1) My faith. I just cannot imagine a world where a perfect love does not exist. I believe in perfect love and that it comes from God. With everything life has thrown at me I am thankful that my faith has brought me through it all. A faith that there is a perfect love that loves me. Thank you Lord for loving me even when I felt I couldn't be loved at all.
2) My husband. On May 17th, 2003 I married Mark Steven Graalman Jr., my best friend and a man whom I trust with my heart. He is just perfect for me. I have a love for him that exceeds anything imaginable. The way he makes me laugh, the way he listens to me even if I'm being stubborn and the way he looks at me just makes me feel loved. Thank you Lord for my husband who has given me more joy in the last 6 years than I can possibly contain inside.
3) My children. Benjamin Yo-Sup born on February 4th, 2005 and Nathaniel Yo-Soon born on April 21st, 2008. Is there anything sweeter than the sound of your own children's laughter or the embrace that comes in the morning after a long night's sleep? Is there any role in the world more satisfying than the role of being a parent and witnessing their growth that is a result of your love for them? They are both so unique in their own ways and I cannot live without how they will surprise me each and every day. Thank you Lord for the amazing gifts of Ben and Nate. What a blessing they are to me and I am so thankful You entrusted me as their mommy. I am honored Lord.
4) My family. My parents introduced love to me the day I was born. Even if the words "I love you" were not spoken often, there was always an unspoken understanding that love was there in every way. I respect and appreciate them for all their hard work and sacrifices that they have had to go through to show my sisters and myself their love for us. There is a safety in the love of parents and I feel safe. My sisters have also given me a safe haven in life. I love them so much and can't imagine who I would be today if I didn't have their constant support and love. Even to this day I look up to them. As a child I wanted to be like them in every way. Not much has changed since then! I am also so thankful for my extended family as well. I grew up seeing my uncles, aunts and cousins on a weekly basis. To me it was normal to spend my Saturdays at family gatherings and weird when I heard friends say they didn't do anything with their cousins! Oh how I miss those days. Thank you Lord for my family and all the ways you have blessed me with them. I pray you bless my parents who are in Korea and help them to know how much they are loved even though there are many miles between us. I pray you bless my beautiful, wonderful, loving sisters and their families. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful blessing.
5) My friends. Friends are the reason I understand the terms 'home away from home' and 'just like family.' I love my friends who have given me an endless amount of hugs, stayed with me overnight when I needed a shoulder to cry on, and given me reasons to laugh out loud. Friends have a choice of walking away when things get rough but decide to stick around anyway because they truly care about you and love you. Thank you Lord for my friends who not only stick around, but who love to stick around.
So, the things most important to me aren't things at all, but the love of people in my life. In the end, when all is said and done, is it not the love of those that we want to be surrounded by? One of my favorite quotes, as simple as it may be, is "joy is not in things, it is in us." Things are just a temporary joy that can always be replaced by something else. True joy is something that is irreplaceable and safe. I am so very thankful that I feel safe. Thank you Lord for the joy and the safety of Your love and for blessing me with so many wonderful people whom I love so much. Please continue to remind me of what is truly important and help me to find ways to be joyful in the true sense of the word. Thank you for showing me how much You love me every single day. I love you. Amen.
