I realized several years ago how blessed I was to grow up in a Christian home. Both of my parents were raised in the church, and they brought us up the same way. It was never a question on Sundays and Wednesday nights what we were doing; It was church every time. We were taught the Bible and Christian morals in our home. We were taught the truth and taught to search it out for ourselves to know it was the truth. I can remember my dad making us memorize verses and keeping track of it on the fridge. As a girl though, I especially looked to my mother for an example, and she gave and continues to give me a great one.

She's taught me how to be a good mother. Lord willing I will have children someday. I hope my children will know that I love them as much as I know my mom loves me, my brother and my sister. None of us have ever doubted her love for us because she's never done anything but prove it to us. Thanks to her and my dad, we always had everything we needed and most everything we wanted. They were at all of our ball games and school functions. They made us feel special and always took care of us. They disciplined us, and that shaped us into the people we are today. (Dad did most of the spanking, but you didn't want Mom to ever pinch you. Those were the worst.) Most importantly, they taught us about God and to me, there's no greater form of love than this.

She's taught me how to be a Christian wife. I can read about this in the Bible, and I do that often. Seeing her try to do as the Bible says has taught me a lot. She knows marriage is a lifetime thing and hasn't given up on that. She's taught me that even through hard times, you look to God for guidance and work through the problems. With God truly at the center of your marriage, you will not fail. Lord willing I will meet the man I'm supposed to marry, and do my best to fulfill my duties as a Christian wife just as my mom has.

She's taught me to keep the faith in tough times. Like every other family, my family has had some rough patches. Whether it be deaths, illnesses, or other problems, we've been through it and endured it as a family. My mom is the rock of our family, and that is because she knows how to get us through the hard times with a lot of prayer and a lot of love. She's never doubted God, even in the worst of times.To me that says the most. It never really matters what other people say or think, as long as you are doing what God would have you to do, you're doing right. We pray together as a family, and I hope to do the same with my own family someday.

She's taught me to love and teach others. She's a giving person and likes to help those in need. She also likes to teach young children, especially babies. She gravitates toward babies and they gravitate toward her. I'm the same way now. We both like to teach Sunday school classes. This reminds me of a special passage,“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Titus‬ ‭2:3-5‬) Now Mom, I'm not calling you old, I'm just saying you're older than me and you've taught me these things.

I take it as a compliment when people say I'm like my mother. She's not perfect, but she strives to do right every day. We are alike in almost every way except for our looks. Sorry mom, we look nothing alike. However, I'm thankful for everything else I got from you. I'm thankful for your example and your love.