Betty, the love of my life
The very definition of help meet, wife, best friend in the world.
versión en español a continuación
Betty Ferguson was running for Freshman Class President at Shorter College, Rome, Georiga, in the fall of 1972. She passed out literature asking for each person's vote. She had stuck a small piece of candy like a chocolate kiss or a small candy bar on each piece of campaign literature.
That is my first memory of her. I didn't know her but joked that buying my vote would cost more than a tiny piece of candy. She was shy, smiled, and moved on to the next person. She didn't become class president, and little did I know she would become so much more to me.
The next time I remember seeing her, she was sitting on the curb in blue bell-bottomed jeans, long black hair, and moccasins. She looked kind of like a hippy. I greeted her, and she ignored me. I had been working on someone's car and was shirtless and greasy. It was relatively cold outside, but I didn't want to mess up my clothes as I worked on the vehicle.
She later dated one of my best friends. She was pretty, quiet, sweet, and kind. I liked her.
A bunch of us went out on a date in her boyfriend's car to get pizza. It was my first time having seen, heard of, or experienced pizza. I had eaten little you couldn't grow on the farm. I was nervous but found that pepperoni pizza was pretty good. I picked up the check for everyone.
As we returned to campus, our friend let everyone out of the car. It was packed with like eight or more of us. It was a 1947 black two-door Plymouth. It was the "cool car on campus". Everyone got out of the car but Betty.
I saw my chance. I jumped in the driver's seat and took off with my friend's car and his girl. Betty didn't think it was funny at all.
After my friend quit dating her, I decided to ask her out. I was afraid she would say no, so I got a friend to take a girl, and we could double date. My friend was "cool." I was anything but "cool." I was a "country red neck" at best.
We had plans to go to underground Atlanta, but something happened, and we only made it from Rome to Cartersville, where we watched Barbara Streisand's movie "What's Up Doc" and got a bite to eat. Betty said she would go with all of us. I didn't know for a long time that she only went because she was more interested in the other guy and wanted to get to know him better.
Betty was pretty cold towards me. There was to be no hand holding, arm around her shoulders, and definitely no good night kiss. She certainly wasn't about to kiss me. The date and night seemed to be a terrible waste and loss.
I admit I wasn't strictly acting like a spiritual giant.
I did know one thing. I liked Betty and wanted to see her again, but Christmas break came, and I returned home to Tennessee and the farm. She returned to Roswell, Georgia, and her lovely suburban house.
You will find out just who she is and what she is like. You will find out how she grew into the Christian lady, mother, wife, and help to so many, so stay tuned. More stories are to come in this saga.
Here are a couple of lessons to consider.
You never know when you are going to meet your mate for life. Be careful how you act and treat the opposite sex.
God will guide you to someone who will become the love of your life if you seek Him and His kingdom with all your heart.
Be careful to keep pure sexually and in your mind. You live in a world that is driven by rebellious sex. It is a crime against God and both of you.
Get the whole story
The Call 2
"The bro zone!" Like a brother 4
A Giant Heart 5
The tractor ride 6
Never Really Dated! 7
Shocked & Surprised 8
Good News 9
Finding an acorn 10
Scared my dad! 11
Send that hillbilly hiking 12
Who's chasing who? 13
Betty meets my grandmother 14
Reckless Redneck 16
Honeymoon 17
Separated for the first time 18
We are going to make it 19
A Mother's Jealousy 22
My sister wanted to marry me 23
Holidays as a Married Couple 24
"Baby Fever" Hits 25
We held Willie B. at gunpoint till the cops arrived 28
God's Calling on our Lives 31
First Attempts at Soul Winning Evangelism 32
Proud Dad 33
A Tale of Mice and Women 38
A daughter is born 40
Thrills and pain of being a dad 41
I needed a mentor 42
Childish, even Foolish, Simple, Faith 44
Young, foolish, reckless faith and ministry 45
IRS problems and answers to prayer and fasting 46
His Strength in My Weakness 47
Joy comes into our lives 48
Angel Unaware 49
Wife, you make all the difference 51
God will prepare you to do His will 52
The decision is made, mostly 54
Accepted and Approved as Missionaries to Peru 55
Our last child, David was born 56
Starting out on deputation, to raise financial and prayer support 57
Deputation 58
Betty el amor de mi vida
Betty Ferguson se postuló para presidente de la clase de primer año en Shorter College, Rome, Georiga, en el otoño de 1972. Repartió folletos pidiendo el voto de cada persona. Había pegado un pequeño caramelo como un beso de chocolate o una pequeña barra de caramelo en cada folleto de la campaña.
Ese es mi primer recuerdo de ella. No la conocía, pero bromeé diciendo que comprar mi voto costaría más que un pequeño caramelo. Era tímida, sonrió y pasó a la siguiente persona. Ella no se convirtió en presidenta de la clase, y no sabía que se convertiría en mucho más para mí.
La próxima vez que recuerdo haberla visto, estaba sentada en la acera con jeans azules acampanados, cabello largo y negro y mocasines. Parecía una especie de hippy. La saludé y ella me ignoró. Había estado trabajando en el auto de alguien y estaba sin camisa y grasoso. Hacía relativamente frío afuera, pero no quería ensuciar mi ropa mientras trabajaba en el vehículo.
Más tarde salió con uno de mis mejores amigos. Era bonita, tranquila, dulce y amable. Me gustaba.
Un grupo de nosotros salimos a una cita en el auto de su novio para comprar pizza. Era la primera vez que veía, escuchaba o experimentaba pizza. Había comido poco que no pudieras cultivar en la granja. Estaba nervioso, pero descubrí que la pizza de pepperoni estaba bastante buena. Pagué el cheque para todos.
Cuando regresábamos al campus, nuestro amigo dejó que todos salieran del auto. Estaba lleno con ocho o más de nosotros. Era un Plymouth negro de dos puertas de 1947. Era el "coche genial en el campus". Todos salieron del auto menos Betty.
Vi mi oportunidad. Salté en el asiento del conductor y salí con el auto de mi amigo y su chica. Betty no pensó que fuera divertido en absoluto.
Después de que mi amigo dejó de salir con ella, decidí invitarla a salir. Tenía miedo de que dijera que no, así que le pedí a un amigo que se llevara a una chica y pudiéramos tener una cita doble. Mi amigo era "genial". Yo era cualquier cosa menos "cool". Yo era un "cuello rojo del país" en el mejor de los casos.
Teníamos planes de ir a la Atlanta subterránea, pero algo sucedió, y solo logramos llegar de Roma a Cartersville, donde vimos la película de Barbara Streisand "What's Up Doc" y comimos algo. Betty dijo que iría con todos nosotros. No supe durante mucho tiempo que ella solo iba porque estaba más interesada en el otro chico y quería conocerlo mejor.
Betty fue bastante fría conmigo. No iba a haber ningún agarre de manos mano, un brazo alrededor de sus hombros, y definitivamente ningún beso de buenas noches. Ciertamente no estaba dispuesta a besarme. La cita y la noche parecían ser un terrible desperdicio y una pérdida.
Admito que no estaba actuando estrictamente como un gigante espiritual.
Yo sabía una cosa. Betty me gustaba y quería volver a verla, pero llegaron las vacaciones de Navidad y regresé a Tennessee y a la granja. Regresó a Roswell, Georgia, y a su hermosa casa suburbana.
Descubrirás quién es ella y cómo es. Descubrirá cómo se convirtió en la dama cristiana, madre, esposa y ayuda para tantos, así que permanezca atento. Más historias están por venir en esta saga.
Aquí hay un par de lecciones a considerar.
Nunca sabes cuándo vas a conocer a tu pareja de por vida. Tenga cuidado de cómo actúa y trata al sexo opuesto.
Dios te guiará a alguien que se convertirá en el amor de tu vida si lo buscas a Él y a Su reino con todo tu corazón.
Tenga cuidado de mantenerse puro sexualmente y en su mente. Vives en un mundo impulsado por el sexo rebelde. Es un crimen contra Dios y contra ustedes dos.
Aquí hay un par de lecciones a considerar.
Nunca sabes cuándo vas a conocer a tu pareja de por vida. Tenga cuidado de cómo actúa y trata al sexo opuesto.
Dios te guiará a alguien que se convertirá en el amor de tu vida si lo buscas a Él y a Su reino con todo tu corazón.
Tenga cuidado de mantenerse puro sexualmente y en su mente. Vives en un mundo impulsado por el sexo rebelde. Es un crimen contra Dios y contra ustedes dos.
