You Can Put a Monkey in a Red Dress...

... but you've still got a monkey. The woman who taught me that and so much more turns 75 this Friday. She's the one who's going to absolutely kill me for posting pictures of her out there for all the world to see. Whether you call her Granny Nelva, Aunt Nelva, Nelva Ruth, simply Nelva or Miz Jones, I know you've learned a lot from her, too.

Maybe she taught you to pull up your knee socks. Or she told you to put on your big girl panties. Maybe she taught you to make bread or wild plum jelly. How to get invited to pick a pea patch. How important it is to take care of the people around you. How to bring home bluebonnet seed in a paper sack for a springtime reward.

Maybe her lesson for you is hospitality. How to welcome anyone and everyone into your home, feed them a great meal that almost always includes gravy with lots of pepper in it, macaroni & cheese with lots of pepper in it and a big glass of sweet sun tea.

Maybe her lesson for you is service. Feeding and caring for and toting and loving and doing whatever is needed, whenever needed, to make sure everyone in her flock (and it's a big flock) is AOK.

Maybe for you her lessons were in Sunday school. How to sing the books of the New Testament, how Paul could go just about anywhere on a felt board, Baby Moses floated down the river in a Walnut shell, Dr. Pepper's at 10, 2 and 4.... All in that little room with the kitty cat clock on the wall that had moving eyes.

Maybe her lesson for you was one of survival. Like how to kill a rattlesnake.

Maybe you're one of the unlucky ones... one of my friends who hasn't ever had the opportunity to be loved on by Auntie Nelva. But if I'm living my life right, you get to learn her lessons through me. Minus the kitty cat clock.

If you get a chance, give her a call and love on her on Friday. Her number's (Snyder Area Code) 573 2426. If you don't know her, just tell her you heard that this amazing Christian woman, a Godly servant, is celebrating a birthday.