Bills, Biscuits, and “Yes Ma’am”: What My Mother-in-Law Taught Me About Life (and Utilities)
When I married Nikki, I didn’t just gain a beautiful wife—I gained a fierce, faith-filled housemate named Teresa.
We moved into her home early in our marriage. Teresa was a single mom who had worked hard, sacrificed much, and raised Nikki with grit, grace, and zero time for freeloaders. I, on the other hand, was a young guy still figuring things out. And she was happy to speed up that process.
Case in point:
About a week in, I came home to find a bill sitting on my dresser. No note. No conversation. Just a clear message:
“You live here now. Pay something.”
I stared at it like it had grown arms. But I got the hint.
And when it happened again the next week, I stopped asking questions. I just paid.
Then there was food.
Teresa was a fantastic cook, and she often made dinner for Nikki and me. One day I made the rookie mistake of eating on the way home.
When I casually mentioned I wasn’t hungry, she replied with a stare and the now-legendary line:
“If I cook, you eat.”
To which I said (like a very wise man),
“Yes ma’am.”
That was the rule. The end. No footnotes.
But underneath all that strength was a woman of deep love.
Teresa absolutely did say “I love you”—with her words, her time, her food, her prayers. She had a way of making you feel seen, challenged, and supported all at the same time.
She was also a living miracle. After watching the change in Nikki’s life when she gave her heart to Jesus, Teresa eventually surrendered her own life to the Lord. It was beautiful. It was real. And it wasn’t just a quiet faith—she became a vital part of Bridge City Church, showing up in strength and joy.
And don’t even get me started on her grandkids—Jordo, Connor, and Cole.
They were her pride and joy, her built-in comedy show, and the reason her heart expanded even more.
We lost her on August 2, 2017.
But the way she shaped our family is still very much alive.
I miss her bills.
I miss her cooking.
I miss her love.
But most of all, I miss hearing her say “I love you” with every fiber of her being—even when it came wrapped in sass.
She was Gran “T” to the world.
But to us, she was the woman who made sure we were fed, prayed for, and never allowed to sit in laziness or defeat.
And if she could speak to us now, I think she’d still say:
“If I cooked, you better be eating.”
And we’d still say:
“Yes ma’am.”
Pastor Steven