It’s neat how sweet things just feel like February. Boxed chocolates, red hearts…our very own Katie Sue. She was born on the 18th in 1936 and turned 83-years-young on Monday!
Katie, armed with tortillas chips, on her way to the taco soup on the table
She’s an active gal and her desire to serve seems as important and natural to her as breathing. Most days, she races off right after breakfast. Sometimes to rehearse with the Joy Singers at church, other times to bring food to folks who are sick or grieving. Sometimes she has an appointment with a doctor, or a dentist…or Mr. Parma who takes care of her eyes. She rarely misses the once-a-month luncheon for State Board of Missions retirees, where she fills up on food that comforts and friends that do too. Every Thursday morning she helps fold The Beacon, a tri-fold publication that’s mailed out to First Baptist’s entire congregation each and every week. I once asked her if she reads it the same day she folds it and she said, “Oh, no, I like to wait until it comes to the house.” I smile every time I see one in our mailbox now; knowing it was sent by her, to her, and that it will still feel like a surprise. 🙂
When Katie isn’t out-and-about, or buzzing around the barn, we can usually find her in her chair. It’s a big, puffy, cloud-of-a-thing and if you’re the *teeniest* bit tired, it will snuggle you right to sleep.
The day we went to look at the chair (and its identical twin), we were both focused on things like color, and price, and how we would get them home. But now, that chair is so much more than just batting and fabric stapled to wooden bones. Now, it tells a story about the person who sits in it, our beloved Katie, who stays as busy in it, as she does out of it.
If it’s too dark to be out driving, she checks on folks from the chair. Armed with a cell phone, she kicks up her feet and punches in numbers, not letters, genuinely hoping that the person those digits belong to will pick up their phone. Her conversations as comfortable and soft as the seat beneath her; her cheek as hot as the sun by the time she’s done.
Some days, Katie uses that chair minister to people in a different way. Armed with a needle and thread, she creates the small, evenly-spaced gathers that make up the smocked part of teeny tiny gowns. When she’s done, she gives it to the next member of their team, who works on the next part of the gown. The sleeves, the ribbons- each person has their part. Like candles lighting candles, they work together, piece by precious piece, to create handmade burial gowns for the stillborn babies whose souls shine bright and alive in Heaven.
Other times, she is awake and quiet in her chair; the only sounds we hear are the patient turn of pages. We know what she’s reading. Her favorite Book. The story that ends around page 1200 on paper, but goes on forever in real life. The story inspired by the Author who loves her…and loves others through her…right there in her chair.
Layla
PS- If you’d like to try Katie’s taco soup, here’s the recipe. It’s great!
Karlene
Feb 22, 2019 at 6:53 amHappy Birthday Katie! I hope your day was filled with Joy! From the sounds of the beautiful and heartfelt description written by Layla, I believe all of your days are joy filled! What a kind and beautiful soul you have! Best wishes!
Karen
Feb 22, 2019 at 6:56 amWhat a beautiful lady Katie is…….and Layla, you are just as beautiful for telling us about her! Happy birthday Katie ❤️
[email protected]
Feb 22, 2019 at 6:59 amThat was a beautifully written post about an even more beautiful lady.
Leah
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:08 amThat was the most amazing tribute to a well deserving Lady! Great job Layla, love your blog, if possible, even more after reading this!
Happy, Happy Birthday Katie, many more are prayed for you!
Linda
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:15 amHappy birthday Katie! What a lovely description you gave of us of your mother in law Layla.
Denice Hicks
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:18 amWhat a precious tribute to your mother-in-law and sister in Christ. You are blessed to have each other. I pray continued blessings on Katie as she pours out to all around her. Don’t you know her crown in heaven will be laden with the loveliest of jewels?
Janine Schuster
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:20 amAll I can say is…if that isn’t the best thing I’ve read then I don’t know what is…
Michelle
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:37 amYou are blessings to each other & others in your community. Happy Birthday Katie!
CindyP
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:46 amThanks for sharing your beautiful mother in love with us! What a blessing to have her in your life💗
Cheryl
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:51 amWhat beautiful words for a beautiful lady. When she is in your stories, it is easy to see what a precious lady she is. My mother-in-law turned 80 yesterday and she also has the most giving heart doing for others! Oh to learn from these Godly examples! Blessings to your family!
Mechelle
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:59 amHappy Birthday, Katie. Hoping your year is full of light and love!!
Thanks for sharing, Layla. Beautiful post, as always.
Christy Keyton
Feb 22, 2019 at 7:59 amThis was beautiful. Thank you for sharing her with us!
Andrea S
Feb 22, 2019 at 8:04 amYour daily writing sessions are paying off. That was wonderfully written and well developed.
Kimberly
Feb 22, 2019 at 8:21 amHappy Birthday Katie! Layla thank you for sharing Katie with us. What a blessing she is to you and so many others. Have wonderfully blessed day.
Eileen
Feb 22, 2019 at 8:22 amWhat a beautiful tribute to a wonderful lady.
Becky
Feb 22, 2019 at 8:22 amLayla, I am not a writer, but I recognize good writing and content when I read it. Y’all are blessed to have one another. Hugs all around. Thank you for sharing.
Becky
Kirstin
Feb 22, 2019 at 8:27 amI didn’t want this post to end! Beautifully written.
Cindi
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:11 amThe world should be full of Katies. I know heaven is!
Robbin
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:12 amHappy Birthday to a wonderful lady. What a blessing she is to all. What a reward she will have one day in heaven. What an example of a Godly woman. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET LADY!!!!
Robbie Zeller
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:17 amLayla,
What a blessing to have these days with Katie. You remind me of Ruth in the Bible loving on your mother-in-law! Your love and sweet heart really shines through in the words of your writing. Beautiful! I was so touched by the covering of stitching ladies in providing burial gowns for stillborn little babies. I am a grandma to Charlie James who was born full term not breathing. Charlie would have been six on January 28th. He has impacted my life profoundly as I long for heaven one day. What a lovely gift Katie offers to the Lord and to those sweet ones passing and to those left behind.
Jenn Anderson
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:52 amWhat a lovely tribute to your mother-in-law. She seems like a wonderful, sweet lady.
Marie
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:55 amWishing Katie another joyful and purposeful year! Thank you for sharing your beautiful, inspiring lives of love and light. God bless you both.
Terri
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:07 amWhat a beautiful Birthday tribute to an .. obviously very special and beautiful lady!!! Thank you so much for sharing !!! And.. Happy Birthday Katie
Rachael McKinney
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:14 amThis brought a few tears to my eyes. Such a wonderful story of a beautiful lady. Katie sure is special.
Peg
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:17 amWhat a wonderful post about a lady who seems wonderful herself! If you feel like it’s not an invasion of privacy, I’d love to see a few photos of their finished living space, and how they are liking it.
Judy Ridings
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:38 amSweetest story about a sweet lady!
Vicki V
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:44 amWhat a beautiful post about a beautiful soul! Happy birthday, Miss Katie!
Rhonda
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:55 amA truly heartwarming post about Katie Sue! I can’t tell you how blessed you are that Katie is still able to be so active in life and ministry! It brings me joy to know that! My own mother is the same age, and this story could be written about her–her love of singing in choirs, of church work, taking meals to shut-ins, teaching Bible study each week, enjoying her small town garden club, and taking care of her own home and garden. Not to mention taking care of her kids and grandkids! She was all about others. Dementia has now robbed her of all that, and all she can do now is sit or wander around the house…. Happy Birthday, Katie Sue, and wishes for many wonderful returns of the day!
Janice
Feb 22, 2019 at 10:59 amLoved your post and I love the fact that you admire and respect your mother-in-law so much. I believe you and I are in the minority of women that truly love our mothers-in-law. Mine was a jewel, too. I got to speak at her funeral to share with all the attended the things she did to make all of us feel special and cared for. Unfortunately, she wasn’t a believer during her early life, but was saved on her death bed just a few weeks before she died. Now I know I’ll get to see her again when I join her in heaven. I hope I get to meet Katie, too. She sounds like a precious lady.
Elizabeth
Feb 22, 2019 at 11:21 amYour writing is blossoming like a beautiful rose! I love this tribute to your sweet MIL!
Catherine
Feb 22, 2019 at 11:22 amThis just melted my heart.
Julia G
Feb 22, 2019 at 12:26 pmHappy Birthday Katie!
Ruth Lawrence
Feb 22, 2019 at 12:33 pmHave I missed something? Where is Kevin’s dad?
Layla
Feb 22, 2019 at 12:38 pmStill drawing at his desk. 😉
SoCalLynn
Feb 22, 2019 at 12:59 pmThis is such a sweet, beautiful tribute. You are blessed, and she is a blessing.
Susan
Feb 22, 2019 at 1:27 pmWhen I grow up I want to be like Katie!! I am 62. Happiest of days Katie. Thank you for writing such beautiful words. What a mentor you have in her.
Kris
Feb 22, 2019 at 2:46 pmThere are many Katies in the world who quietly give to others and to God. Thank you for highlighting one of them. May we all extend a word of thanks to the Katies in our lives.
Ramona
Feb 22, 2019 at 2:57 pmYou can truly feel the love you have for this beautiful lady in this post. Thank the Lord for both of you!!
Danyel
Feb 22, 2019 at 4:09 pmWhat a testimony! This reminds me so much of my 2 grandmothers both now in heaven. It always seemed to me that they were a testimony by just “being”. The love of God just oozed out of them. They were true servants.
Susan
Feb 22, 2019 at 4:47 pmWhat a wonderful tribute!!
Peggy
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:04 pmWhat a beautiful tribute ♡ I love that she waits to read the newsletter–so sweet. My aunt Mary is 98 and just like her. She still lives in her house. She is able to live independently because her son has the apartment upstairs. We love to give aunt Mary our intentions to pray for –we think she has a hotline to heaven:)
Barbara
Feb 22, 2019 at 11:43 pmLayla, thank you for sharing this beautiful lady with us. Happy birthday Katie – God bless you!
Sandy
Feb 23, 2019 at 12:59 amLayla, oh how I wish we lived close enough to get to know Katie, and your family. It is so sad to be family and not have the opportunity to really know each other. I have fond memories of James when I was growing up in Hawkins! What a beautiful living tribute to Katie!!
Debbie McCollum
Feb 23, 2019 at 8:16 amHappy Birthday, Katie . I love watching you and Steevenson cook together . You remind me of my sweet mom who passed away last year at the age of 94. You enjoy and same things in life, Keep sharing with others and your sweet family !!!
Danna
Feb 23, 2019 at 8:39 amOh, I love her. I pray she is not the last generation of women that spend their retirement years serving others. What a beautiful way you described her, Layla.
Sharon Horn
Feb 23, 2019 at 8:45 amLove!
All of it!
Ashley Pullen
Feb 25, 2019 at 1:56 pmSo beautiful!! Happy (belated) Birthday, Katie Sue!
Lori
Mar 1, 2019 at 11:25 pmWhat a precious tribute! Happy belated birthday, Miss Katie!