Aunt Bennie Pennies

I had a great aunt that everyone called 'Aunt Bennie'.  Even if she was not a member of their family, she was Aunt Bennie.  She was born in 1902 and had married and divorced young, never having had children.  She devoted her life to working and taking care of her mother.  In the late 1970s, my grandmother asked her to move to our town instead of an hour away since there were no family members where she lived to take care of her.  A duplex was built and my grandmother was going to live in one side with Aunt Bennie on the other side.  My grandmother passed away before she could move in, so Eric and I were able to rent her apt. 

Aunt Bennie was the kind of person that everyone should strive to be.  She was a Christian who truly lived up to the definition.  She never gossiped, not even to her closest friends.  She was very soft spoken, I never heard her raise her voice in anger at ANYONE. 

Aunt Bennie was a firm believer in missions.  She especially had a heart for Lottie Moon.  All through the year she would collect pennies to give in December to the Lottie Moon offering at church.  No matter how few she had, it went to the Lottie Moon offering.  She was known for asking if you had any pennies to give.  A penny wasn't much and people usually had a few of those in their pockets.  She was not bashful when it came to collecting, anyone was fair game.

As a way to remember her, my family has collected pennies every year since she has been gone.  Since 1997, we have rolled the coins and donated them to a church, specifically for Lottie Moon.  Both of our sons kept a small container on their dresser and would give it to us when it got full.  I keep a china teacup in my closet for pennies and we empty it out periodically. 

I hope to always keep her memory alive by collecting for Lottie Moon.  I have had people offer me other coins, it isn't the same.  It has to be a penny.  If you see me and have a penny in your pocket, don't hesitate to give it to me.  I will take them any way they are offered. 

Some people will see money laying on the sidewalk and will not pick it up.  Not me.  When we walk and I see a penny on the ground, I pick it up and know that it is one more 'Aunt Bennie Penny.'