Nell MohneyEven as a teenager, I never laughed at funny stories about mothers-in-law because I hoped to have one and be one someday. Fortunately, that’s one area where I hit the jackpot.
“Mother Mohney,” as I called her, was born in Kansas, but lived most of her growing-up years in Paris, Ky. She married a young doctor from Lexington and they reared their four sons there.
As I watched my mother-in-law in action, I became convinced that there was nothing she couldn’t do. She was an accomplished pianist, a master gardener whose flower arrangements won blue ribbons at flower shows, was a well-known Sunday School teacher and entertained often and well.
Most of all, she loved her family. Both Dr. and Mrs. Mohney encouraged their four sons to follow their own dreams, and each ended up in a different profession. One was a doctor, an ophthalmologist; one owned and managed the largest private dairy in Kentucky; one was in sales; and my husband was a Christian pastor.
The boys were very different, but their commonalities were their love and respect for their parents, a strong belief in and commitment to the Christian faith and a very positive outlook on life. Individually, they believed they could do whatever was needed to accomplish their goals. Much of this life pattern came from both parents, but especially from their mother. She loved and encouraged her sons, and they trusted her judgment.