I don’t know about you, but I rarely stop to think about the impact of my mother on my present life. It’s not that I’m not grateful, but I just get busy with life, family, and ministry. But none of my present realities would be possible without my mother…

She gave me life…Though some advised her to seek other options, saying, “You’re too young for this!” She chose life and gave me life.

She raised me in life…Leaving her own family in Korea, she followed my Dad to America and raised four of us kids here. Yes, she raised me and my siblings far from her own home over there, so that we might be totally at home over here.

She pointed me to life…That is to say, she pointed me to Jesus, who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Yes, she pointed me to life – to true life!

From my mother, I learned the value of hard work and the wisdom of always double checking my work. From my mother, I learned the value of cleanliness in the home and the wisdom of occasionally decluttering my home. From my mother, I learned the value of quietness in life and the wisdom of sometimes choosing quietness, especially when things get painfully loud in life.

Then there’s all the fun things that I acquired from my mom…My love for spicy food has a direct connection to my mother. Indeed, some of the best memories I have of my mom is of the two of us quietly sharing a Korean snack of rice and kimchi in the kitchen…We would hide out in the kitchen and munch away from the rest of the family…Just the two of us, and no one else. My love for scary movies also has a direct connection to my mother…As well as my love for beautiful, but abstract art.

So, to my mother, thank you for being my mother. Thank you for your love, sacrifice, and loyalty. Thank you for always being there. I love you. Happy Mother’s Day! I can’t wait to see your smile in just a couple of weeks…