A LIFE WELL LIVED

Last night we celebrated the 93rd birthday of my sweet mother-in-law!! She is the most vibrant, energetic, funny 93 year old you would ever want to meet. She is currently preparing for a craft sale next weekend, busily baking banana nut bread and frying pies! She will be there all day selling her wares, but the part she will enjoy most is talking to everyone who comes by. She is so personable and LOVES people! She never meets a stranger and always sees the good in everyone. This woman does not have a mean bone in her body!

Up until last spring, she was still driving. Someone asked us when we told them that one day "You mean on the road?!!!" HA! Yes, on the road! While still driving, she made regular visits to the shut-ins, taking them a loaf of her banana nut bread and visiting like folks used to do back when she was young. She can't understand why people don't' do that any more. She has the gift of mercy, without a doubt. She can go to a nursing home with no qualms at all, sit by the bedside and tenderly care for a family member or just visit with those she sees who look lonely.

When our kids were growing up, she rarely scolded them and couldn't stand it when we did. She baked homemade cookies and made play dough and would sit and play with them at her big kitchen table. She would tell them funny stories about when she was a girl. Our son loved to dig in the dirt. He would dig in her back yard, making a huge hole. She didn't fuss at him for messing up her yard. She would just say, "Son, I don't care how big a hole you make, just fill it up when you are done." Needless to say, our kids LOVED going to her house.

When they went off to college, she rarely missed coming to our house to see them off when they would return, usually bringing them some of their favorite cookies. She missed them and prayed for them, worrying about their long drives and often calling us later to be sure we had heard they were back to school safely.

She has had numerous heartaches, losing a husband, a son and a grandson through the years as well as most of her brothers and sisters. She has nursed many family members through sicknesses, caring for them as lovingly and unselfishly as anyone possibly could. It never seemed an imposition to her.

She loves hugs (don't we all?), but if you have not hugged her quick enough she will grab you and say "You better give me a hug!" She's going to be sure she gets one even if she has to give one first.

Her smile and those twinkling blue eyes light up a room. She is beautiful even at 93 and always well-groomed with her make up on and her jewelry selected to match whatever outfit she is wearing. No one can ever guess her age, which is a source of great delight to her!

God has blessed her with 93 years of life, but He has blessed us much more by allowing her to remain on this earth this long. I've said before that I believe He has continued to leave her here because she is always doing so much for others. Nothing gives her more pleasure than doing for someone else.

She is a great blessing to our family and on this her 93rd birthday, I thank God for her and ask His richest blessings on her life. Not many people are blessed with the mother in law that I have and I truly thank Him for that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMAW!!