The Biggest Influence

If you had to name one person as the biggest influence on your life as a child who would it be?  Would it be a parent? A celebrity? A pastor? A grandparent?  Or maybe a friend?  There have been times when doing children's ministry when I've thought "these kids aren't really listening" or asked myself "In 10 years from now are they going to even remember a word I've said?"

Then I remember her. 

Our pastor's wife lead the Christmas and Easter choir every year, and when I had grown too old for kids choir (which she lead) I was added to the adult choir where I sang alto every year.  Mrs. Courtney was a mentor to me.  She was a school teacher by day, the church pianist on Sundays, and Sunday nights she lead the adult and children's choir practices dependent on the season.  She loved us all equally.  She scolded and corrected us sometimes rather sternly.  Nonetheless she spoke Jesus' words of life over me time and time again.  Each time I saw her I knew words of life would flow from your lips effortlessly.  Even when she was in the final stages of terminal cancer she continued to play the piano exuberant in worship Sunday mornings.  In the last year of her life she "co-directed" my first children's choir with me.  In both her living and her dying, Carol Courtney was one of the biggest influences of my entire christian life.

I don't remember a single lesson she ever taught.  There are very few 'profound' statements she said that I could quote.  However the witness she was to the love and abundant life there is in Jesus was made known to all those around her, and particularly to those of us who were so young, so moldable, so wanting to have someone to look up to.  She is the reason I know what I do is significant.  She is the reason I know we were born to make a difference in the lives of the next generation.

P.S.  I'm the kid with the big bangs in the top right hand corner.

Who was your biggest influence?