Aunt Betty Ruth

My Aunt Betty Ruth died this past week, unexpectedly, she was 70.  We actually called her Aunt Baaboop.  When we were little we could not say Betty Ruth and so it came out as Baaboop.  She was a fun loving woman that loved her family very much.  She was one of 12 siblings from the McNulty family.  She was my favorite Aunt on my dad’s side of the family.  Almost always we would visit her when we went back to Johnstown, PA. 

Her family was very similar to each of our own.  She had 3 children and several grandchildren.  She lost her husband about 3 years ago and thought about him every day.  She impacted everyone’s life that she touched.

1 Thessalonians 2:7 As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

This is not unlike Jesus impacting people He met along His travels.  While at the funeral ceremony it dawned on me that she gave her life for her family, again not unlike Jesus. 

1 Timothy 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

You see Jesus died for us so we could heal as well.  God sent His son to earth to impact our lives and to save us from ourselves.  Just like my Aunt, Jesus began impacting people one at a time.  Jesus also gave his life so we could grow as a family of God.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Even though we will miss her and hurt for a while, we know that her spirit will live in us forever and makes us stronger as a family.    

1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Aunt Baaboop, we love you, we will miss you, and we will continue the work of keeping the family together.