My Mother is first and foremost a builder. She builds people up: Dad in his ministry, my sisters and I in our self-image. She cares infinitely that we are content in our birth order and our feelings are not being hurt, etc. That has protected us much. She's committed and faithful to God's value and teaching, to the best of her understanding and ability. She sacrificed her own ambition (what might have been her career).

My Mother is a great helper to Dad. She's tried to support him wherever, whenever she can - with her office skills and abilities to organize: clipping articles that might be helpful for her husband's preaching, etc.; training kids to sing for her husband's preaching team and radio programs, etc.....

My Mother is also a go-getter. She grasps every opportunity for the advancement of her family. If there is something that comes up that would benefit a member of our family, she is on top of it. She seems to be ahead of her time - career minded. If she were born in our time, she would probably be a lawyer. She probably wouldn't marry so young and have so many kids (5 of us). She definitely is a great resource person.

My Mother loves people as much as she can't stand them. When she meets you for the first time, she either likes you or dislikes you. Yet, she will be quick to see the best in you, if she is in the right frame of mind: i.e., if she's being a "pastor's wife".

My Mother carries herself rather well for someone who is stuck between a generation who worships the elderly and a generation who worships children. She has enough grace to not grow bitter even though there is always the temptation to ask "what about me?"

My Mother carries the burden of the entire family. If we do well, she is pleased. If my sister happens to burn her husband on the arm while frying fish, she goes and apologizes to him as if she has failed in her "upbringing" of my sister’s "fish-frying" skills...

Her eyes speak the words she has suppressed, out of a sense of duty or fear of impropriety. Despite her age, there is always alive within her that little girl who steals a few minutes of midnight calm to dance across the wooden floor in the moonlight, lost in her own world of music and choreography--simply because she loves ballet. Yes, she is my mother – and I love her dearly!