Not The Typical Mother-In-Law

I have written an article about my father-in-law The Bee Man and I've written 2 about my mother, A Tribute To My Mother Stella Sibole and Mothers Signature Graham Cracker Pie so I think it is time I tell the world a bit about my mother-in-law. Oh, I did mention her in one of my other articles Walnuts What Walnuts. But what I said there was by no means all that needs to be said about her.

Mother-in-laws are stereotyped as meddling in the kids marriages. Well, I happy to say that my mother-in-law did not fit that mold. Cora never did interfere in our marriage. As a matter of fact I always felt that if anything had ever happened (God forbid) and my wife and I had ever split up or divorced that I would have still been welcome in her home. How is that for Christian love? And speaking of Christian love. Cora exemplified Christ's love in her daily life. If there was anyone that she could not show love to, I never heard it mentioned nor can I think of who it might be. In my own spiritual life, I had neglected my relationship with God while I was in the military and even after my discharge had not actively sought to renew it. Cora being the godly woman she was did not "hound" me about it but simply invited me to attend church with her. I began taking the family on Sunday mornings and then one Saturday night she invited me to a special singing service. I went. At the close of that service the singers sang an invitation song and Cora turned to me as simply ask if I wouldn't like to pray. I went to the alter, renewed my relationship with God and have for the past 30 years been grateful to my mother-in-law for a simple invite.

Cora was a great cook and passed some of that knowledge and skill on to her daughter and some of her grand daughters. She also knew how to knit. She had a great pattern for slippers that were a double thickness and she loved making and giving those as gifts. One day as she was knitting I jokingly ask her if she could teach me to knit. She replied, "I can teach you if you can learn." That was too big of a challenge to pass up. So thanks to Cora, I can knit. By the way I inherited that slipper pattern and have made a few myself.

Cora was also an excellent marksman. Yep, you read that right. I never knew her to hunt but I've heard she used to. But she had a .22 rifle and loved to target practice by shooting walnuts out the trees in the front yard.

Our family lived next door to Cora and The Bee Man for quite a few years. She was a great mother, grand mother, baby sitter, wife and Christian lady. Cora it was an honor to know and love you, be your son-in-law and I know I see you again someday.