A Mother's Legacy

Mama's birthday, May 6, was always just days before Mother's Day. How appropriate. Motherhood was her calling, her specialty, and her life. She was really good at it. Can't you just see in this picture how much she looked forward to ME being born (okay, Buddy and Caryn, too).

In sixty years of marriage, Mama lived her Christian convictions unswervingly before her family and all those who knew her.

Some of Mama's heartfelt convictions were expressed in bulletin boards she created for her Forum Sunday School Class. She meant every word she said.

Every blessing I can count today began with the love that my Mama and Daddy imparted to me from my earliest recollections. And I am the lucky husband of another wonderful mother. Judy has been my one true love and is everything to me. I know Jennifer and Amanda, the two most awesome young mothers I know, will give Judy the credit for so many valued lessons of motherhood. I pay tribute to all of them, as well as my sister Caryn and Judy's mother Thelma. Everyone should have the benefit of mothers like these. The world would be a better place.

Judy's not going to rest on her laurels. She's moving on to perfecting the rearing of grandchildren. And off to a pretty great start, I'd say.

Judy and I can be very thankful as we look back to our own grandmothers and mothers, and ahead to our daughters and granddaughters. From that perspective, we can actually glimpse at least five generations (including our own). We have seen the blessings of the past and present, and we can anticipate those of the future. God's commandment to honor our mothers (and fathers) attests to the fact that they are the glue which holds together our families, communities, and in the broadest sense, civilization. A pretty important legacy. Now is a good time to honor the mothers that are important in your life.