Monday, June 22, 2020

Whisked Away

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"Let us encourage one another, help each other to show love and to do good."   --- Hebrews 10:24


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Next month I'll celebrate 16 years of blogging. And through these recorded adventures, 3 of you have faithfully read along and encouraged me from that first year, another 2 from the year after. 

But I've lost one of you. On Saturday I learned my friend, Betty, passed away--and I am still reeling.

Betty and I met because of Maud Hart Lovelace and Gladys Taber, favorite authors. I think our belief that one could still live a vintage lifestyle in a modern world drew us together amongst those peopled reading groups. 

Her emails? They made me feel as though a 1960's Erma Bombeck had befriended me. What a joy, Betty's self-deprecating sense of humor, what a comfort her paper cards in my mailbox, especially those which came during her 22 months of her cancer fight. 

These days when it's rare to receive a paper card, Betty still believed in their power to encourage. Always, she assured me she still read my blog with anticipation, even wishing I'd write a book she could hold in her hands at a beach.

Though via emails with cute images I consistently thanked her for those cards, now I wish I'd have sent her more paper cards. Though I've not the grace for snail mail as I once did, still, it's important to recognize our friends' favorite forms of love currency. And do what we can. 

But now Betty's earthly journey is over. She led a full life, created a wonderful family, laughed much, encouraged many, exercised faith and left us all smiling with gratitude of knowing her.

Also? Betty never assumed my 100+ followers regularly send me emails and paper cards of encouragement. She somehow knew I mostly have silent 'secret readers' so I must rely upon God for a daily type of nudge and approval.

But Betty was God's partner in encouragement for me and sorely I will miss her part in keeping me writing. 

There'll be no more sweet paper cards from her in my mailbox, no Erma Bombeck-like voice still speaking. And no one who gives to me exactly what God did through my old-fashioned friend, Betty.

With each friend whisked away by death, may we again fully appreciate God's gifts while they still, as treasure, dwell down here amongst us.



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" ... that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine."   --- Romans 1:12

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

9 comments:

Rebecca said...

I'm sorry for your loss. You were most blessed to have a friend like Betty.

Betsy said...

It sounds as though Betty was a great friend to you and I'm glad you had her in your life. We all need a Betty to encourage and bless us.
Blessings,
Betsy

lorie said...

I'm so sorry to hear that your friend passed away.

Angela said...
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Terra said...

Our departed friends are only in the upper room, I love that image. How sad to lose a long time dear friend.

Pam said...

Betty sounds like a wonderful woman! I'll bet she meant much to many, and I'm sorry for your loss, Debra, and for theirs, too. Spurgeon's quote is a comfort to all of us.

Sixteen years of blogging, oh my!!! Congratulations and thank you for hanging in there. You are a faithful writer and I always look forward to seeing what God has whispered in your ear. Always know that you are making a difference for good, Debra!

Robin in New Jersey said...

So sorry to read of Betty's passing. How wonderful you had such a good friend to encourage you.

BJS said...

I am very glad you had Betty. And now you have those memories of your friendship with her.
Be peaceful.
Bev

Debra said...

Thanks so much, Everyone, for your sweet condolences! I appreciated each one and they all added comfort to my grieving heart. Since yesterday I've felt much better because the most remarkable, confirming thing happened which perhaps someday I'll explain. But for now, it'll remain a miraculous gift from God for which I'm so grateful--and changed, actually.

Oh, and Pam--I so appreciated your congratulations about my years of blogging and your kind words which touched me. Thanks so very much, my friend. <3

A big thanks to each of you! Blessings, Debra