Mother. That’s what we called her.

She took care of all of us as if we were her own. She was the definition of grace and strength as she gave birth to 14 children, nurtured over 30 grandchildren, inspired more than 20 great-grandchildren, and impacted the lives of many generations to follow.

She was the cornerstone of strength in our family, an inspiration that we all strived to be like. She was a gift to everyone that she came into contact with every day.

She selflessly, and freely, gave her time, care, and love. She dedicated her life in service to her family to ensure that we had everything we needed to thrive in life.

She was my grandmother, Mary.

Mary embodied grace and love, which was rooted in her strong, unwavering faith in Jesus. It was a faith that helped her persevere through the Great Depression, gave her the strength to stand up for the oppressed during the civil rights movement, and provided comfort in loss.

In her house, she had a chair. Her chair. It was only ever occupied by her, and it was a seat where she shared her incredible love and deep wisdom as we sat at her feet.

She left this world almost 20 years ago, but still to this day, her chair remains. No one else sat there, and no one else ever will. It’s her seat, the place where we remember her as the amazing, godly woman she was. It’s her seat of honor.

Of course, moms have a lot of different seats of honor. Maybe it’s where she supported you, expressed patience, showed her goofy side, displayed her fearlessness, or was just plain loving.

So, when you think of your mother, where do you see her? Where’s her seat of honor?