Today, we celebrated Mother’s Day. It has been a bittersweet Mother’s Day because it is the first one without my mom and also as a mom. My mom went to heaven after battling with cancer for a year. She was the best mother that anyone could ask for and I still miss her so very much. I often wish I could ask her for help and advice as I raise my son. I think of her when there are ministry opportunities because she was so gifted when it came to serving God and ministering to others. As I remember her, I am especially thankful for five things.
1. She loved God.
She put God before anything else. There was no question about it. She lived to glorify Him. She taught me to know Him, to love Him, and to make Him known. Even though it was hard for us to let her go, it was God’s time and she was ready to see Him. Her strong faith really inspired me.
2. She loved family.
It was such a blessing to be raised by such wonderful Christian parents. My mom was always there for me and we had a close relationship. She was there to rejoice and cry with me. She expressed her love for me by praising me and also by correcting me when needed. I always knew she loved me. As I raise my child, I always want to remember how she loved me and taught me.
3. She loved church.
She was at church 4 to 5 times a week. She was not a paid staff, but she was there because she loved helping and ministering to others. After she passed away, several ladies told me that they always knew they would see my mom if they went to church. They shared that my mom always took time to listen to their stories and concerns and to pray with them. I always enjoyed seeing her smile when she was at church. Her love for the body of Christ is something that I will never forget.
(Preschool Sunday School that she taught. That was her favorite time.)
4. She loved missions.
Growing up, my parents drove 4 hours (each way) to the west coast of Japan to help the small mission church twice a month. They went without knowing how many people would show up. Sometimes, nobody showed up. They even went on snowy days. As a child, it was hard to understand why they spent their Saturdays going there instead of taking us to fun places. But now I do. It’s because they wanted to share God’s love with people who had never heard about Him. Now, that small mission church has their own pastor and is growing. Praise the Lord. God called me to do missions, but seeing my parents’ love for the lost helped me to have a heart for the world. I am thankful God gave me such a great example like my mom who showed Christ’s love and hope in her actions.
(With Mr. and Mrs. Boatwright who lived in Japan for over 30 years as missionaries. She respected them and told me what she had learned from them.)
5. She loved children.
Anyone who knew her would say “oh how she loved kids!” and that is so true. She loved every single child with ALL her heart. She knew how to love them and to reach out to them. And the kids knew they were loved so much. There were several kids from broken families and they knew my mom would protect them and love them no matter what. When I was in college, I called her almost every week, and she shared a lot about each child she knew, and I truly enjoyed listening. Ever since we moved to Japan, I have heard so much about how she touched and changed the lives of the kids (and parents). Several girls told me how much they wish they could see her again, and it made me cry. As I raise my child and get involved in the children’s ministry, I want to follow her path. I want to love children like she did.
(Don’t you just love her smile?)
I miss you so much, mom! I will always treasure what you have taught me. I am so thankful for my mom’s life, but I am also SO grateful that God gave me a son so that I could be a mom. Becoming a mom was always my dream, and it finally came true this year. Words cannot express how much I love Luke. He is the best gift that Michael and I have ever received. Even though being a mom is not always easy, I love being a mom and I never take that for granted. I pray every day that Luke will know how much God loves him. I know I am not perfect and I still make so many mistakes, but I pray God will help me to be the mom that He wants me to be.
I love you SO MUCH, Luke Kai! Thank you for being my son.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in the world!
