Hazel, My Mother-In-Law!?
When I was asked to write about someone who had influenced me in my Christian walk, I thought of saintly church goers, pastors, and others I had known who have inspired me. I thought of my Mom who listened to Moody preachers, teachers, traditional music, and radio theater daily. She was a giving person both with her time and resources and helped me start on my faith journey.
But the person who comes to mind as the one who had the biggest influence is my husband’s mother, Hazel Brown. Yes, I said my mother-in-law. She was a Christian woman who loved to read her Bible and other Christian materials and listen to Christian music. She was born into a family of 15 kids and lived in a tent for part of her early years. She was a mother of four, losing her first, a girl, as a two-day old and her youngest in his 40’s. Yet her faith did not falter. In the four and a-half decades that we got to be together, I do not remember one time she raised her voice or was angry with me or that she even criticized something I said or did. She was a humble person who appreciated whatever anyone did for her and never made demands. She appreciated so much and felt so blessed whenever a neighbor did something for her and whenever her family visited. There was never a reprimand for not coming sooner or more often. She loved her family with a fierceness. She often told me she loved me and that she thought of me as her daughter. She has been an inspiration to me in how I interact with my family and others and in learning to be more appreciative. I am grateful for the time I got to spend with her and for her Christian witness.
Carol was raised on a farm near Joliet, Il, the youngest of 4 daughters. She and her husband, Larry, live near Tremont and have been married 49 years. They have 3 sons and 9 grandchildren. Carol is a retired speech/language pathologist. She started with Imago on day 1. She babysat with children upstairs when the first services were held in the Sletten’s basement. Her son, Cory, and his wife, Vicky, were part of the Imago startup team. She likes Imago because she feels that people really care and that she is not being judged, but encouraged.