Congratulations to Ryder Stanfield who celebrated his 7th birthday on January 2nd. His family and friends made it a special day at Chuck E. Cheese in Murfreesboro. Ryder is the son of Hunter and Nicole Stanfield of Smithville.

Several of the CNAs and LPNs here at NHC call me "Aunt Betty." Little do they know how special that makes me feel. Many times when I hear those words, my mind goes back to when I was a young girl living near Dale Ridge or when we lived on Toad Road. Back then it was expected of a young person to have respect for elderly people. Older Men would be called "uncle" whether they were related or not. Elderly women would be recognized by saying "aunt."

Also, a young person would always speak to a man or woman by either saying "Mr." or "Miss". And at church, we were expected to greet a lady or man with either "sister" or "brother" meaning that we were all brothers and sisters in the Lord.

I guess that I’m a little sentimental or old-fashion, but I liked the kind of respect and kindness by people back in those days, and also appreciate when young people today use those nice words.

When my son, Ralph, was here this week, we visited my long-time friend, Clara Mae Hawkins, another resident at NHC. Her daughter-in-law, Treba, was also there. Clara Mae and I talked about how many years we were neighbors in the New Home Community; about 50 years. The Hawkins family is like my extended family since I watched the children grow up and enjoyed visiting with Shelton and Clara Mae.

Treba said that she and husband, Don, had Mr. and Mrs. Shane Miller and family at their home for supper recently. When I was living at home, Shane, and sometimes his wife, would mow my yard. They always did a good job.

After my husband, C.W. Wilson, passed away, Clara Mae and I would go together running errands and visiting others. I never learned to drive and appreciated her taking me places.

When C.W. was alive, we were practically on the road every day going either to the Senior Citizens Center, visiting someone in the hospital, attending a funeral service, revival meetings and sometimes representing New Home Baptist Church at Salem Association events.

As a younger woman, I did not go many places because my husband, J.D., and I were almost always working on our farm or sharecropping with Mr. Herbert Vickers. Of course we never failed to visit family and friends.

I am thankful for the life the Lord gave me and how He continues to bless me. While studying my Bible, I am reminded that there is a season for things.

I want to offer my prayers and sympathy to the family of Joe Taylor who passed away. Joe drove the school bus during part of the time that my son, Ralph, attended Cross Roads School. I remember that he was also a good singer and sang with his brother, Dan, during pie suppers at Cross Roads.

Joe was married to the former Helen Hale who was also a student at Cross Roads. I read that they had been married for 50 years and attended Indian Creek Baptist Church.

My recent visitors included Jean Love, Joann Pittman, Angela Meadows, Gracie Bratcher, Donald Lawson, Randy Vaughn along with Ralph and June Vaughn.