I grew up in a rich family thanks to my father who was a well-known tax accountant. Many people envied me for my capable father, but as for me, my father was the most difficult and hardest person to be with. It was because I was always weak and incompetent unlike my older sister and older brother who lived up to my father’s expectations.
I got fascinated by the saxophone which I got to learn by chance in college and started focusing on music. Then my father was more unsatisfied with me. My sister and brother successfully became experts in their fields, but I had no idea about my future. As time went by, I stayed even further away from my father, and felt awkward with my sister and brother, too.
Even after I started my own family, I was still quiet and lacked confidence. However, I began to change little by little after meeting God. At first, it was too much for me to accept the church’s unfamiliar teachings, but hope for heaven started to bud in my heart as God who is love opened my heart. My daughter also received the truth and became fervent in the gospel as a young adult.
Whenever I noticed myself smiling, deeply comforted by God’s word, I felt surprised and amazed. It felt something like having come out of a long dark tunnel. I was thankful and happy every day.
I was able to lead one of my saxophone students to Zion despite the hindrances from the saxophone school where I was working at and from the officials of performances. Still, I felt uncomfortable and awkward with my parents and siblings. My parents, who had been in the Methodist church for over thirty years, refused to listen to the truth when I tried to explain it to them. Whenever I went over to my family’s, I would come back, hurt.
It was around that time when my father’s health got bad rapidly. I went to the hospital to see my father. In a patient robe, he looked so weak and tired from constant tests and treatments.
The result of the test was very bad. Tears came out of my eyes, looking at my father in pain. I had thought that I had no attached feelings for my father, but I was wrong. Since my father was not good at expressing his love and I failed to understand what was deep in his heart, our relationship got crooked like that, but he was still my father who let me exist. I was heartbroken to see my father, who was always full of confidence, become such weak at the end of his life.
I really wanted him to know God’s word that could give him the greatest strength at that moment. For this, I needed great courage because I had never had a proper conversation with him. I was still scared of him. However, I opened my mouth, praying in my heart.
“Um, Dad? I have a . . . wish.”
“A wish?”
I asked him with tears to come with me to the everlasting kingdom of heaven where there is no death or mourning, and told him that it was the last act of filial piety that his youngest daughter could do for him. I thought he would get furious. However, he held my hands with warm eyes and nodded his head. I hadn’t held his hand in a long time.
The next day, my father became God’s child. My father’s change surprised my mom so much that she too studied the Bible and began her life of faith. It was something I’d never even imagined.
These days, I’m busy going back and forth between the hospital and my parents’ house. Although I feel tired physically, I’m so happy that sometimes a smile spreads over my face before I know it. Also, I’m so thankful that I can stay close to my parents for the first time in my life and smile together, having an honest talk.
When I was thirsty for my family’s love, God let me gain not only my heavenly family’s love but also my earthly family’s love. God also let me do the right thing as a daughter.
I want to repay God for His overflowing grace. I ought to do so. Following God’s teachings, I will always practice love with good deeds, and give God joy as much as He has given me, or even more. Father and Mother, I love You!