5 Lessons My Mother Taught Me in Her Last Days

Posted on May 8, 2016 by My Rose Colored Shades

mother, mother's day, truth, words of wisdom, faith, God, Jesus, gratitude, death, eternity

The first part of 2016 has been one of the most difficult periods of my adult life. From the time the doctors recommended hospice care for my mother until her passing at the end of February, I felt that my emotions were like a dam ready to burst at the prick of a pin. Without a doubt, the only thing that held me together was the grace of God, which was so apparent during this season of my life.

As I spent time daily with my ailing mother, she taught me, directly and indirectly, many things about life. Some she had already been instilling in me since I was a child and others I learned as I listened to and observed her in the last couple of months of her life. These are treasures that I will carry with me in my journey thru life and hopefully pass on to my children because I know they are from God. Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: I Wrestled with Jacob and God Won

Posted on November 5, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

I recently had a chance to revisit Jacob’s story in Genesis 27-28 as part of my attempt to read the Bible in a year. I knew Jacob was not one of my favorite people in the Bible but my dislike for him grew even stronger as I read his story for the umpteenth time. Conniving, deceitful, self-promoting…these are a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Jacob. He not only took Esau’s birthright but tricked Isaac into blessing him instead of his brother. Even when God revealed Himself to Jacob in a mighty way thru a dream, he dared to put a condition on his relationship with God! He declares that God will be his God if He watches over him on his journey and provides for all his needs. And yet in Malachi 1:2-3, God says that “I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated. But why??? It doesn’t seem fair! Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: When You Feel the Spirit Nudging…

Posted on October 22, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

I had driven by him several times during the summer. With cardboard sign in hand and a grimace on his face, he would stand there for hours with the hot sun shining down on him. I found myself always in a hurry to get somewhere so all I managed to do was to make a mental note to myself to stop by Target to buy him a cap and a cold drink and bring them over to him one of these days. Weeks went by and when I finally made my way back to that intersection, he was no longer there. Another missed opportunity, I thought to myself. Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: The God of the Universe Knows Us by Name

Posted on October 16, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

I’ve been trying to write this post for the past couple of weeks and I find myself at a loss for words every time. Nothing I come up with seems to appropriately convey the magnitude of what I’m trying to express. Perhaps I still don’t have a firm grasp of the concept I’m trying to present. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to put it on paper (online) and I hope it helps to remind us of the awesome God we serve.

Is it perplexing to you that the God of the universe, the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God, who made the heavens and the earth and all living things, knows you and me by name, knows the number of hairs on our head and is familiar with all of our ways? Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: I Can Never Be Good Enough But Christ is Enough

Posted on September 24, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

“In the process of sanctification, the Spirit of God will strip me down until there is nothing left but myself, and that is the place of death. Am I willing to be myself and nothing more? Am I willing to have no friends, no father, no brother, and no self-interest— simply to be ready for death? That is the condition required for sanctification.” – My Utmost for His Highest

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what I had been feeling and experiencing lately until I read this devotional from My Utmost for His Highest. Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: 5 Things to Remember When You Can’t Let Go (of Your Children)

Posted on September 10, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

Milestones are something most of us look forward to, but when we finally reach them, they can be bittersweet, especially when it comes to our children. We find joy in seeing our children learn, grow and mature but at the same time, we feel sadness as we realize that they’re becoming more and more independent from us. As parents, especially as mothers, we want to keep them under our wings forever if we could.

As the school year begins and many of us are sending off our children on their first day of school, we’re celebrating different milestones; first day in kindergarten, first year in middle school, last year in high school, etc. Beneath the beam of pride is a heart that aches for the days of old. And it’s hard to let go. But we have to remember that we must surrender all to God, even our children. God has impressed upon my heart five truths that make it a little easier to let go of my grasp over His precious gift. Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: He is the God Who Sees Me

Posted on September 3, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

As far as I can remember in my life, I’ve never been one to stand out. I am the younger sister to a firstborn son in a traditional Korean family, so my brother almost always got all the attention. I didn’t stand out for my looks, for my outgoing personality or for any exceptional talent. For a shy kid, I guess it didn’t make much of a difference, it was actually a relief. My nature was further reinforced by the fact that I was raised in the traditions of the Korean culture, where it was considered a virtue for women to be reticent and submissive, and to remain in the background.

I wanted to be heard, be seen and be noticed.

I wanted to matter and make a difference.

As I grew up and started to think for myself and to form my own opinions, I grew a desire to have a voice. I wanted to be heard, be seen and be noticed. I wanted to matter and make a difference. Continue reading →

Weekly Wisdom: Am I Living by Faith?

Posted on August 26, 2015 by My Rose Colored Shades

We live in a world where we are obsessed with our own safety and comfort and the safety and comfort of our loved ones. The size and luxuries of our homes, the conveniences of current technology, our retirement accounts, they’re all about our safety and comfort in the present and in the future. I am the first to admit that when I pray, I pray for the safety and comfort of my family and friends. I pray the same for myself. We all work hard and save as much as we can in order that we can have a safe, secure and comfortable future until we die. We do our best to try to avoid any kind of discomfort or inconvenience as much as we possibly can. Continue reading →