“Hurry up! Here she comes!” And the Theme Music began to play, and the famous people’s names scrolled across the screen, and my sister would come running to the TV so we wouldn’t miss seeing the name we were looking for.

When I was growing up, Thursdays were unusual days. Thursdays were the one day a week we had a babysitter and the one day a week my sister and I could eat our lunch in front of the television set so we could watch our mom on TV.

Mom is a vocalist, a singer. She has been given a special gift from the Father. Her parents recognized it, encouraged it, and invested in it; and at the age of twelve, mom went to the big city of Chicago to record her first record. My Grandfather was a Worship Minister, and as her vocal coach, he trained her well. During high school, she was on a live Television program called the Midwestern Hayride. (A variety show not unlike Lawrence Welk that paved the way for Hee Haw, for any of you seasoned Midwestern folks out there!)

So during her high school years, every Saturday morning they would leave their small town of Upland, Indiana, and drive 3 hours to Cincinnati, where they would have a day of rehearsals, a break for dinner, and then would do the show LIVE at 7:00pm. (Live television, as in, not recorded, not edited, just as is!) After the show, my mom and her parents would drive the 3 hours home, sleep a bit, then get up bright and early for church the next day where her dad directed the choir and her mom was the organist. (positions they served in for over 30 years.)

She’s been singing ever since: starting in a trio with her sisters, to state fairs, in churches across the midwest, from small town festivals to big corporate conventions, on radio and TV, from Bob Hope to Lena Horn, for weddings and funerals and Pacer basketball games, and everything in between!

But nothing compared to hearing her sing the old hymns.

I remember as a small child watching and listening; the way she closed her eyes and sang from her heart and gave him her all. She wasn’t singing to us; as little as I was, I knew she was singing to Him. And something happened inside my heart as I heard her cry out, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I’d rather be His than have riches untold. I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today…” And a hush would come over us as the awesome presence of God filled the room and settled on us all. And my young heart decided then and there, ‘I want to know Him that way. I want to love him so much that nothing compares. I want to know this Jesus she loves so much…..’

One time, at one of the many churches we traveled to, I was sitting next to my Grandfather, who had his eyes closed as she sang. And I realized he wasn’t sleeping as I had thought, but also was loving and worshiping this Jesus that he must know as well. And on that day, I looked up at the cross behind the baptismal, and realized that this One they loved had loved us so much that He gave His life for us on the cross. And that day, I followed in the footsteps of generations of family before me, and decided to follow Him too.

My Mom’s career continued to blossom, and while she was singing on TV programs like the Paul Dixon show or the Ruth Lyons or Bob Braun 50-50 Club, the Cincinnati Inquirer Newspaper published a headline that read, “DAWN, A NEW DAY?” And the article went on to say that Nancy Dawn (my mom’s stage name) was on her way to becoming the next Doris Day. (and if you’re too young to know who that is, you can google it! Suffice it to say, it was a big deal!)

My sister Angie and I enjoyed those Thursdays of watching Mom on TV, especially the day she picked out a puppy right in front of us to bring home to us late that night! We were between the ages of 4-7.

But when my little brother was born, my Mom said she was done. She didn’t want to drive to Cincinnati, even one day a week. She didn’t want to be gone for State Fairs and P.R. Engagements, even one weekend a month. “I just wanted to be Tom Childs’ wife and you kids’ mom,” she told us throughout the years since then. “That’s all I wanted to be.”

And I realized that what she sang about was also how she lived. And Whom she loved was more important than what fame she could gain. And that she wasn’t kidding when she said that she’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.

And I learned as a young girl what Family means and what really matters and what Jesus’ love looks like in action. I learned that Jesus was real, and His love was enough, and He was more about relationship than just going to church. In fact, following Jesus was ALL about relationship: loving Him and each other, and laying down our lives for each other in Family.

Not unlike my dad’s example, I learned again that loving me means you just wants to be with me, that I was worth sacrificing for, and that I was actually CHOSEN above the things of this world. I learned this was just a glimpse of how my Father feels as well.

It’s also how He feels about you. No matter who your mom is, or what kind of love you received at home, there is a Father who created you and knows you and loves you. He wants to BE with you and live IN you – so much so that He’d rather die than live without you.

My mom gave up a career in television to be with me . . . Jesus gave up His whole life to be with you!! And me. And all His children.

This weekend, my mom and dad are hosting us at their house for an Easter celebration. Mom has worked all week at getting ready for us all to come – just to be together. She prepares favorite foods for certain kids, a beautiful table to sit at, and even an Easter-egg hunt for her grandkids who are ages 10-26!! After all these years, she still just wants to be with us; and I’m reminded again what Family and love look like, and what really matters. Thanks for living it, Mom.