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An event took me back in time a few days ago when I put on a pair of jeans that had hung outside on the clothesline to dry. When I put my leg in I realized that there was something inside the pants that was not supposed to be there, so I grabbed whatever it was, squeezing the life out of it. When I took the jeans off and shook them, out fell the mystery pest—a bumble bee! Thankfully I was not bitten, but when I was a young lad things turned out differently and what I experienced recently vividly brought that memory to the forefront of my mind. My mother had hung the wash out to dry and when I put the clean jeans on and went outside I got a powerful sting from a bee; it was so intense that I did not bother to go inside to undress—I had to have some relief right there in the back yard. But no worries, for where we lived there was little chance of being spotted in a state of minimal dress.

There were five kids in my family and we grew up in the country in the midst of very simple surroundings; we had everything that we needed, but not the luxuries that some had. During those years I accumulated a wealth of memories that do not revolve around things of material value, but of people and the impact that they had on my life. Up at the top of the list are memories of time spent with my mother.

I remember running from my mother once as she was trying to give me a “whooping”, but she caught me and things did not go according to my plans! Thankfully there are other memories with outcomes of a much more pleasant nature.

While I am nowhere near being a gourmet cook, I am pretty handy in the kitchen. I attribute much of that to my mother. Although she did not give me cooking lessons in a formal sense, I learned a lot about country cooking simply by watching her. I would spend time in the kitchen with her as we carried on good conversation while she cooked—and I watched. Now, by following what I saw her do many years ago, I am able to turn out some worthwhile dishes. (Only they are not as good as hers!)

Not only did I observe her superb cooking skills, but I also observed her devotion to God and His Church over the years. That, too, displays an outstanding example well worth following. If anyone ever considered me to be one devoted to God through the study of His Word and time spent in prayer, I would, without hesitation, give the credit to my mother’s example of spiritual devotion. For the blessing of being impacted by such Godly influence, I am most grateful.

Without a doubt, I am blessed not only to have beheld and benefitted from the example of my mother, but I have also seen my wife and the mother of our children pouring her life and influence into our two girls, and now into our four grandchildren. Not surprisingly, her influence extends to many other children as well who are not part of our natural family. Gale’s example of love for God, family and church is one that is well worth observing and following.

Proverbs 1:8-9 gives vital instruction that would make our world a better one if every young person applied it: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck” (New International Version). That has certainly proven to be true for me.

As we observe Mother’s Day, let us not forget what a valuable asset godly mothers are to us as individuals and as a nation. Abraham Lincoln was right when he said many years ago, “No man is poor who has a Godly mother.”