Honoring Beth

My Aunt Beth is a very important person in my life, actually her entire family is very important in my life. I don't think that I have ever called her "aunt Beth", she's just always been Beth to me. To me she is more like my sister than an aunt. When I was in second grade, Beth moved from Louisiana to Missouri to attend college, and ended up living with us. We shared a room- and a king size bed. I got to see things happen in Beth's life that were pretty cool. When she met my Uncle Gordon, I got to watch them fall in love. At the end of date nights Beth would literally come into the room and fall back on the bed and sigh.... she was smitten. And she had every right to be, Gordon is a great Godly man.

After Beth and Gordon got married they immediately moved to Dallas for Gordon to attend seminary. Beth would come back for visits (where we would attempt to lock her in the closet and not let her go back to Texas) and we would see her in Louisiana, but it just wansn't the same. But when I was in 7th grade, they moved back to the area. We had moved from Republic to Ozark, and they were going to be moving to Nixa! We were all so excited.

Fast forward a few years, and they started having children. Wonderful children. 3 beautiful boys. I was a freshman in high school when Taylor was born, a junior when Ethan came and along, and a freshman in college when Noah made his arrival. These boys mean the world to me. I look at them as my newphews or little brothers instead of cousins. And I treasure the way my boys look up to them.

During the time that Beth and Gordon have been at their church, she has been super active. And the women's ministry decided to honor her for her comittment. But it was a complete suprise. A good family friend of ours works at Beth's church as the secretary. But Pam is so much more than just a secretary. So Beth for weeks believed that Pam was to be honored on March 26. But Pam knew all along that is was going to be Beth. So Beth would call my mom and tell her details about "Pams Honoring", but mom would have to completely zone out to not die laughing. So the big day arrives and Beth has a speech ready to announce Pam....

It went a little somthing like this..

A lady from the church gets up to tell the purpose of the day, with no one except for Pam, my mom, and myself knowing who is to be honored. So the lady talks a little and is very vague on the lady to whom she is introducing.. at this point Beth starts to get up thinking that it was her que to introduce Pam. But Pam darts up to stage and starts to introduce Beth. At first Beth had a complete look of confusion on her face, but then she started tearing up. After Pam was done talking my mom got up and gave a speech about Beth. I don't believe there was a dry eye in the house. Beth is very dear to my entire family.

Even after being honored she got up and gave a speech on "missional living". Beth is a prime example of being a missional oriented person. I am so glad that she was honored for being the awesome, special, and wonderful person that she is!