My Mother

Even after 14 years of not having her near to me, I still am thankful for the influences of my mother on my life.

The first most important influence came through her own love of truth. When she met my daddy and he began to tell her about the church of God and the truth represented by it, she was awed. She never ceased to be awed. Until the day she died, she expressed her love for the church of God and the ministers who preached truth.

That love spilled out her eyes when she talked to me about spiritual things-- about things she read in the Bible, about things my daddy had told her of the sixth seal church, about the love she had for the present church as it was restored from the "silence".

Besides her love for truth, her way of handling issues that came up -- whatever they were-- in way that was positive is probably the chief reason I was able to handle my saved life without huge battles with any kind of bad attitudes. She was the embodiment of Philippians 4:8.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

She never, ever created a pattern for me that led me to see the bad in people, be critical of how they did things or to withdraw with hurt feelings because of how someone treated me. They always had a forgivable reason for what they did. ("You don't know; they might have had a headache." "You don't know what they might be going through themselves.") As I aged, I learned that she was right.

I suppose-- without realizing I was going to-- I followed in her footsteps in other ways. My mother LOVED people but she was not a social person. When she was with people, she enjoyed their company and she kept the focus on them, not herself. But she never minded being alone. She knew how to entertain herself even before there were computers. She was always reading, or listening to something she liked while she did needlepoint or the New York Times crossword puzzles. Those puzzles were a challenge to her and many days I'd see her going from one source to another to find answers-- encyclopedia, dictionary, etc.

My mother gave of herself to everyone in every way that she could think to do and was able to do. She was "setting on ready" to jump up and do whatever her grandchildren asked. She helped in every way she could.

It may sound strange to say, but in a lot of ways, I don't really miss my mother. The biggest reason for that is because so much of what she gave me SHE IS STILL GIVING. She is still with me. Her influence is as alive with me today as it was when she was present with me.

I know without the influence my mother had on my life, I would not be the same person that I am today. I cannot imagine that I would be saved.

.