Celebrating Family

Korea celebrates family!  May 5th is Children's Day.  It's a national holiday.  Schools and most businesses are closed.  Unless of course it is a place for children and then its probably open.  Parents take the day to dote on their children.  Many give their children gifts or even money.  They take them out to do something fun.  They spend the day with them.  I think its a wonderful part of their culture.  They look at the children and tell them they are valued and they are loved.  They care for them and want them to be happy.  They celebrate them.

A few short days later on May 8th, they celebrate Parents.  They do not have a Mother's Day and a Father's Day.  They have Parent's Day.  It's not a national holiday like Children's Day.  But the sentiment is similar to our Mother's and Father's Day.  There are flowers for sell to give to parents and other small gifts.  Older children take their parents out to eat.  Younger children give gifts or make cards for their parents.  They tell them they are loved.  The celebrate them.

I love the fact that Korea celebrates the family.  They celebrate children and they celebrate parents.  They value family.  And since it was just Parent's Day and that Mother's Day is tomorrow in America and Father's Day is just around the corner, I want to take a moment to celebrate my parents.

I have been blessed with two incredible parents.  I know that I am deeply loved and cared for.  I know that they are always there for me, even in the middle of the night when I freak out over nothing of substantial importance in the whole scheme of life and yet its important to me.  They love me enough to tell me that they wish I lived closer and yet support me as I live abroad.  They have never tried to stop me from following God and moving overseas although I know its not easy for them.   I have talked with many people whose parents struggle with the idea of having their children abroad to the point where they do not allow their children to go or that the relationship struggles.  I'm thankful that has never been an issue with me and my parents.

My parents blessed me abundantly because they introduced me to Jesus.  They took me to church.  They kept me involved as a child.  They ensured I heard the Good News of Jesus life, death, and resurrection and what it meant for me.  As a high school student, they were some of the youth leaders and lead some Bible studies.  They were actively involved in my life at church and helping me see the Gospel at work.  I'm thankful that I was blessed with parents who believe in God and shared the gospel with me.  I'm thankful that they introduced me to Jesus.

My parents are incredible.  I'm thankful for them each day.  I value them and trust them.  I care about them.  They are a huge part of who I am and the values that I hold to.  They are daily blessings in my life. And I love them dearly.