The Betsy B Revisited

Labor Day weekend is upon us, and with its arrival my thoughts always turn to the beach.  Even though I live in Florida, in my mind there is only one beach that matters- Myrtle Beach. And since my travel is extremely limited these days, my beach trips are confined to my mind to the many great memories from over the years. I have shared these thoughts with you before, but they seem very appropriate again today.  It's time for another trip to the Betsy B.

The Betsy B is just a building.  I know this is a true statement, but it somehow does not do the "old girl" justice.  For too many years- from 1981 until 2000- she was a huge part of my life and ministry.  Today I want to tell you our story.

In 1980, Martha Ratledge Farlow and I were working as youth leaders at New Garden Friends Meeting, and we decided to put together a reunion for the folks we had been in youth group with during our high school days.  We researched and found a house at North Myrtle Beach, and we rented it.  The following year we did it again, but decided on a different house, oceanfront in the Ocean Drive section of NMB.  This house was The Betsy B.  The "B" (pictured above) is a three story house, and each level is rented separately.  Each level sleeps 14, as long as you really like each other! In those days we never needed the whole thing, so we often had neighbors.  There is nothing fancy about the "B."  In fact, after doing the reunion there a couple of years, some of our group wanted to stay at a nicer place, so we quit using it.  

In 1988, the summer after our first Walt Disney World trip from Springfield Friends Meeting, we decided to take the group to NMB.  I called about the "B" only to discover that the realty company no longer rented to groups or house parties.  After some negotiating, they agreed to "grandfather" me in.  We could rent the house; but if we ever messed anything up it would be the last time we would stay there.  We stayed at the "B" in '88 and '89 with Springfield, and returned in 1995, 1997, and 1999 with First UMC-Kissimmee. The highlight of The Betsy B for me was the same no matter which group I was with-  I loved that you could sit on the big wrap-around oceanfront porches any time of day and see amazing things.  During the day I could see the crowded beach, the beautiful Atlantic Ocean and the bright sunshine while the kids' boom boxes blasted out great music (except for the year the guys were obsessed with Guns'n'Roses).  At night I could sit out on the porch and see the moon reflect off the ocean, or watch amazing thunderstorms out at sea.  I could sit quietly and wait in the cool ocean breeze and eventually youth would come out to sit and talk about life, faith, relationships and heartache.  I could take my guitar out and began to play and write songs, and eventually a crowd would come out for some spontaneous singing and worship.  Students tell me quite often that their favorite memory of our youth ministry was singing with me on the porch of The Betsy B.  Those times are near the top of my list as well.

The Betsy B was so important to so many of us that Jim & Karen Fry, who chaperoned several of the Kissimmee groups, started taking their own kids and their friends after I left for Chicago.  They were still able to use my "grandfather" status- a real testament to all the kids who kept our reputation in place over the years.  Marilyn, Will and I came down from Illinois and joined them in 2000- my last trip to the "B."  I miss the place, but the memories are rich and plentiful.  And I haven't given up hope that one of you will decide to buy it for us so I can put my Hall of Fame there someday...

I have written here many times over the past 3 years how important trips were to my youth ministries.  Just the mention of the Betsy B brings a smile to the face of anyone who ever went.  The memories are priceless.  I'd love to hear some of yours.  In the meantime, have a safe and blessed Labor Day weekend. 

Because of Jesus,