Happy Mothers Day, Mother

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A quick note before today’s message: We would deeply appreciate your prayers for a smooth visit with Ray’s new intervention cardiologist at 2:00 p.m. Central today. Thank you.

I passed by a church marquee the other day. It had a simple message:

Honor your mother.

Though I haven’t been able to honor my mother in person for the last three years, I can still honor her by living according to the teaching she gave me.

My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
Proverbs 6:20-22

I can see these verses lived out in my life. When I walk about, my mother’s teaching guides me. When I sleep, it watches over me. When I awake, they talk to me.

I would also like to honor my mother today by introducing her to you. This is my beautiful Mother when she was about 20 years old.

 

Mother loved my Daddy when they got married.

She loved him for the first 25 years.

She loved him for the next 25 years. Here is my parents’ photo for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration.

Mother loved her baby girl, Eva Charlene. She told me I looked like a china doll.

Mother loved my baby brother Steve, born almost three years later.

Mother took good care of her little family.

Mother and Daddy, too, made sure that we learned about Jesus. She taught Sunday school for many years. When she had a stroke that affected her speech, she had to learn to talk again, but before she could speak she could sing “Jesus Loves Me.” I remember hearing her sing it while still in the hospital. I don’t remember why we took this picture but I am thankful that we did. Here are Mother and Daddy in front of the church we entered every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, plus every day of Vacation Bible School and the annual gospel meeting.

Mother wanted us all to look spiffy, even enough to curl my hair on Saturday nights.

Mother loved to sew.

She loved to paint.

She loved to make crafts.

Mother loved her siblings and their spouses.

Mother loved Daddy’s family, too. Here she is with Mama Sue.

Mother loved our children.

She loved my niece.

She and my brother were very close.

Mother loved her great-grandchildren.

Mother loved costumes.

And she loved hats.

She looked great in them, too.

Mother loved to travel when we were kids. Here we are in Pigeon Forge when it was very different from what it is like today.

Mother loved to travel when she grew older, too. Here we are at Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Plum Creek in Minnesota.

Mother loved pictures.

She loved holidays. Here she is at our house between Daddy’s cousin Phil and my brother Steve.

Mother loved birthdays.

And I loved Mother.

I miss you, Mother.

She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
“Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
Proverbs 31:27-29

 

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