~Senior Deaconess Kyung-sook Im (Ulsan Manmin Church)

As May is the "Family Month" in Korea, Manmin Joong-ang News thought it was an excellent opportunity to review the wisdom of love by which we can share joy with our families. The News staff met with 53-year-old Senior Deaconess Kyung-sook Im, who confesses it has been her blessing to look after her 97-year-old mother.
"It is only right and proper to look after one's own mother," says Senior Deaconess Im. "There are difficult times but as I am taking after the heart of the Lord day after day by nurturing patience and love while taking care of my mother, I am truly blessed."
It was not the easiest of tasks to serve her 97-year-old mother, professes Senior Deaconess Im. Stemming from her old age, Senior Deaconess Im's mother has developed dementia; just before bedtime every night, she roams about the house and opens the door to each of the rooms. When such patterns became a routine, the extent of torment felt by the rest of the family was inexplicable. As she increasingly grew uncomfortable towards her mother, Senior Deaconess Im says she used to sigh in lament, often saying to herself, "This is hard."
Then one day, while Senior Deaconess Im had taken eyes off her mother, she fell down the stairs and cut her forehead open. When the Senior Deaconess took her mother to the emergency room at Ulsan University Hospital after receiving Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee's "Prayer for the Sick" on the automated telephone message, the doctors found nothing wrong with her. Even in her old age, Senior Deaconess Im's mother was perfectly fine, as not even one of her bones was sprained.
After this incident, Senior Deaconess Im repented of having grumbled against and even neglected her mother at times. "As senior deaconess, I'm in the position to teach other. Yet, I couldn't even look after my own mother with love."
What more joy can there be in Senior Deaconess Im's life as she now serves her mother from the heart without grumbling, as happiness and gratitude have settled in her heart, and she has received the spiritual blessing of taking after the love of Our Lord?

"But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8).