My Mom, by the definition would be the mother, of all of the above, mother of all mothers. Born in 1942 she endured the Korean War and lived in period of societal torment & restoration. Her early years were surrounded by the crashing waves of the 60’s & 70’s as society began to embrace the anthem of drugs, sex and rock & roll; yet she remained pure and almost unimpressed with what the world had to offer. Even more interesting, is that she didn’t even know the Lord. There was a refreshing grace upon her life that kept her integrity, womanhood, and her love for life crystal clear
To give you a glimpse of my mother’s character, I can only share through this first experience my father shared about their first date. My father just returned from the Vietnam war, jaded and a bit rough on the edges from being around soldiers for four years. Mutual friends had set them up after his return. My father in his efforts to impress my mom, decided to take her to the hippest spot in Seoul, Korea.
I can only imagine what my father was thinking, walking in to what may have been so normal to him; Cigarette smoke & perfume hovering through the atmosphere; the latest Beatle’s song swimming under the sea of live conversation; along with whatever else embraced the essence of the 70’s. But there was my mother, walking behind him, covering her eyes because she had just seen a photo hanging on the wall of James Dean shirtless. That moment alone changed my father’s life as her innocence and purity shifted his heart to see who my mother really was.
Six months later they married, and for the following eight years my mother could not bare children. It was the medical mystery of the century. Every doctor they went to, they were clueless. After 6 years of confusion and withering dreams of children, she leaned on the last option of hope: a miracle from God. So for the following years my mother prayed Hannah’s prayers (1 Samuel 1:7-20), asking for “just one son, Lord, just one son”. My father on the other hand, saw it to be pointless and justifiably frustrating to watch his beloved wife pray to a God he didn’t believe in. My mother even accounted a time that he was so frustrated he threw her bible into the trashcan. Yet, she remained faithful to pray the truth in her and still be the loving wife knew to be.
Two years later one morning she woke up feeling sick and began to notice a small hard bump in her stomach. Frightened, she went to the doctor without telling my father. She was fully convinced it had been a tumor as she’d heard of before. Knowing my mother’s medical history, they ran tests for a tumor, only to find a miracle had been growing in her for eight weeks. My mom was pregnant. God had heard her prayers of tears and answered with a miracle; a miracle so real that my father came to know the Lord.
That is who my mother is. She is the anchor of faith in my family. She is the reason I am who I am today. She is the foundation of my compassion; the standard of Love, Integrity & Purity in my life. She’s my greatest intercessor on Earth. She’s the reason my father and I are men of God; the one that paid the price laying the seeds for my father to be a leader in the church today, and why I gave up the riches of this world to serve Jesus.
Dear Mom
Your faith in Jesus has changed peoples lives all around the world through the work God has called me to. You are beautiful, loved, and cherished. The only way I can possibly honor you is not by mere words or riches, but by loving Jesus with my whole life.
Thank you for praying me into this world and trusting God with my life.
YOU'RE THE BEST MOM IN THE UNIVERSE
Your one and only son,
Jasen
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