Mary's Merry Mom

Betty Bjurman, my mother, is an amazing and remarkable woman. But, isn't that what all daughters would say about their own mothers? If the answer is yes, then you understand what a blessing it is to have a mother that is strong in her faith, constant in her love and the center of encouragement to her whole family. She has always been the one solid person in my life to never have her faith waiver, but be steady and strong in all circumstances. She may think she has never done anything "big" to be worthy of a church article, but the truth of the matter is, she has completed something very significant. She has traveled through her life of 87 years living a life centered on the Lord and has guided her family in that journey as well.

She was born in Denver where her father was a pilot flying the first open cockpit airmail runs ever between Denver and Kansas City. The family moved to Southern California when she was a young teenager. In California, her father became a test pilot for fighter planes later used in WWII. Her mother was a homemaker and she had one younger sister, affectionately known as Lottie. With no brothers, mom claims to be the son her father never had. She washed the LaSalle and did the heavy household chores. She attended Pasadena Jr. College where she even competed for the Rose Parade Queen. But then, every girl in the PJC gym classes did at the time. Oh, well makes a good story, huh mom? She had been dating and planning marriage to a young man from her church. He was hospitalized during WWII and through unknown complications with new medicines of the day, died suddenly. She was broken-hearted, but trusted the Lord to use her life as a single woman if He so chose.

She enrolled in the University of California Santa Barbara and found a roommate named Rose Bjurman from Alhambra, California. Are you getting the picture? Yes, my Aunt Rosie introduced mom to my dad. Betty and Earl first met at a difficult time. It was at his father's funeral where my dad first met mom. He had come home from Flint, Michigan where he was attending GMI. After graduation from UCSB, she worked as a Chemist at the famous Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Mom and dad have been married now for nearly 63 years - in a row!! They have two married children, Bob and Mary, four grandchildren and just this Christmas became great grandparents. Those years have been filled with service to the Lord. Mom has been involved in many ministries throughout the years including: teaching Sunday School (since Eisenhower was President), a jail ministry, Young Life, PEO, community Bible studies, Women's Aglow, working in a Mother Teresa orphanage in Alexandria, Egypt as well as an orphanage in Zambia for children whose parents had died from AIDS. Back in the early 1970's and into the 80's she always brought hard boiled eggs in her purse to church to give out to the homeless. She forgets, but I don't. Neither do those that are touched by her loving kindness.

Probably the ministry that has touched her heart in ways she never would have imagined was Inner City Youth Ministries. Out of that ministry she met many families and helped in practical ways with their needs and ministered to them for years. She got involved in four kid's lives in particular. Two of them became part of our family in many ways. One came to stay with mom and dad on the weekends for years and another lived with them and went to high school. They became involved on every level with these kids from giving them their first birthday party at age 10, to putting on a wedding in their living room. She still gets phone calls from these now adult women telling her of their gratefulness to both she and dad. It was truly a picture of selflessness to us. And she wonders what she has done in life. "If you have done it unto the least of these, my children, you have done it unto me."

Her days are a little different now. Mom has survived a bout of cancer and a stroke. She has slowed down on her involvements, but the one thing those ailments can not do is stop her from praying. She is a prayer warrior. She probably prays for you because she diligently prays for her church.

Mom has a good sense of humor and also supplies good material for the rest of the family's sense of humor. We all love to kid mom. We affectionately call her "Betty Burn-‘em." She is a great cook, but gets so distracted with her conversations, she always is burning something. She's famous for her favorite and over used lines. As kids it was, "Don't sit so close to the TV" and, "Take those dirty clothes off in the garage." Or the classic, "Where's your jacket?" Now it's, "Stay out of the sun," and "Get a flu shot." But her signature line, that may sound trite, but she truly means it with all her heart - - "God love ya." God does love me, mom. I was first taught that by you. No, you never gave a great stand-up sermon, you just demonstrated God's love with your life. You never had a building named after you, but you built your life on the firm foundation of God's word. You have never been interviewed on the six o'clock news, you simply broadcast your faith and grace to everyone you meet.

Well, God love ya, Betty Bjurman.

Mary Rossmaessler