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| Betsy Keith |
A few short years ago I had a beautiful woman come into my life. Her name is Betsy Keith. She grew up in the south and had a true southern hospitality gene. The first time I met her was at a spa in California. We met there for a bachlorette party for my daughter, Emily. Emily was marrying Betsy's son, Ryan Keith, the next day. We had great fun that day and I liked Betsy right from the start.
Several months later, Betsy came up to Washington for a visit and I had a chance to get to know her a bit more. She was a very open woman and told me a lot about her life. She lost her mother to cancer when she was just ten years old. A young girl growing up without a mom is cause for deep pain and I saw that reflected in Betsy's eyes. I felt her sadness.
In the spring of 2013, Ryan received the news that his dad had passed away suddenly. So Ryan and Emily, along with Betsy, moved back to Tennessee to settle his estate. This was a very sad and stressful time for Ryan and Emily and Betsy was there to be a strength and support to them for the next several months. Emily was expecting their first child and was due to give birth sometime in October. So Bruce and I, along with my mother, made our way to Tennessee to welcome our granddaughter into the world. During this visit, I had the chance to spend a good amount of time with Betsy. She was so eager to make us comfortable while we were there. She took extra time to prepare the rooms that we stayed in at their house. She made us feel loved and very welcome by her giving spirit. Betsy had developed a friendship with my mother and she was very attentive to my mother's needs. My mom is originally from the south and so Betsy loved to cook for her while we were there. She made our time in Tennessee delightful.
When June finally arrived on November 2nd, Betsy and I were in
When Emily called me to tell me that Betsy was in the hospital a couple of weeks ago, I hopped on a plane and headed back to California to see her. When I walked into her room, she looked up and said, "What are you doing here?" I had just been in California a few weeks earlier and so this was an unexpected trip. I said, "I came here to see you." Betsy said, "Well aren't you sweet." Betsy didn't have many expectations from people. She focused more on giving than receiving. One day while I was there with her, she was in great pain and I was rubbing her back. She said, "Thank you for sharing Emily with me." Emily and Betsy had developed a very close bond and I know that she truly loved my daughter. I thanked her for sharing Ryan with me. It was a very sweet moment in the midst of deep suffering.
Betsy loved God and she loved people. I know that she wanted to be here longer and yet she was also at peace with her death. She knew that she belonged to Jesus and that she would be in good hands. She believed in the hope of resurrection and new life. The sting of death is for those of us who have to learn to live without her here with us. And so now we grieve.
Betsy, you will live on and I will always see you in the face of your granddaughter!
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. And those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26
