MOM AND DAD - MY HEROES

I have the greatest parents a person can have and I want the whole world to know it.

My mom and dad have been married 55 years and have set an example to their six daughters of what marriage is all about. They have shown us that with God’s help, all things are possible.

My mom is the center of the wheel and keeps us all united. We girls are the six spokes and my dad is the outer covering that keeps us going.

Mom has always been the center and has kept the family together and close. Family get togethers are very important to her.

Mom is from the "old school" way of doing things. She grew up on a farm and learned to make everything from scratch. That woman can stretch a dollar further than anyone I have ever met. She still bakes her own bread and buns and she is in her 70's. And ooooh the delicious bread and buns she does make. Just can’t buy that goodness in any stores.

Homemade soups are her specialty. Yum yum. She can turn anything into the most scrumptious soup. My husband grew up never liking soup but before too long, mom had him turned around to a soup lover - especially if you had the home made buns to dip into it.

When we were growing up, mom used to make all our clothes. Six girls to dress in dresses. She would whip them up with no patterns and they would all match.

Mom was a stay at home mom and we always knew she would be there for us. If she did take on extra jobs to make ends meet, she would do them in the evenings or on weekends. She not only took care of us, but many different relatives that would come to live with us on many occasions.

Mom was the one that got up with us in the middle of the night when we were sick. I will always remember her beautiful cool hands on my fevered brow. I also remember standing at her side by the stove when she would heat the eclectric oil to south my earaches. Then she would give me a nice hot water bottle wrapped in a towel. She always knew what to do.

Dad was and is a story teller. He would play with us and tell us all sorts of stories. We loved his stories and still do. He would make up these really sad stories and we would sit and listen and cry and cry, and then beg for more.

The odd time, he would decide to make supper for us. He would make these pan fried potatoes that were sliced super thin and would fry them up for us. Ooooh they were delicious. He would also make his famous "Pst, pst." toast. He would do this by singing bread on the stove element till it was browned on both sides.

Dad has always been our "Mr. Fix It". When we were younger he made us all doll cribs one Christmas. One year he made a ramp and connected it to the ceiling of our garage. All the kids in the neighbourhood would pile on and we would swing and sing away.

He can fix almost anything and if he doesn’t know what he is doing, he will pray about it and get step by step instructions from God on what to do. It is truly amazing.

He loves joking around and playing practical jokes on people. Like dressing up as an old woman and visiting our neighbour. She had no clue it was my dad.

He has worked very hard all his life providing for his family. Even when he lost his job after 25 years of working for the same company, he didn’t find it beneath himself to take on lowly jobs. He taught us that a good work ethic is priceless and caring for your family is what matters most.

Mom and dad taught us from young that having a belief in God was a major part of our lives. Dad would faithfully bring us to church each Sunday even if we had to walk. It was just a natural thing to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour when we got older.

I see others that have come from broken homes and have had abusive fathers and mothers and I thank God for the family he gave me. But for the grace of God, it could be me that came from those homes.

My mother reminds me of the virtuous woman talked about in Prover 31:10-31. My father reminds me of Jesus. A simple man with the heart of God. Always ready to help and do what must be done. Someone you can approach and not be afraid of. Someone who helps those around him. Someone who is truly human and fun to be with.

My mom and dad are my heroes.