Many friends may come and go, but a sister is forever. In honor of my sister’s birthday today, I’d like to tell you a little about her. I often tell people that my sister is extremely good. And that defines her perfectly. I often desire to please myself, Melanie desires to please others. I often seek my own benefit along the way of life, Melanie seeks the benefit of others. If you need a babysitter, you can call upon her (but please don’t…she’s really busy these days). If someone is ill and needs a meal, she will be there. She sews. She cooks well. She sings. She plays the piano. She will gladly help you prepare a meal, or clean up after a meal. She will volunteer to pick up the dry cleaning or go to Wal-Mart for the one ingredient that you forgot to buy for supper. She homeschools, she is a soul winner, she teaches Sunday school, she is the mother to three active boys, she works in 4H, she’s on her homeschool co-op board. Oh! She also recently organized the Master Club regional competition for her church, Gospel Light Baptist Church. That was no easy task. Her church runs around 3,000 people. She is amazing.
Somehow in the midst of this busy schedule, she still finds time to talk on the phone – for an hour or more at a time – to her sister in Texas. (That would be me! ;])

Besides “good”, another word to describe her would be “Christlike”. Yes, that’s the right word. Melanie tries very hard to be like Christ.

Melanie, you have always been able to love everyone. It seems to come naturally to you, whereas I have to work so hard at loving people. I hope that today you will be the one who gets waited on hand and foot. I hope you can relax and enjoy today. It is your day.

Thank you for being the world’s best sister. You have been, and still are, a wonderful example of Christ for me to follow.

I love you.