Ridgell's Originals

 My Mom, Juanita Ridgell, is about to turn 93 in about a week.  There are lots of reasons I love her and am proud of her, but here are just a few.

She doesn't know she is old.  I don't mean that she is not aware, but that she just doesn't act, think, or seem old.  She still is amazingly mobile.  I mean, she won the Senior Olympics at her Retirement Living Center.  She keeps up with current events.  

She is still engaged with life.  Has a circle of friends (most of whom are, of course, younger).  Intensely interested in her great-grands future plans.  Keeps up with the grands careers.  Comes out to check on the progress of the Barndo. 

Active at church.  We bring a lot of visitors and she scoots over and invites them to sit right in the middle of our family.  Treats them like family.  Never misses Bible class or worship.  Involved in Bible studies where she lives.  Keeps up a prayer list.  Especially for non-believers we are working with.

People do a lot for her.  Because she is sweet, nice, never entitled or takes help for granted.  Always appreciative.

She takes life as it comes.  She really does "roll with the flow".  She has seen enough life and has enough faith to know that everything will be OK in the end.

And that is what I am most thankful for... her legacy of faith.  She loves God and Jesus.  Not just reads her Bible, but believes it.  Her life, her worship, her attitude all come from a deep well of faith.

So thank you God for Mam.  You really have done, and are doing, a great thing in her life.  

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM