Betty Reno's Two Moons

She was one of the most interesting ladies I had ever met. She had a strong personality and was always just a little "off", if you know what I mean. I was fresh out of Bible college, which means, of course, that I knew everything. That is, until I met Betty Reno. She helped me learn several things about life.

I remember one particularly beautiful night getting a phone call around midnight from Betty. She was frantic and scared. She told me, "I know He's coming back. I just know it!"

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and asked her what she was talking about. She said, "I see two moons! There are two moons! Jesus is coming back!"

I again asked her, "What are you talking about, Betty?!"

She told me to look outside. I did. One moon...it was a particularly beautiful clear evening. I told her plainly, "Betty, I only see one moon."

She insisted, "I can see them as plain as day! There are two moons in the sky. Jesus is coming back!"

I told her, "Betty, do me a favor, go look out of another window at the moon." She did.

She said, "Well I only see one moon out of this window."

I said, "Betty, I think you are seeing a reflection through your other window. Good night."

That was what it was like dealing with Betty Reno. Just a little off but definitely someone that kept me on my toes because I never knew quite what to expect. She didn't fit any mold. There was only one Betty Reno.

On another occasion as her health was failing, she unfortunately had to have a colostomy bag because of her failing colon. I went to see her the day after the long surgery. After only being in the room with her for a couple of minutes, Betty pulled up her hospital gown to show me her new bag that they had put on her.

I was completely unprepared to see Betty in all her post-surgery and completely nude glory. Being that she was almost 83 at the time, I can honestly say that this is something not one of my Bible College Professors prepared me for.

What do you say to an 83 year old nude woman with a colostomy bag? That should have come up somewhere between Interdisciplinary Studies 101 and Homiletics. But no. I didn't get that part of the course.

So I said what I guess your supposed to say in that circumstance, "Nice bag."

A little later, less than six months, actually, I buried Betty Reno up on the hill from the church building in Putnam where I ministered at the time. I remember the evening of her visitation how I noticed one of our lights went out in the sanctuary. So I waited until everyone left the church and then pulled out the ladder to change the bulb.

As I was on top of the ladder I swear I heard a noise come from Betty's casket. I got off of that ladder quicker than it took me to climb up it and made an executive decision that the light changing could wait until daylight the next morning.

I didn't want Betty giving me one final lesson from that coffin that evening. So I went home. The funeral went off just fine. Early that next morning I got the light bulb changed before anyone get there.

But I will never forget Betty Reno. Definitely one of a kind!