurrence. It all started one summer day last summer in Saskatoon Costco. I was exactly standing at the book section and picking up a couple books for my teenagers in an attempt to get them into reading when you were sitting there and you asked me if I was interesting in reading about something so amazing and wonderful. I said I was looking for a book for my teenagers and you said, I have the most perfect series for you. I bought all three and you signed each one of them to Michael and Erica. Of course, I didn’t give to them as I was intrigued and I started reading them first! Well, less than two weeks later, I was nearing the end of the third book and I exclaimed to my daughter that she needs to begin this series. How wonderful and amazing and nothing like anything I have read before! So both of us got involved and she has enjoyed them just as much. We are still working on my 16 year old son to start, but I can be patient.

So then of course, waiting, and waiting for the Angelic Occurrence to come out and we purchased it shortly after. Missed every signing event in Saskatoon by you, but I let her start reading it first. Then finally, after camping, swimming, hockey camps, football camps, beginning of school, harvest, I too, started reading and finished it in record time. My heart just went out to Jenny. But not only was the love story something incredible, it was the power of angels and God’s spirit to make things happen, and make anything happen that He so chooses. It is a reminder of how incredibly great His power is and that He can do anything…just anything! When we feel there is no hope, or feel anxious as I do now, it was a reminder that with God nothing is hopeless or impossible.

Four kids, two teenagers, one pre-teen and one younger, I have slowly felt like things are ravelling out of control. When they were babies, yes we were busy, but I could control every aspect of their life. It was easy, nurturing came easy. But now, letting go, guiding them, raising them is a whole other story. Its hard to trust and its hard to think that they must go out on their own. I am petrified of so many things that could go wrong. Have I raised them right? Have I done enough to prepare them to make good decisions? Half the time I run around like a crazy women going overboard trying to make sure they are doing the right thing. I can just imagine what I look like. Not calm, peaceful, sure, or confident. Crazy, some days just crazy!! haha!!

It is increasingly more difficult in todays society where it is a struggle to dress your daughter modestly, to teach your sons not to ogle and look at young scantily clad girls with respect. The ever increasing gay rights banner, sexualization of our children as they are bombarded with images and suggestive material hundred times a day. Oh its all so overwhelming. But these books, along with the beautiful love story and the truth about how people are all connected, give hope. Hope that though everything seems daunting, and hopeless, God is there and the angels are there. I began saying the Guardian Angel prayer with the kids before bed last summer shortly after I began reading the series. I am very much attuned to this kind of stuff. Growing up Catholic and loving the Catholic Church, these book just feed my soul. The richness and tradition of all our sacraments and rituals, just a way to become closer to our Lord. I am pretty much in tears every moment just before receiving the Eucharist as I am awed by Jesus’s love for me, but I told back them back, not wanting to make a fuss.

My only wish is that my family will feel that love and that passion too. But now, it just feels like its one more thing they gotta do. They are obedient, going through the motions, but its not a need, a desire as of yet. I just watched a youtube video someone posted on facebook. Its from the Anima Series – Who You Are – message for all women. Its amazing and is everything I believe to be true. Why is it so easy to forget and be distracted? I have to make more of an effort to stay true to what I KNOW is true and right. Things can be so simple, God’s message is simple and easy. Thank you for bringing that through in each one of these books.

And now, as we await the fourth book!!!! Oh my goodness, how to leave us hanging!!!!! Henry and Jenny, I believe their story is not over, how wonderful! I have a good feeling about it!!! Cannot wait for it to come out. Praise God for you and for your ability to put all this story down on paper. It is clear the Holy Spirit and your Angels are guiding you. Thank you for giving us something to read that is pure, realistic, spiritual, good, amazing, and heart wrenching, and soul stirring! I don’t think there is another series like it! God bless you as you continue to write and as you touch each person who reads the Angelic Series!! Take care!

Vanessa

Blaine Lake, SK

Fourth Generation Farming Family

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

I had a great day signing at the Willington Costco Location where I met MaryGrace and her mother. I commented on her name and how beautiful I thought it was. MaryGrace’s mother explained to me how they arrived at their daughter’s name:

The month of May is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. Why May? The short answer is that in Classic Western Culture, May is recognized as the season of new life and thus the month of Motherhood. Since MaryGrace was born in May, she was named after the Blessed Mother.

The second part of her name however, was not attached to such “holiness”. MaryGrace was born in Grace Hospital and thus the reason for the latter part of her name!! I thought that was great sharing and decided to pass it along to you.

Thanks for sending in the photo, MaryGrace, much appreciated!! Love the name!!”

The month of May is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God and being born in May MaryGrace was named after our Holy Mother.

BEAUTIFUL WOOD CROSS with OUR FATHER PRAYER

Lorne Mertick and the beautiful handmade cross he gave me.

When I was in Calgary on a booksigning event my long time friend, Lorne Mertick and his wife Wendy made a special trip across the city to see me! After a lengthy chat, Lorne gave me a piece of his art work; a beautiful grey wooden cross with the Our Father inscribed in it.  It sits on my desk as I type away on Book 5 and I cannot keep my eye’s off it.

It is so beautiful in every detail. The Lord really blessed Lorne with a special gift to create such an exquisite work of art. I love every detail: the shape of the cross itself, the sculpted words coloured black making it so readable, their shape, size and order on each line and how perfectly it all fits onto the cross. It literally draws me into the prayer! The words have life and seem to dance and skip on the cross! The grey toning of the background, the pits here and there adding interest, the highlights, the silver cross centerpeice and polished granite base takes my breath away. I am in awe of its simplicity and overall beauty. It is a gift i will forever cherish. Thank you so much again!

Lorne responded to my sharing above as follows:

“Thank you for your kind words regarding the crosses. I take no credit for the final product, I just feel I am an instrument that He uses to achieve a goal. To this day when I am carving the letters, I often have chills when the key words  “power”, “glory” and “thy name” echo in my mind as I see them appear by my hand.”

If anyone is interested in knowing more about the cross that Lorne carves or in ordering one, Lorne has given me permission to post his email: lornemertick@shaw.ca

The cross created by Lorne Mertick with the Lord's Prayer inscribed upon it.

BEAUTIFUL ANGEL GIFT

God is Watching Over You

A lady gave me a beautiful angel gift during my Alberta Booksigning tour. Several pictures were taken of her and I together and she said she would send them to me so that the pictures could be posted on Facebook. To date, however, i haven’t received them and so I decided to take a photo and show readers the beautiful Pewter Angel with the inscription “God is watching over you.”

I met several hundred people that day and as a result I can’t recall the name of the lady that gave me the angel. If you see it on Facebook, please contact me. In any case thank you so much for your thoughtfulness!! ~Henry

Poem Inspired by Pewter Angels

Following is an email I received from Gordon Arthur in which he wrote a beautiful poem to his wife. His introductory remark says it better than I could.

Thanks, Gordon, for permission to share your inspired poem! I can see that you are a romantic, too, with a soft heart!!                 Henry

A poem inspired by my first reading of a novel, Book One, Pewter Angels by

Author, Teacher, Counsellor and Artist Henry Ripplinger.

I read the book at the urging of my wife of 61 years who I married while

she was still a teenager and whose former name was Betty Engel.

Once started, the book so captivated me, I finished it in four days with

a box of Kleenex at my side.

Gordon Arthur

To my dear Betty

The thought just quickened itself to me,

And now I’m able to clearly see;

That God sent you to be my Engel,

And I would no longer be just single.

To think that through most every year,

I had an angel so close and dear;

One who helped me heal my heart,

A pressing need right from the start.

And in the closing years of life,

A present sent to me from my wife;

To wake within the smoldering ember,

And bring these thoughts that I must render.

A book like none I’ve ever read,

She placed beside the bedroom bed;

A tale of young and tender love,

And angels sent from heaven above.

It is a tale each man should read,

For all God’s creatures have a need;

To know just why we all are born,

And need no longer memories mourn.

A HEARTFELT SHARING…THANK YOU MARTA!

While I was on tour in Alberta for over a month doing book signing events I received this wonderful email from Marta. She expresses such beautiful insight into the epic love story and I was moved that the contents had touched her heart so profoundly. It is uplifting for me to read such appreciative remarks especially when I am travelling daily and fatigue and weariness sets in at times. It makes everything worthwhile to know the Angelic Letters Series touches so many hearts. Daily I thank God for the gift of this story to share with others.

Thank you again, Marta for taking the time to share your heartfelt thoughts. Much appreciated!

Dear Henry,

It was my pleasure to be able take a picture with you.

As to that, please feel free to use my little story if you would like to.

I think that more people should gift your books to someone special in their lives. We all are guilty of not showing our appreciation often enough.

Marta and I at the Costco in Sherwood Park

As you may notice, I am much better in writing vs. talking. When I can’t express myself the way I would love to, I find it much easier to put it on the paper… for some reason it comes out naturally, all the words I may not ever say otherwise…

I would love to take this opportunity to thank you once again!! You enriched my life by your wisdom, tenderness, kindness and endless passion. This message is shining through your books, either in the character of Mr. Engelmann, young and mature Henry and the inside-out beautiful Jenny, her family and all the others. All people in your story are special their certain way, like Matti and Thomas!

And Henry’s first wife Julean, a stunning sensitive women whose life was cut so short – and their beautiful kids and Camilla with her dramatic story!!! Henry’s parents, betrayal, trust and forgiveness issues… all those   r e a l   people!

Endless hours of reading, loving every single twist in your books, esp. the last one ending in Regina. Henry your special gift to analyze human nature, all emotions stripped to the core, is amazing. You are showing us how to take the most out of our lives, how to be patient and positive, how to accept ourselves and the others and how to love.

Thank you Henry for allowing me and all of your readers to live the story with you. I told you before that I am not a religious person (how possibly could you remember who told you what!:)and how much your first book helped me to get through a sad time when my mom passed away! And that was Pewter Angels, what about The Angelic Occurrence when Henry’s mom leaves him!!! How true that we realize how much we loved the person we just lost, how we missed on to tell them that and if we did, we didn’t say it enough… we didn’t do enough of little things for them, things what could of made them happy if we just would of….how many decisions made through our lives…

All your beautiful and sad thoughts aligned with mine after I experienced my own loss. My pain and regrets were a bit different, living so far away from my mother over last 24 years. Having said that strange was that I became much closer to my mom after I left her, coming to Canada. I have to admit that our relationship never have been close. My mom was hiding her true emotions, kept a distance in our lives even when I have lived close by… I learned so much about her after she passed away and was too late for everything…. Maybe we should have written many letters one to another…the angelic letters

Henry, I have gained so much from your books that I can’t even express it in the words. Your story is touching my heart, I am laughing, aching and crying reading your books. I am living it.

You are not just a great artist (OMG all your pictures!), writer but a very humble lovable person almost shy to accept all the attention and compliments from your admires…

please take all of it and enjoy it!!!

Thank you for taking us into deepest secret corners of your own raw soul, giving us the privilege of sharing your life experience, happiness, sorrow and most of all – the  l o v e !

I can’t wait for the last book where I hope to find Jenny coming back to life nourishing on Henry’s never ending love…! Angel Promises Fulfilled!

Marta

Edmonton