Preparing for the Greatest Love Gift

 I am continuing to prepare my children and myself for the cross.  The greatest love gift ever given and the victory that comes from the Risen Lord becomes my daily focus.

I go and pull out our banner that reminds us of the road to the cross.  In early parenthood, my husband bought me the book, "Family Celebrations: Meeting Christ in Your Holidays" by Ann Hibbard.  She gives the instructions for making the banner and devotionals for the road to Calvary. We start at the fall and continue through the Bible reading God's redemptive story.  We finish with the victory of the empty grave.

On Easter morning we flip over the banner and go through the house shouting,  "He Has Risen".  The flip side shows Jesus with his hands open wide having conquered the grave.   Praise and Worship music fills the air.

Along this journey to the cross, we also read other books that remind us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins.  Each child was given a book for Easter and they are enjoyed by all. (2011 my personal focus has been on the different personalities of the disciples...how I am like them, doubting and denying)

Since passover season usually arrives during this time, we also celebrate the Feast of Passover, like Jesus celebrated.  We learn about seeing Christ in the Seven Jewish Feasts.  Some years, we fully celebrate the feasts and at other times, we merely read about them.

This year I will read "the greatest story ever told" to Benjamin from his new Bible.  The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This Bible is for ages 0-9, one of the best I have ever used with my children.

As I guide my children to the cross, I will also examine my walk with the Lord.  "Taste and See" by John Piper is helping me see my Saviour in a more intimate way. (This is a re-post from last year so this year I am going through Bread and Wine.)

As we enjoy spring, we also anticipate the EMPTY GRAVE!!!

Last years Seder Meal post - click - Passover Meal

Embracing the Season of Resurrection Life.

It is ALL about 5!!!!!!

Charles Demuth - (1883-1935)

In 5 days we celebrated three birthdays!!

The youngest is now 5

Making him the age of Kindergarten in the fall...do you hear me crying already?

The teen is now 15 - yes'm... ten years and 3 days apart... my last two boys

He is now wanting his driver's permit... oh, my... the 5th child to go through this stage

He is my 5th child

I have 5 boys

I turned 50!

The number 5 means GRACE, I will take that.

Thomas Jefferson's face is on the nickel - 5 cent coin

J. F. Kennedy's face is on the half dollar- 50 cent coin

Abraham Lincoln's face graces  the-  $5.00 bill

Ulysses S. Grant's face on the - $50.00 bill

We have 5 fingers on our hand

We have 5 toes on our feet

So many references in the Bible

5-Fold Ministry of Prophet, Preacher, Teacher, Evangelist, and Apostle

5 Fish 

5 Books in the Torah

50 is the Year of Jubilee!!!

Now that is one that I would love to experience in the natural, but I do experience it in my relationship with Christ!  The year of Jubilee for the Jews meant...

• Land was allowed to rest
• Debts were forgiven
• Slaves were freed
• Estates were returned to families who had lost their inheritance and forced into poverty

What  a fun week of 5's!!! Now I need 5 minutes of rest!

A Caroling We Will Go - A Blue and Red Music Christmas

A caroling piece for our ever growing village.

Come join me in my home as we prepare to go caroling.  I have brought my new colors of  blue and red into my Christmas decor, along with music...it is so cheerful.  After 30 years of Christmas decor, I have been able to collect some precious items, and yet a face-lift was in order.  Come on in and prepare your voice. We will be heading back outside to light up the neighborhood with singing.

Welcome to my Celebration table...there is always room at this table.  My non-traditional blue was added to my twenty-year-old Christmas china.  I can still remember the year my dear husband bought the china...the first three were very small.  My boys weren't too impressed...and let's just say, all five of them aren't impressed even now and they will laugh about sitting down once again to a fancy table.

Our reindeer stockings are floating from the stairs to the side of our dining room.  This collection (started in 1980) still adds a smile to my face.  I did set the little reindeer's on my painted blue table.

click to enlarge any pictures

The boys helped me decorate the tree with blue and red balls.  My new polka-dot bows add the colors again.  I made cones out of sheet music to tied my music theme to the tree.  My rule on our family tree...leave the ornaments where the children put them!! So we sometimes have a few very full limbs at the child's eye level...now I have been known to ask to change one or two..but only when the child is in their teens and doing it to see if they can get my goat. Remember I have five boys...count them...FIVE!!!

Mantle inspirations.........blog world.  Anything under glass inspiration from Marla@Always Nesting.  The sheet music wreath and music cones I made, inspiration from Miss Mustard Seed.  The sheet music is taken from one copy (of the multiple copies) of singing books my grandmother left me. I dedicate my "Sunday Singing" posts to her. She would have loved the caroling party!

I included the 1/2 bathroom with it's Santa figurines and, of course, you know that Christmas books are in a basket there also...just in case you need to freshen up after your trip here. Our Christmas village has expanded from our table to cover the top of the piano... what were we thinking!  Our village is made up of birthday and Christmas gifts from friends, as well as add-on pieces for each child.  You will have to crowd together...our downsizing has made it a lot more cozy!  Just wander through the house if you need more room.  My talented husband will lead us in a warm-up at the oak grand piano his parents bought him... which I did NOT paint!

Now, "JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME! LET THE EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!"  Thanks for taking a blog journey through our Christmas house and singing along at your computer.

The Old Tradition of Caroling - Touches Hearts

A gift from one of our carolers one year

This week, I am inviting you into our open house prior to our Caroling Party on Friday.  Before I open my doors, I have to go back in time and re-tell our family caroling party stories.  Many, many years ago, while mothering four children under the age of seven, my oldest, social networking son, came to me about a Christmas party.  He didn't understand why all the Christmas parties were for adults and none for children.  All the babysitters were booked months in advance so all the parents could attend the full calendar of events they were invited to celebrate.  I agreed. So this home school mom put one more thing on her plate and the Wright Family Caroling Christmas Party was born.  All ages were welcome!  Strollers, pregnant women, toddlers, elementary, pre-teens,  teenagers, parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts have come through our doors for our Caroling Parties.  Old friends, pre-friends (many we didn't know), neighbors, boyfriends, girlfriends and future spouses would also join us on our neighborhood caroling.


Each year, I would labor in love over the food and drinks we would all share after the caroling.  Each year, I would pray!  My desire was for each person who came to be blessed and for our neighborhood as well.  We would be going out and proclaiming the truth of the gospel into the air around our home.  We would meet new neighbors, we would see needs, we would share our lives and beliefs with those around us.


Each year, God answered my prayers.  The house always got clean, decorated and all the food prepared.  The people God ordained to come would arrive.  The weather would always clear...there has never been a year that it was too cold or wet.  Each year, God would bless us all with stories to tell as we came back to the house for fellowship.

Our first caroling party in our new home in 1998

1) One year, the door opened to a neighbor whose body was ravaged from the effects of cancer.  She lost her battle to cancer the following month.  The husband would tell us over and over again how our caroling made their last Christmas together so special.
2) As on cue, we rang the door bell and the hostess came to the door.  She laughed out loud as she encouraged her Christmas guests to come to the door for our singing...as we left she told us how it made their party and looked like she had had it all arranged.
3)  A retired couple opened their doors to our singing voices one year...they became life-long friends to our children.
4)  One year, a couple came whom we had never met.  They were friends of one of our children.  As the lady walked through the house holding our newest baby, (the one I had just had at age 45), God gave her and her husband confirmation to have another child.  She would explain at her baby's shower how our family was one of the confirmations that they were to have another child...she received it at our caroling party.
5) Each year we have warm memories and have been able to revive the lost tradition of caroling.

We have never had carolers come to our home, nor have I been able to have a caroling party every year since its conception.  Life happened and struggles robbed us of this joy, but this year, after a three year break...our caroling party returns.  I have reluctantly asked for guests to bring a favorite dish to share...and I hope this isn't too burdensome during the busy holidays.  I once again have begun to pray over our party this year... for our new neighborhood and new opportunities for Christ to touch lives through our singing praises to Him!


I wish you were close and could come join us as we sing "Glory in the Highest, Peace on Earth, Good Will toward Men!" Blessings to you and yours!!

Worth "Hog-tying" Them

At what age do we cross from total, non-sleep excitement over Christmas to...do I have to?  Somewhere in those teen years, our childhood excitement starts to wane.  Instead of getting up at four in the morning, we want to sleep in, rise for gifts and crawl back into bed.  Mothers push through these seasons of less-than-total enthusiasm to continue to make Christmas memories.  When these same children have children of their own...THEN the sparkle will come back into their eyes. So when I mentioned wanting my older ones to come with us to the Dallas Christmas parade...early on Saturday...well, let's use the Texas phrase, they had to be "hog-tied".  The weather was going to be in the mid-50's...so no whining about it being to be too cold. (yes we are true Texans who think it is cold at 50 degrees)

As we approached the top of the grassy knoll...yes, the legendary one that went into the history books with the shooting of JFK...we could see the parade participants.  Without our knowledge, we had come to the side where they were all being assembled to start the parade.  I started to laugh, then giggle, while speaking in a higher voice as we approached them.  Running to each line to get pictures of the characters, my older children made fun of me.  Benjamin was being piggy-backed...the brace was slowing us down, so his sister took him right beside "Iron Man".  We were so close to all these fictional characters....how fun!!

Those reluctant "hog-tied" participants were now excited.  Cell phones were pulled out for pictures instead of text or talk.  Grins and giggles started coming from everyone's mouths........we all became kids!!  

The parade was to support Children's Medical Center...I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the work they do and start off our Christmas season.  My "hog-tied" ones also said they enjoyed it and started planning for next year!  Moms can have good ideas! I applaud all of us mothers for continuing forward, even with resistance.  Have you had to "hog-tie" anyone this Christmas season...maybe even a Husband?

Here is my "hog-tied" bunch!!

I will know if they ever read my blog....they will hate this picture. Benjamin loves it, he is with his siblings.

I CHOOSE US!

There are just some movies that say it for me and Family Man is one of those movies.  I have it in my DVD collection and I usually bring it out at Christmas.  If there is any chance that I have allowed doubts to enter my mind, this movie always sweeps them away.

Saturday, my husband had to work late into the evening and I sat... lonely in my big chair, while flipping through the channels. There was Family Man.

What if we could see what our life would have been like if we had chosen differently?  Jack was given that chance in this movie.  What wins at the end isn't the high paying job, the nice car or the yearly vacations, instead he is allowed to see the joy in a life where life happened.  He would have had two children and lived very modestly with a wife who adored him.  His glimpse into what could have been, allowed him to change his priorities.  He was given a second chance.

At one point in the movie, he wants to uproot the whole family for his dream job.  She finally gives in and says she would go with him anywhere!  She says, "I Choose Us."

There were many choices along our 30 years of marriage.  Many job options would have taken my husband out of town more days than in town, instead he chose to work near home.  He never missed any of our childrens' games, nor any other event in all six of their lives.  The exchange  was worth it.

As we look to our future, I can truly say, "I Choose Us!"  My husband is the real Family Man!

I guess hindsight sometimes brings us the same message that Jack learned in the movie, "Family Man,"... it isn't about things, but about relationships!!*

*caution... there are a few scenes that some eyes should be covered (we fast forward)...for me, it catches the heart of a couple in love...as she says, "they are envious of us!" Like any recommendation, use your own judgment!  This movie is in my top 10!

What are some of your favorite movies that remind you of the most precious things in life? What are some of your favorite holiday movies?

Just Have to Laugh!!!

My handsome, young, single, college graduate (does that sound like a mother speaking?) started to tell me this story over the phone.  

"When are you going to San Antonio?" - me

"Well,  don't know. Oh, I didn't tell you what happened to my car." - son

"No, what?" - me

Now I must tell you, this is the son who prides himself in getting us caught in one of his tricks.  He is the King of April Fools...but I did pull one off on him.  So when he started, I was already racking my brain on what the day was...joke day?? fools day?????

"Well I had another blowout with a tire. The lug nut wouldn't come off again." - son

"I just told you Dad you need to go down and buy all new tires for that car. " - unmerciful mom

"Well, I decided that since I had free towing, I would call and have them tow it to Discount Tires." - son

"The tow truck got there and he started to jack up my car.  I told him that he wasn't doing it right. He told me he had been doing this for years and knew what he was doing.  Then I heard a crunch!!!" - son

"I told him to stop....he came and we looked and the jack had gone through my floor board!!" - son

"NO!" - mom...still trying to figure out if he was pulling one over on me.

Now I must say...my son bought his own car and it is his dream car!  He doesn't let any dirt get on it. He drives it with great pride...and yes, he knows the verse, "pride comes before a fall"

"I told him to put the car down! Then he went to connect the hitch to the front bumper and...he pulled the bumper off!" - son

By this time, I am sure this isn't real and I burst into laughter.... but my son isn't laughing!!

"ARE YOU FOR REAL?" - me

"YES!!  I started laughing and the tow man got mad at me!  I told him it was MY CAR!!!" - SON

"So the car is now at the dealership....not at Discount Tires....and they are trying to see what damage has been done to the car and repair it."

No, this was not for a reality show.  NO!, no one came out of the bushes and said it was a joke or they were taking his car away to fix it up...........this WAS REAL!!!

What can I say..........when something gets the best of us WRIGHTS, we LAUGH!!!  Beware the next time you call a tow truck!!   Yes, that is his picture at the top of this post.  This executive wore this Sesame Street Count Dracula costume to his clients' offices on October 29th.  He is known for having a smile on his face from the day he was born.  He hopes to get his car back soon!!

Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  Matt. 6:20

2010 Thanksgiving Notes

As we enter this wonderful season of Thanksgiving, I am so enjoying seeing how everyone celebrates.  Each tradition is different, each individual's likes and dislikes and each family building their own.  Before my son got married, I was talking with his wife-to-be about how they will find their own way of celebrating the holidays.  I would hope some of what we have done will sneek in and be a part of their traditions, but if not, that is okay also.  I just hope they enjoy building new ones for their family.

As our first one became engaged, I started looking for new traditions for our transitional family.  We began "blessings" cards.  During the month of November, everyone takes home enough cards for each person in the family.  On the individual cards they put a blessing to that person.  Sometimes it is a Bible verse or quote and sometimes it is a very personal word of encouragement for the year.  We put them in individually-marked envelopes to be given at Thanksgiving.  Even our youngest dictates his "blessings" to the older siblings.  I have been encouraged by the words that I have received, while watching one child carry her cards around throughout the year in her athletic bag.  This has allowed the younger ones to stay connected to the older ones.  I hope through the years, the cards are kept and looked back on with cherished memories.  This year I hope to find small boxes for each person to store their cards in.  

Another of our traditions is writing our thanks out on a black scrapbook page.  One year, I posted a large white piece of paper on a door so everyone would write on it as they came in the house.  It was wonderful to enjoy, but hard to keep.  So now the page sets on the table for all who enter our house to add their thanks for the year.

Happy November to you and yours!  I enjoyed sharing just part of our home and our traditions with you.

My Story in a Quilt

Linking up with Dayle for "Airing of the Quilts," I wanted to show off my quilt from my grandmother.


Throughout my Mommy Piggy Tale posts, I spoke about the clothes my mother or I made. By saving pieces of the leftover material through the years, I collected  a large memory scrap box.
During my early teen years, I would spend a week at my grandmother's farm.She would set up this massive wooden quilting frame in her small den.After a full day at her job, she would return home to show me how to quilt.When I graduated from high school and was filling my hope chest, she gathered all the scraps from my clothes and hand-pieced and hand- quilted me this memory maker.  I can remember so many of the outfits contained in this design. My life story is stitched within a quilt... lovingly sewn by the hands of my grandmother.
Her labor of love has so much more meaning today than even yesterday.I recently announced that I would be a first-time grandmother.My thoughts went to dreaming of all the things I would do with this little one.The memories we would make together.What I would make for my first grandchild.God had other plans and my first grandchild is in heaven today.We rejoiced and now we mourn, but knowing we will see that child one day is a healing balm.
Just like wrapping up in a quilt... God brings comfort.Recently my friend's mother-in-law went to be with the Lord and they draped her casket in one of the quilts she had made for her granddaughter... wrapping her in comfort.I look forward to the day I hold my grandchild and maybe, just maybe, one of my future grandchildren willsit beside me to learn from my hands.

Your Invited to Our Party

Cast boy and I would love for you to join us for his cast signing party!  We have been so honored by your prayers that we just didn't want you to miss it.  Here we go....entering our home through my newly painted door..sorry landlord, but the beige door just had to go.

I have prepared for you a fall table...take your seat, you are welcome at any spot.

I am staying with my new holiday motto K.I.S.S. - keep it simple stupid!! So our menu tonight will consist of White Chili, Rosemary Rolls cooked in my cast iron pans, and gingerbread man cookies.
I hope you enjoy!

I have combined my dishes with throw away paper plates...thank you Hobby Lobby for your 50% off sale, this is keeping in my K.I.S.S. motto and less clean up.

You may select your own cookie.  Cast boy said they had to have a frown on them since they had a cast!

Your turn...grab the orange marker and place you name right there on the camo cast!!!  It has been a long day for Cast boy.  First school and the classmates signed and now a party with all his family and you!
Thanks for stopping by...our door is always open.  Cast boy will be walking on his own in three more weeks!

Maple Leaf Cookies, Crazy Hair, Pumpkins and Cast

SO LONG OCTOBER!

In Texas we are still having hot weather, but the leaves are starting to change, and November may usher in cooler weather.  Change of temptature or not we still enjoyed our October.

Falls arrival means cooking.  Apple Dumplings and Maple Leaf Gingerbread Cookies.
Saturdays spent watching our fourteen year old play baseball.

We began the morning with Crazy Hair Day, thanks sissy, and ended with a broken bone.

Pumpkins and Gourds have arrived for us city folks.

We still made it to the Pumpkin Patch and Hay Ride.

God reminded me that so many deal with the obstacles I dealt with at the pumpkin patch...carrying cast boy  around, yet their struggle is permanent.  I will now watch for occasions to help some one out...we were offered very little assistance....what a shame...MAYBE IF YOU PUT DOWN YOUR I-phone YOU COULD HELP and not miss your own children's adventure! (sorry soapbox moment)

We end the month with stories and a movie on Martin Luther.  Now we move into a month of Thanksgiving and two birthdays.

What a great season of seeing God's faithfulness!!  

Good-bye October 2010!

We Need Some Extra-Strength RAID!

A pest has taken up residence in our home and started to multiply itself through out our dwelling.  At the beginning it was hardly a bother, even laughter encouraged its occupancy.  Besides, who wanted to extinguish with heavy chemicals, we are trying to live with less chemicals.  As we turned our heads, the pest believed it was invisible.  We had encouraged it by purchasing "how to books" for increasing its productivity, even though it was a joke.

This can be bought through Amazon

However, it has been so productive and I am quite sure this isn't what God meant in Genesis when he said, "be fruitful and multiply". We are now having to engage in chemical warfare to rid this pest from our home.

It has devoured our dreams, our productivity, our health, our education, our money and our relationships.  It was so easily allowed to take over our home that we may not know who we are without it.  BUT IT IS TIME TO GO!

...EXCUSES!!

The head needs to come off this pest and our home needs to learn to keep it away!

1. Weight Excuses 
2. Exercise Excuses 
3. Romance Excuses 
4. Lack-of-Excellence-in-Education Excuses
5. Not-Serving Excuses
6. Money Excuses
7. This list could take a whole page so I will stop - it has invaded every area of life

In order for us to want a change, we have to hate the thing that needs to be changed more than the change it will take to get rid of it.  I went to some sources on Excuses....I wanted to become sick of excuses.

Dictionary definition - A reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault 

Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure - Don Wilden

OUCH!!!!

Excuses are the tools with which persons without purpose in view build for themselves great monuments of nothing. - Steven Grayham

A lie is an excuse guarded . - Jonathan Swift

We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty. - Marcus Quintilian

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. - Benjamin Franklin

(now that one really makes me want to get rid of our pest)

The bottom line....it comes to destroy what God intended in our life.  We become robbed, dissatisfied, apathetic and lifeless.

DEU 30:11  Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you 
or beyond your reach.

"But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the 
weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

I found myself with others in the scripture, which were there for my example.  My extermination will be coated in prayer, because fleshing it out will not bring death to something that has been so easily welcomed into our home.  We will need His strength and being girded up in His Word. There is also no condemnation for those in Christ, so I am not walking in condemnation, but conviction. I will now grab my RAID and spray the pest of EXCUSES!  
Do you need a can of RAID for some pest in your home? (I am not asking you to answer)

What Was I Thinking?

In a moment of total insanity I confessed to "Ethel" that I was bored!  Life just seems  less eventful than when my house was full of four teenagers, with five children playing sports, taking music lessons and home schooling.  My gas tank stays fuller and the calendar can be kept in my head.  So for a short period of time, probably given to me by God for rest, I had the notion that I was bored.

To recap my first two days this week and to STOMP  that notion to the ground, I will list our days back on our fall schedule.

• Apartment questions from adult children, paint, bills, moving 
• Two college students phone calls on class schedule, financial aid question, jobs, health
• Husband with new diet requirements and sleep schedule...oh, my, can we say "hard"
• 9th grader needed to finish a weeks worth of work in two days to attend "Fish" camp with friends at church
• 4 year old decided to paint his face pink with purple dot...they weren't waterproof
• Husband trying to get resume out to find a job to support family
• Fire threatened to burn up our neglected, but much loved camper in storage area
• Fall Baseball sign ups...now to refresh the weak skills...batting cages in 100 degree temps.
• Clothes clean, packed and all school work finished and get son to "fish" camp

And to think I said I was bored!  I think I will keep that comment to myself from now on and RELISH in any time that the Lord allows me to feel an ounce of boredom!!!

How is your week going?  Do you have time to get bored?  Has God given you some REST time?  If so I would encourage you to enjoy your slower pace...who knows what tomorrow will hold!

Closing the Door to Summer

I have to stop and reflect on the Summer of 2010, since I am not a list maker, so I don't have completed "to do" list...I have a done list. Now I can close the door to summer and  move forward.

This summer God walked me through some very personal growth.  He used his written word, blogs and books by different authors.  I can say that when I posted that God was putting me back on the potter's wheel I had no idea what means He would use.  Summer has meant "Spiritual Growth"

Summer 2010 has been a time to Enjoy and Refresh with My Family

Summer 2010 has allowed me to be Creative - How Energizing!

Summer 2010 has allowed me to be  Productive

Through Mommy Piggy Tales, where I have been recording my youth...well I can say God allowed me to have the same type of summer I had as a youth.  All of the above were ALWAYS  accomplished during the summer....even without a list.

So Long Summer, welcome our 22nd year of home schooling .....now for FALL...what will my God have for you and I?  I hope your summer has been a blessing...and thanks so much for sharing mine with me....I couldn't have imagined the blog world either.

Praying for Our Husbands

Wow!

The Power of Music

Strong Message 

Tears

How Important a Man's Job

Prayer Needed for All Men
Head Bowed

Lord, Please bless our husbands, give them the strength to be the Men you have called them to be

May they Lead their Wives and Children

My They Seek Your Face

May We Support Them in Prayer!!!!

This song reminded me of Theresa@ Being Refined as Silver post last week.  She is doing the "Completing Him Challenge - Being the Woman Your Man Needs" and her post was on praying for our husbands.

Wordless Wednesday - No Cells

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Joining Wordless Wednesday and A Beautiful Mess - No Cell Wall decor from Wall Words

Wonder why I might want this on my wall?  Technology!?!?!?!

The Mother of My Precious Husband...She is 95!!!

Saturday we celebrated my Mother-in-Law's 95th Birthday.  A milestone many of us will never see.  As we gathered around to enjoy her life, I couldn't help but compare her walk on this earth with mine.   Appreciating the fact that God had given her to me as an example, not just a relative, shows that I too have grown in my walk on this earth.


She wouldn't win the most children award....she  had two children 13 years apart.  She didn't understand how full my arms could be while raising four under age 7, but she always encouraged with "don't work too hard."  She excitedly welcomed our announcement at ages 52 and 44 that we were having our sixth child.


She raised two children who have always walked with the Lord and set shining examples of Christ before their children and grandchildren.


She lived a debt-free life...yes, DEBT-FREE.  She and her husband paid cash for every purchase they made...even two houses, while living on one income.  He didn't possess a high paying job, nor did they inherit money, but they knew the value of being content.


Because of this debt-free life, they did and she still does help financially with her children and grandchildren.  The scripture talks about this kind of inheritance...I have seen it first hand.

She didn't home school.  


She didn't have home births....


yet, she supported me when I chose to do both with her grandchildren.  She did threaten to have an ambulance parked outside my house on our first home birth....and she was disappointed that none of our children played in the high school band.  She, however,  become one of my greatest supporters.


She never lived life with full-time stress, as has become the norm for most people today.  Simplicity was her mantra or maybe just pure contentment with nothing to prove to others....something can be learned from that.


She walked the journey of seeing her husband's face blown apart through an accident...standing by his side through numerous surgeries and then loving him tenderly through Alzheimer's disease.  I still remember him chasing her down the hall with a love pat and they were in their 80's.




She calls everyday and keeps up with everyone.  You can ask at anytime how her family is and she can tell you in great detail what is happening in each of their lives.  She also prays for us daily and will call with a Bible verse to encourage us in our Christian walk.

She has never missed one of her grandchildren's events, even though we moved four hours away 12 years ago. She will still make the journey to support and cheer every accomplishment.  Birthdays are still remembered and cherished, as each child receives their annual gift, arriving just on the day of their birth.


She is independent and has lived on her own since her husband's passing to glory 15 years ago.  He would be so proud of her.


She continues to walk out her faith.  She will still invite the newest neighbor to church, while attending herself.  Her large print Bible is continuously open and read.


Her world has been very different from mine (mine not necessarily better) but in the most valuable lessons in life, she has spoken well.  Her priorities are her God and her family.  The world never crept in and stolen from either of these priorities.

I salute my mother-in-law.  She has taught me more than I can read in a book just through the way she has chosen to live her life.  Isn't that the real answer....chosen?  I am sure my appreciation has only come through the many years of marriage, but I am glad I have learned.

This past Mother's Day, it was she who called to tell me what a wonderful mother I was and how proud she was of me..................and she loved me.  What more could I ask from my mother-in-law who set the example before me?