Conversations with Betty...returns......

All day yesterday I was thinking about finding someone to work the nursey at church. Since I have a broken wrist I'm pretty much useless for help with the toddlers. As I said, I was thinking about it but never took the step to call anyone and as I walked through the nursery door I saw Sherry and Betty sitting in the rockers. I apologized to Sherry and explained that I wouldn't be much help in carting and changing the kids but would be willing to stay if she didn't mind. Of course (this lady is a saint in my eyes, one of the best grandmas I have ever met) she says its no problem. Then Betty says (remember shes 85) that anytime I can't help out on Wednesday's to let her know and she will fill-in for me! What a sweetheart and what a gift she is to our church too! Well Sherry and I managed quite well and towards the end of the evening Betty came in, as usual. The little ones were quiet (which was remarkable in itself) so we were able to visit. As I look back on this I now see why God allowed me to work the nursery. I most certainly would have missed out on a tremendous blessing.

We were talking about husbands, good and bad, and both Sherry and Betty have had sad relationships with their husbands and yet they both are so full joy, no feel-sorry-for-me attitude. Betty said that when her husband left she was extremely grateful. She said she just knew God took him. She never remarried (you know what scripture says about that) and said that God became her husband, she didn't need a physical man. Then she says she began a love affair with God. Oh the way she talks just draws you to her. She says she doesn't do anything without asking God first. Her focus is always on Him. She said, "I pray and God just gives me an idea, I begin it, He helps me, He sustains me, and He gives me the strength to accomplish it." I asked her if she had gotten all of her painting done and she says, "yes now I'm rebuilding one of my outside walls. I have it almost done and my son-in-law is going to put the siding on. I really need to watch how he does this so I can do it myself." by now I'm just smiling really big and amazed at the tasks this lady takes on yet she can do it with grace and ease because you see, God helps her, she and God do everything together.....

Sherry says to Betty, "tell her about the skunks." Betty says, "I saw these two skunks out by the barn (remember in a previous post how she had to cut off a board from the bottom of her barn door? now there's a gap) Oh they were beautiful big skunks, their white stripe just glistened in the moonlight, but I thought I'd better take care of them before they got into my barn, so I got out my shotgun and hoped that I could get them both with one shot, as they were close together. I wounded one but killed the other. By now I'm laughing as I'm trying to picture (granny clampett) this in my mind. I asked her what she did with the dead skunk and she said she got out her big shovel, scooped him up and took him out into the woods (she lives on 10 acres).

Betty just loves her little house, she's lived there for 59 years. She is a very simplistic no-frills kind of woman, yet she is richer in more ways than most. She can quote scripture, from memory, as if she were a pastor, she has one of the deepest relationships with God I've ever met. I told her that she needed to write a book, or keep a journal and share her joy of God with others. I've never met anyone who has this deep of a desire and love for Him like Betty. Honestly I'm going to start taking notes, maybe even audio her from my phone because I want to remember every nugget of truth she shares. In that short time span of, maybe 15 minutes, I learned more truths than in an hour sermon.

Now I seriously can't wait until next week for my weekly dose of "Betty"......ya'll come back now, ya' here..........