You Look Familiar Day 301

As the hostess directed us to our table, my eyes met a familiar face; pulling a memory to this face, required flipping through the pages of my memory. Where when and how, become the question of the moment! The hair was gray but the eyes, face and smile soon engaged the time and chapter of my mind; I could see that she too was activating the stored memories.

With confidence, I questioned, do you have a sister named Betty? I knew the answer, this was Betty`s sister Mary. I met Betty in the 70`s, both fresh out of school, we worked together in Newark, Delaware at a place called Dayett Mills.

Dayett Mills, was the first full time job for both of us; we were both so young and eager to take on the world. During the course of our employment Betty and I developed a season of love and friendship. I was going through a divorce and she was in love with Baker.

Mary shared that Betty had just returned home to Florida, she was here visiting; Mary had just buried her husband. With sympathy, I witnessed the pain and sorrow in Mary`s face and voice. Somewhat at a loss for words, I asked that she remember me to Betty.

As I joined Rick at our table, just behind Mary, memories flooded the canyons of my mind. I remembered, the double date that I went on with Betty and Baker. I remembered, Betty selling horse shoes. I remembered, going to lunch with Betty. I remembered, the day Betty`s brother, Joey was killed in an accident. I remembered, visiting her widowed sister-in-law, Jancie on "Kiamensi Drive." I remembered, that Betty loved to dance and that she could do the Hussle, and I could not. I remembered, bell bottomed pants and platform shoes. I remembered, Betty taught me to make lasagna. I remembered, Betty broke her glasses, the day that I got remarried, when she walked into the sliding glass door. I remembered, making pumpkin pie filling from real-live pumpkins, from our pumpkin patch. I remembered friendship and love!

I was drenched in memories from nearly 4 decades. As it so often happens, Betty and I had just lost contact, as we lived our lives. I seized the opportunity before me and asked Mary for Betty`s contact information.

Mark 3:33-35 "Who are my mother and my brother?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brother! Whoever does God`s will is my brother and sister and mother."

Now for one of my favorite God-sent, co-inky-dinks and more that likely a God-wink! I have to attend and Emmaus meeting on Saturday morning, I checked my email for my destination, turn left on "Kiamensi Drive," then in a matter of feet, arrive at destination! Really God, back to "Kiamensi Drive," for the first time in decades?????

First thing this morning I called Betty, we caught up, laughed, cried and shared a prayer for her husband, John`s health concerns. Will Betty and I rekindle and maintain this friendship, only God knows, but in obedience, I believe that I responded to His prompting.

Thank you, God! "Friends who live in the Lord never see each other for the last time." Mark and Martha Yoder AMEN!