Stories are what our lives are made of, and we have a whole lot of stories to tell when we look back over the years.

There are stories surrounding our birth, our families, our school years, our young adult years. And there are all the stories that go on from then until now.

I have always loved stories, and I love to tell stories too.

Some of the stories I tell are true, and then others are maybe “truth-adjacent.”

The avid storyteller and well-known author, Mitch Albom, said, “Behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.”

Thank you, Mr. Albom. That’s so true.

My mother’s story is where mine began. And your mother’s story is where yours began as well.

Sooner or later we all quote our mothers, for usually the earliest parts of our stories are what our mothers have told us.

We repeat the things our mothers said.

We think the way our mothers thought.

And sometimes we even do the things our mothers did.

Whether we admit it or not we are like our mothers.

After all, Mother’s heartbeat was the first sound we ever heard.

Mother’s voice was the first voice we ever heard; that beautiful voice that assured us of her love for us.

When God was “forming our inward parts,” and He was “covering us in our mother’s womb,” we were being “fearfully and wonderfully made” right there inside our mothers, beneath her heart.

We were learning her comforting voice, and listening to that heart, and learning what love is.

Our mother’s were our first teachers.

My mother taught me about God, about the importance of the Bible, about the importance of going to church.

My Mother taught me about the importance of prayer.

Mother taught me these things by her example.

My mother made sure her five children were in church every Sunday, and she was right there by our side.

I thank God for my godly, praying mother. And my mother was praying for me up until the day she went to be with the Lord.

Robert Brault said, “If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been.”

President Abraham Lincoln had a praying mother, and although he had a poor upbringing, he rose to amazing heights.

He said, “No man is poor who has a Godly mother “and “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

Our first president, George Washington, said, “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”

The other day I came across this list of things Mothers teach us:

My mother taught me RELIGION: When I spilled grape juice on the carpet, she instructed, “You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet.”

My mother taught me LOGIC: From her decisive words, “Because I said so, that’s why.”

My mother taught me FORESIGHT: “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”

My mother taught me IRONY: “Keep laughing, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

My mother taught me about STAMINA: “You'll sit there ‘til all that spinach is finished.”

My mother taught me about WEATHER: “It looks like a tornado swept through your room.”

My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.”

My mother taught me about ENVY: “There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have a wonderful Mom like you do!”