Passing the Torch

"The mama that we saw at home was the mama that the world saw," said their son, Franklin, who is now the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

I can't think of any words that I would be more honored to hear than those spoken at Ruth Bell Graham's funeral by her son Franklin. To me those words say that this woman was real. She was real every day of her life, in public or in private. She was who God made her to be. No airs, no pretenses, no image. Just a woman who loved God and her husband and her family. She didn't care so much what the public thought of her but she cared deeply what God thought of her. I was tickled to hear that she remained a Presbyterian all her life, even though her famous husband was a Baptist. I'm not sure how well that would work in a regular church attending family, but it obviously worked well for them. I guess since he was gone so much, she raised the family in the denomination of her youth. I always think it doesn't matter so much what your first name (denomination) is as long as your last name is Christian.

I always appreciated this family for being real. They had their troubles and problems, rebellious children and all. But no matter what they loved each other and they served God and in the end that was what made all the difference.

Thank you Mrs. Graham for being a wonderful example of a pastor's wife to me. You were an example for thousands I am sure and you did not let us down. Thanks for keeping it real.