Today, I was thinking about my childhood and how wonderful it was.
I have to give the credit to my parents for so many things. Ultimately, of course the glory goes to God. But, my parents are responsible for making important decisions that guided me and have stayed with me for my entire life.
Like raising us in the church and teaching us to work hard.
As I think of my parents I can easily see the important values and characteristics that each one instilled in me.

From my dad, I got my sense of humor, my love for God's word, my desire to be a disciplinarian for my children, (with love, and according to God's word) and the strength and stamina to work hard. My dad could make you laugh at his jokes even if they weren't really funny. He had a twisted sense of humor when it came to my mom, he loved to make a joke and then watch her roll her eyes and try not to laugh....even as adults it made us laugh all the more. I remember for so many years, my dad would get up at 5:00 am and leave for work but almost never neglected to bring us our favorite candy from the vending machine at the GM plant. And when it was time for discipline, he had a certain look that said; if you do that one more time, you know what you're going to get when you get home, not a word had to be spoken. There was a different look when you actually had already crossed the line and we knew exactly what was going to happen when he got where he could reach us. But, we never had a doubt that we were loved. I will always remember the way my dad would gather us kids together and share God's word with us. There were five of us, it was like having a small church congregation every night at devotion time.
He loved to tell us how important it was to live by God's commands, he gave me a deep love for the scripture and a desire to share it with others. Thank you dad, I love and miss you.

From my mom, I received a lot of the common sense I have. The ability to create almost anything out of things I have around the house. The ability to cook creatively ( a pinch of this and a dab of that) so don't ask me for a recipe; I seldom use them. I know the food is going to be good by the way it look and smells. I remember my oldest son, at about the age of three, looking up at me from the dinner table and saying "momma, you're a good cooker" I have my mom to thank for that. The funny thing is, he's the one now at 30 years of age, who loves to cook, and still says that I taught him how. Thanks Mom!!!

When my children were small, my mom used to beg me to bring them over so she could keep them, some times for Don and I to go to dinner or even over night. My mom was very wise when it came to marriage and family.
She encouraged me to take time away from the kids for just the two of us. When it came to us kids, I never remember my mom raising her voice, but I do remember a lot of praying that went on when she was worried about one of us. I also remember a lot of big hugs, kisses, and compliments flowed very freely from her lips. I believe that my mom was the most unselfish person I have ever known. She taught me to be that way as well. I am often accused of not being able to say no. But it is just a reminder that I am my mother's daughter; and proud of it.
Even after I left home for college, I remember one week calling my mom, excited about a formal event that was taking place on the campus on Friday night.
I had a date and was prepared to wear the same formal that I brought and wore the year before to a similar occasion. My mom wouldn't hear of it. She stayed up two nights in a row into the wee hours of the morning and convinced my dad that he needed to accompany her from Atlanta to Chattanooga on Thursday afternoon so that the new dress she had just made completed, would be there for me to wear on Friday night. Sure enough they fought the traffic and got it there on time. She always knew exactly what size I needed. It fit me perfectly without any fittings or alterations. But, of course, she had her sewing machine and all the necessary equipment just in case.

When my mom died in March of 2006 my dad and I were planning her funeral.
I was in charge of creating and printing the program for the funeral service.
He insisted that I make sure to include the phrase "she was a woman without guile" He always spoke so lovingly of her and remembered her as a woman who never pretended to be anything that she wasn't. He was so proud of her for that!!! And I, in turn am proud of him for loving, cherishing, and caring for her for the 57 years that they were married.

Three and a half years before she went to be with Jesus, my mom had a stroke.
As hard as she tried, she never regained the use of the right side of her body.
She was basically bed ridden 24 hours a day. He would not hear of hiring anyone to take care of her. He kept her so clean that she never had a bedsore, that is unheard of in people who are on their backs for that length of time.
I know for a fact that his loving care for her made those years bearable for her.
Thank you dad for the wonderful example of God's love that you displayed for all the world to see, not only in your service to your heavenly father, but also, in the way you sacrificed yourself for moms sake.

Dad told me many times how empty he felt without her. But he found true fulfillment in the joy of attending church again after mom's death. He only lasted ten months without her. One day we were walking to his car in the church parking lot. He turned to me, put his arm around me and said, "guess what sweetie, God has finally filled that empty spot in my heart." I'll never forget the look of perfect peace and contentment on his face. He knew that it was a special prayer that God had answered just for him. It was only a couple of months after that, when God called him home.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for these wonderful memories of my life. Thank you for the Godly parents you gave me and the privilege of growing up in a home where you were honored and glorified. I pray that some day my children and grandchildren will have the same kind of heritage to pass on to their generation.