Honor your father and your mother.
Exodus 20:12 (ESV)
The Ten Commandments #5
“The great bison rumbled on these prairie lands like gods of thunder and roamed the grasses from the Mississippi River to the Missouri. The earth between was settled by pioneers following ox, mule and horse turning the richest soils on earth. …endless stretches of earth roll, then lie flat, then turn in on thin rock that falls to deep valleys along mountainous areas bordering the Father of Waters, then cascades towards flats to the west and drops to the great plains of the southwest.” So begins an article called An Ode to Iowa by Tim Trenkle.
Iowa! The state of my birth! Iowa is located in the Midwestern region of the United States with Des Moines as its capital and largest city. Iowa is surrounded by the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west and the mighty Mississippi River on the east.
The legendary John Wayne was born in Iowa, where his birthplace is still preserved as a historic site. The state has also produced actors such as Elijah Wood, Danai Gurira, Johnny Carson and Brandon Routh and athletes such as Olympic gold medalists Dan Gable, Shawn Johnson, and Lolo Jones. The list goes on with Jerry Mathers, Gene Wilder, Morgan Earp, Glenn Miller, Andy Williams, and Mamie Eisenhower.
My parents and both sets of grandparents anchored me to Iowa for my entire life. That is, until the Saturday after Thanksgiving this year when my 90 year old mother quietly passed away. Mary Jo Briggs was born on February 7, 1930 in rural Marcus, Iowa. She attended her first eight years of school at Amherst #8 country school south of Marcus and graduated from Marcus High School in 1947.
Mom was a strong supporter of children learning to be good readers. We visited the local library most Saturdays. Following her example, I became a voracious reader—which enriched my vocabulary and nurtured a desire to become a writer. My mother gave me roots and wings to eventually leave—but not forget Iowa—a gift which has forever changed and challenged me! Thank you, mom! I love you!