My mother’s birthday would have been this week. She will be celebrating in heaven, and has been for many years, as she would have been 105 this week. Mother was probably the most significant Christian in my younger life. She was a school teacher, too, although her “teacher training” consisted of only six weeks of training in high school, and her teacher career lasted only two years. After that, she spent her life as a Christian wife, mother, and grand mother. Mother taught us by words, of course, but I think mostly she taught us by example.
I don’t recall her ever missing a chance to worship on Sunday mornings. What did we learn from that? Worship is important! We go to church on Sunday morning. It’s not something we decide every Sunday morning – we just knew if it was Sunday, we worship.
Mother sent birthday cards to everyone she knew, it seemed. Her theory was to let people know you are thinking of them and care enough to take a little time to help make their day special. I doubt they were Hallmark cards, but I’m sure they made everyone smile.
Mother would have made a great “volunteer of the year” candidate.
She cleaned church, baked for funeral din ners, served for the needy, played piano for Sunday School, taught Sunday School, gave devotions for shut-ins, transcribed Sunday School lessons in Braille, by hand, for the blind. She continued her loving services until her health failed.
Mother’s greatest gift to her children was her witness to her Christian faith. With tears, I remember her on her death bed. She asked that I gather everyone she loved, which I did. (That also included her pastor!) We all gathered around her bed and held hands as SHE led us, in as strong a voice as she could muster, in the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer.
Then she said to us, “You can go now.” Those were the last words she spoke before she joined her dear Lord and Savior a couple days later.
Mother was only human, but she taught us the lessons of faith, love, and care – much more than book learning!
As parents, we all have the same opportunities to be unwavering Christian witnesses to our children. Don’t despair when children test us with independence that we aren’t quite ready for. They will always remember the Christian witness you give them by word and example.
Our children watch us and learn. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it!” Proverbs 22:6.
What a responsibility we have, but also what comfort we have in these words.
God’s blessings to you as you set examples for your children! By the way, if you stillhave a mother, give her a hug or a phone call!