Words that I really wanted to tell

My parents had me quite late in their age.

That is why I was embarrassed with them since they were far older than my friends' parents.

Being shameful, I did hurt my parents'hearts many times with harsh words.

I wonder how hurt their hearts would have been with an immature daughter.

Despite of all that, my parents had been through all hardships to send me and my sister to college in narrow circumstances.

Since my father only graduated elementary school, and my mother graduated junior high, they said that they had nothing else but their children.

They always told us to study diligently and not to get into hot water.

Though they didn't want us to worry about money like other ordinary children, they secretly wiped their tears for not being able to make us grow well-off.

As I and my younger sister grew up, my mother did all sorts of work; like working in the fields.

And my father went abroad, to Chile,Russia, Laos, and many other countries, with his skill of making charcoals.

He stayed there shortly for one month, in long-term for many months, and returned home with his income.

While making charcoals, because of the massive heat and light, his skin was darkly burnt.

When there were times when he had serious accidents, we all had our hearts in our mouths.

He said he had difficult times in Russia because of the severe cold weather.

Feeling sorry to see my parents enduring all hardships, I even thought it was better for me to give up my studies and get a job.

But I thought the best way to be filial to them is being diligent with my studies.

With their extreme love, I am now expecting my graduation.

Now that my parents are old, they quit working, and there are no parts of them that's left unscathed.

Nevertheless, they are the ones who worry about me, telling me to stop worrying about them, to take care of myself, and not to skip any meals.

Whenever they say those words, I burst into tears.

Though they are enduring more pain and sufferings, they are always worrying about their children.

How much would our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother be worrying about Their children?

For me, it is unimaginable.

These days, thinking about my physical parents and Heavenly Father and Mother, I cry like a baby.

Sometimes I move to tears by just hearing the words; "Father," or "Mother."

To my physical parents, I truly want to tell them that I am really thankful to them for raising me up well in difficult situations, and I want to tell them that I love them.

 

And to my heavenly parents...

Heavenly Father, thank you for finding your children throughout the most painful situation.

Heavenly Mother, thank you for praying and for living a life with your children without a moment of rest.

These are truly the words that I wanted to tell You all.

Washing with my own hands

My hometown is in the countryside.

If I wanted to go to downtown with a bus,it takes good 30 minutes to reach the bus stop.

My parents had a lonely life without any brothers or sisters.

Because of this, they just loved children,and I was the youngest daughter among their eight children.

No matter how tired my mom was with farming, she thought we; her daughters, will always do the housework after we've got married.

So she wouldn't let us help her with the housework at all.

Though I was raised in a farm village, I have never uprooted anything at all.

It was all because of my parents' fervent love.

Before washing machines were commonly in use, there were many neighbors gathering and hand washing their laundry at the well side and the stream bank of the village.

I envied them with a child's mind; when they were hand washing their clothes in suds, next to their buckets full of laundry.

Sometimes I secretly followed my friend and washed some of my socks.

Whenever that happened, my mom scolded me a lot.

I hated her because she never praised me for what I did.

 

This winter, the cold wave came more frequently than usual.

Constructively, the washing machine couldn't go in the bathroom of our house, and had to be installed in our yard.

When the weather became cold, the washing machine wouldn't work.

By the time my children's laundry piled up,I couldn't ignore but had to wash them with my hands.

In the beginning, I enthusiastically washed them since, it was fun and I felt great seeing clean clothes hanging on the line.

As time passed, my back and shoulders were so sore, and my limbs felt so heavy.

I couldn't help but kept on saying"Ouch!"

The pain was unbearable, so I went to the hospital for physical therapy.

Lying down, when I was treated, I suddenly thought of my mom.

Because I was raising my children, even though sometimes I didn't, I just had to do the housework.

Although it was only for few days in a helpless situation, it was surely strenuous.

I, myself could use hot water, but I don't know how my mom managed to wash all that laundry in a severely cold weather.

Hunkering down and washing those clothes,how much would have her body ached all over?

Her frozen hands must have been so sore...

After having a few days doing the laundry with own hands, I was so thankful and in a way I felt so sorry for not realizing my mom's sacrifice, and for not considering her love.

Even till now, though they are aged, my parents are still working diligently to give out everything for their children.

I feel more anxious when I think of my parents who have lived their entire life, bearing all their hardships just for us.

I eagerly want to deliver them to the arms of Elohim God.