Many of my friends are writing a book.
I’m a writer, too. My first novel was “Miss Nutshell.” (1968) I illustrated it also.
I write for my family and friends. I want them to know me.
I told my son Jeffrey that I want to be a writer. He said, “Writing is too lonely a profession for you. You are more of a teacher.”
My mother was a teacher. She taught 5th grade, English and then many Bible studies. I wanted to be a school teacher all my life. When I went to Wheaton, the Education department asked me to find another major because I told them I didn’t believe in grades. I was ahead of my time in 1975. Mother directed me to a Christian Education major. “You’re always volunteering at church.”
Mother wrote a bit. She left a few paper notebooks of her writing; mainly travel diaries of England and sermon notes. I wish she had written more. Days before she died, she scrawled her goodbye.
“I love you all!
(my) children and grandchildren are all unique and gifted. God has blessed our family in so many ways. I love all of you and Jesus loves all of you.
Now make sure you are loving and following Jesus Christ! Only way to go.
The Book will tell you what you need to know. Psalm 119 tells us all…”
Mother knew Jesus and the Bible well. She was what every teacher should be, a fountain of that treasure. In spite of all she knew, and she knew alot, she often quoted, “You only teach one thing: you teach your life.”
Truth.
Last week I drove middle school carpool. It gave me a chance to tell Ethan about when I became a Christian. (Even though he’s ‘on’ his phone playing a game, he’s still listening.) I told him this story:
“I woke up from a nightmare about hell. I was shaking with fright as I left my bed and walked through the dark house to my Mother and Dad’s bedroom.
‘Mother, I’m afraid I’m going to hell,’ I whispered to her.
Mother got out of bed, and went and got her Bible. We went to the living room. Mother sat in the black rocking chair and turned on the light. She opened her Bible to the book of John. Her finger pointed to a verse.
“Here, chapter 1, verse 12, ‘But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.’ God promises you that you are his child when you believe in him.’
So Ethan, from that point on, I have known that for sure I am a Christian.”
A memoir writing class teacher responded to one of my pieces, “Your style is very didactic.” I looked up the word in the dictionary – “intended to teach.”
I hope I am like my Mother.
“I
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