"I want one of your books, Sister Thelma, the first one," a church friend announced recently. I told her I'd bring it to her, but I repeatedly forgot. Until yesterday, when I handed it to her in Sunday School. When she asked how much, I gave her a discount price, and she said she was going to buy the next one next month.
The only thing about it is, she can't read! Kandy is usually carrying a book of some kind, though, from her "reading" class. There is a volunteer-taught literacy program she has been a part of for at least the six years I have known her. She often totes around such classics as The Call of the Wild," by Jack London, or a biography of Abe Lincoln. She especially likes books with dogs on the cover.
"Can she read any of that?" I once asked a mutual friend, since I had asked Kandy to read something once and she was unable to except for the simplest words, and was told, "In a way she can. For instance, she might see the word 'automobile' and call it 'car.'"
Kandy often does her "homework" in church. That is, she copies pages and pages of any printed material in her beautiful handwriting, and proudly shows it off, but she doesn't know what it says! Although she is in her mid-sixties and a great-grandmother, her mental age is about 6. Kandy plays with Barbie dolls and loves to tease and frolic with kids of that age.
Although usually sweet-tempered, sometimes this "young lady" stalks into church or Sunday School with arms folded across her chest and announces loudly she is "mad" at somebody (usually her aggravating son who lives with her), or a friend who has inadvertently hurt her feelings with well-meaning correction or advice. Her venting doesn't last long, though, and soon she is all smiles, her happy grin crinkling her eyes.
At Christmas time, Kandy made her own cards with surprisingly accurate likenesses of recipients and their families drawn in her signature elementary-school style and passed them out at church. Few can resist this friendly soul who loves the Lord with all her heart. Jesus said in Matthew 18:10, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
Besides, one of my books may soon be the one Kandy is showing off!
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