The best mother-in-law

My mother-in-law Phebe passed away tonight, succumbing to a brief but valiant battle against pancreatic cancer. She was a woman who lived a life of faith and love, and that matters. I wanted to say what a terrific mother-in-law she was.

The stereotypical MIL is bossy and critical. Not Phebe. If she wanted to show me something--a product or a new way of doing something--she would never say, "Here's how you do it," or "This is a better way." Instead, she would say, "I really like this, and here's why." This gentle instruction invited me to see other ways of doing without being unkind, and I treasure the times I spent with her. They were always loving, and funny, and warm. I should mention her son inherited this way of instructing from her.

Please pray for the peace of God to be with our family. I'm posting a page I did of her last fall, honoring her immense talent in photography: