“You better decide to be happy,” those were my words to Brenda on Saturday, November 30, 1991. We had just entered the city limits of Midland, Michigan, to begin the new ministry at Calvary Baptist Church.
My cold admonition was prompted by Brenda’s tears and fears. We had left a great church in Godfrey, Illinois, where we had served nearly four years. It was our first ministry. It was the where place Michael was born. We were happy, and now we were starting over with people we didn’t know.
To make matters worse, we had no place to live. The new church in Midland had arranged rental housing for us in the home of Michigan snowbirds, but they hadn’t vacated their house when we arrived. The church assured us it wouldn’t be long before the owners headed south. In the meantime they arranged for the three of us to live with John and Sharron Abbott, whoever that was. No wonder Brenda was crying.
Many young couples live with their parents at some point in the early years of marriage. Since our wedding day, Brenda and I have never lived closer than 225 miles to any family member. We both were hopeful the time living with John and Sharron would be as brief as possible. It wasn’t.
Our landlords took their sweet ‘ol time loading up the pickup and wouldn’t leave Midland for another six weeks. The original plan was to rent their home for the Michigan winter buying us time to find our own place. Our six weeks with John and Sharron would become three months when our landlords called from the road informing us they were coming back early. We had to be out in days.
“Hi, Sharron. This is Brenda. Can we move back in?”
Today, Brenda, Michael, Jennifer, Emily, Jeffery, and I are in Midland, Michigan, for the funeral of Grandma Abbott. She died last week after a lengthy battle with dementia having been cared for by Grandpa Abbott in the most beautiful way.
Over the last few days our family has, without exaggeration, talked for hours about Grandma and Grandpa Abbott. Simply stated, our family would not be what we are and where we are without them. They mean everything to us, but not only to us. So many in the church would say the same.
As an executive at the Dow Chemical Company, God gave John an income level that allowed for sharing with others like Ephesians 4 directs, “work…(so that you) may have something to give him who has need.” My kids wore clothing, boots, shoes, coats, hats, mittens and more given to them by grandma. But we were not the exclusive recipients. Family after family in the church received household appliances, furniture, bags of groceries left by an anonymous donor, and cash. When she saw a need, she acted. To John’s credit, he promoted his wife’s giving away his hard-earned money.
We had lived in Michigan for three years when we received the phone call. Brenda’s mom went to be with the Lord at the age of 53. She has suffered another massive stroke. It was the middle of the night when we called John and Sharron. Within minutes, they were in our living room holding us, loving us, and crying with us. Brenda thought she was alone in the world, but she wasn’t. God have given to her from the church a mother. Sharron became that to Brenda just at the Bible instructs (Titus 2). So much of who Brenda is as a mom, wife, mature woman in the church, and soon to be grandmother, she learned in the kitchen of Sharron Abbott. I and anyone who receives from Brenda is the beneficiary of Sharron’s Christian life poured into a lonely, hurting, young mom. I cannot say thank you enough to our Lord for Sharron.
She gave extravagantly to missionaries. She volunteered her skills as a physical education teacher to provide elementary PE to our Christian school. She taught children’s Sunday School well into her retirement years. She loved people with special needs. Was she a Proverbs 31 kind of woman? I suppose. But I think a better comparison is Lydia in Acts 16.
Lydia was the first convert to Christ in ancient Philippi. She appears to be a woman of means who likely funded some of Paul’s travels. What we know is the newly formed church at Philippi met in her house. Her generosity and hospitality laid the foundation for the love affair between Paul and the church, described by him in the New Testament book of Philippians.
What Lydia did for the church at Philippi is what Sharron Abbot did for the church in Midland, Michigan. She’s worked tirelessly for Jesus showing his love and generosity to the people of Calvary Baptist Church building in the church a love for each other and a unity reminiscent of ancient Philippi. May God give Calvary Baptist Church and First Calvary Baptist Church more Lydias…and more Sharrons.
When we left Midland, Michigan, after ten years to move to Minnesota, our family spent the last night at Grandpa and Grandma’s house. I remember our parting as we stood in the driveway. All of us crying. They were some of the strongest voices encouraging our move away from Midland, despite what it would cost them personally in terms of daily interaction with their grands.
But she lived what we all should know. This life is momentary. The stuff of this life is temporary. Heaven is eternal. Pointing people to Jesus, easing their hardships here, sharing generously what God has given you, loving the unloved, and living faithfully for Christ while he gives you breath is the pursuit of the Christian.
Today, along with her family, we lay Sharron's body to rest. Last week she entered the presence of her Lord whom she loved and who loved her. I have no doubt when she did that she heard from him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” May God give us more like her.
As always I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.
Mike VerWay
Pastor for Preaching & Vision