Storyworth: (9) A Tapestry of Love

Celebrating Our Family’s Journey Through Letters, Cards, and Poems

Introduction

I often express my love for my children through heartfelt letters, notes, and cards. These written words are tangible reminders of my affection, connecting us across
time and creating lasting memories that our family cherishes.

To preserve these meaningful writings, I’ve encouraged my children to keep their
treasured correspondences from parents, teachers, friends, and others in an
expandable accordion file folder. These written affirmations offer reassurance of
the love, guidance, and encouragement from the significant others in their lives.

To my delight, my children also express their love and gratitude to me through
writing. In this audio recording, I will share some of the correspondence I’ve
written to my children, along with the letters, notes, poems, and cards they’ve given
me. I refer to this collection as a tapestry of love, intertwining our joys, pains, trust, aspirations, and love for one another and God.

To respect the privacy of my adult children, I have chosen not to include our recent
personal writings in this audio recording. I hope you will enjoy listening to these heartfelt pieces!

My Letter to CC Upon Receiving His First College Acceptance Letter

2/3/1999
Dear CC,
Yesterday, when I read the letter of acceptance offered to you from the University of Michigan, tears streamed down my cheeks. I have always known that you are a strong student, and I expected you would be accepted by many top-notch universities. However, receiving this acceptance letter ushers in the beginning of a new phase in your life — one that will offer you countless opportunities to explore, discover, soar, and find fulfillment. This change also means that, as your parents, Dad and I have to learn to let go and trust you with your future. We pray that you will lead a life that is in tune with God’s leading. It’s a challenging experience for me, especially because we have been very close as a family. I understand that I must learn to trust both you and God. Please know that regardless of which school you ultimately choose or where life takes you, we will always be a family and we will always love you.

The past two years have been incredibly tough for us. I believe God is testing our faith and refining our character. I hope the following verses offer you comfort during this time, as they have helped me tremendously in the past.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5 &6).

 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

I am aware that any decisions Dad and I will make regarding our ministry, as well as the decision you will make for your college education, will impact all of us. That’s why it’s so important for us to seek and obey God’s will. Sometimes following God’s will may require us to give up something or even “suffer some loss.” However, when we are obedient in faith, God ensures that no one ultimately loses anything from our obedience to Him. I understand this may be a difficult faith lesson for you to grasp, but both Dad and I have experienced this truth many times. Let’s hold on to this promise: ^“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Love,
Mom

Mother’s Day Card from CC

May 2003
Dear Mom,
Happy Mother’s Day! I hope this day is full of rest and happiness for you. I want to thank you for all the time and sacrifices you have made to develop me into a God-fearing person. Thank you for supporting me these past four years of college. I don’t think I could have done it without your prayers and support. Know that I am continually praying for you and our family! I love you, Mom.

Your son,
CC

Comment from Mom to the Listeners:  The cover of CC’s Mother’s Day card featured a cartoon depicting matchstick figures jumping off a bridge — a seemingly humorous image that contrasted sharply with a stark reality. The caption of the card reads:​
“My friends: jumping off a bridge. Me, not doing it.”​
CC graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 2003 from a university known not only for its rigorous academics but sadly also for its history of students taking their own lives by jumping off the campus’s iconic bridges. CC shared that the academic pressure was overwhelming at times. Yet, unlike some of his peers, he chose to hold on to resilience instead of despair and put his trust in God. By God’s grace, his perseverance carried him through to graduation and opened the door for him to enter a Ph.D. program. I couldn’t be more proud of CC!

Message from CC to Mom and Dad on His Wedding Day

July 8, 2006
Dear Mom and Dad,
I just want to thank you for being so supportive and patient over the past ten months. I am also grateful that you are accepting JJ into the family. It means a lot to me. Please continue to pray for us as we begin this new stage of life. I have learned a lot from observing your lives. Thank you for being such a godly example for me. I am officially ready to leave the nest, but I will still look to you guys for support.

Thank you again for your love and support.
Love,
Your son, CC

Wordings Printed Inside CC’s Thank You Card

My wedding
is one of the mostimportant days
of my life –
So it seemed like
a perfect time
to express my love
gratitude to you
for all you have done…

You and your love
have truly made
all the difference in my life –
and on this special day,
I just want you to know
how important you’ll always be to me.

My Letter to CC upon Acceptance of His New Job

8/28/15
Dear CC,
A few days ago, while cleaning the basement, I came across a clipping from the Poway newspaper that I had saved. The article highlighted your achievement in high school, recognizing you as one of the “FACEs of the Future” and honoring you as a member of the Fraternity of Academic and Civic Excellence program.

Finding this article feels so timely. Sixteen years have passed since your high school graduation, and now, in just a few days, you will step into your role as an Assistant Professor. Back in 1999, none of us—including you—could have predicted what the future would hold for you. Yet even then, the Poway newspaper recognized that you would be a “Face of the Future.” They were right—you were already on the path to becoming a winner. I want to send you this clipping; perhaps you’ll like to keep it as a memento.

Dad and I want you to know how immensely proud we are of you—not only for your academic and professional accomplishments, but even more for the loving husband and father you have become. We lift your family up in prayer every day. We ask the Lord to help you settle quickly in your new city and to give you joy in your challenging new role. We know moving with two young children is never easy, and we understand that you and JJ will need to help them adjust amid all the other changes. I pray you will also be a strong emotional support for JJ during this transition. We also pray that you will find a good evangelical church where your family can continue to worship God and seek His guidance in all that you do.

I know your current house hasn’t sold yet, which means you are carrying two mortgages. Money will be tight. That can be stressful—we’ve been through it ourselves. Do you feel you have enough money for now? Will you need to spend much on the new house? Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything. We truly hope everything goes smoothly so you can keep your focus on your new position.

Please keep in touch. Even though we may not see each other as often as we’d like, we always love you deeply.

With all my love,
Mom

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My Message to KK, My Second Son

March 12, 1994
Dear KK,
Whenever I think of you, I can’t stop praising the Lord for you. You are such a precious little child. Dad and I love you not because you won the spelling bee or were accepted into the honors recital (though we are, of course, very proud of your accomplishments), but because you put your heart into everything you do.

You recognize the gifts and talents that God has given you, and you are determined to use them well — for God’s honor and for yourself. Everything that you learn becomes a part of you; nobody can take that away from you. It’s like storing treasures that you can use for the rest of your life.

Once again, I want to remind you how deeply we love you. Thank you for being such a loving and delightful child.

With all my love,
Mom

P.S. I am also very glad to see the improvement you’ve made in your Chinese.
(The Printed Message on the Card: A Note that Bears My Love.)

KK to Mom on Mother’s Day

May 9, 2007
Mom,
Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for being a wonderful mother to me, and my brother and sister for the past 23.5 years. I appreciate the example of faith and love you’ve provided. My personality and values today are very much a product of all the lessons you taught me throughout the years.

Thank you also for being a mom and caring for me even today — for reminding me that I need to see a doctor when I am sick, despite being a medical student myself.  Thank you for always being concerned about my financial situation, although you need not worry. I hope you get a chance to enjoy yourself and rest this Mother’s Day. I will be praying for you, especially with all the changes that may come this year as my sister goes off to college and everything that goes along with that.

Happy Mother’s Day.
Your Second Son,
KK

Printed Message on the Card

I praise God for you
and all you have meant in my life —
Because you seek God’s will
and follow it…
Because you believe His word
and live it…
Because you are a woman
of deep, faith, joyous spirit,
and abiding in love.
God bless you on
Mother‘s Day

 

KK’s Message to Mom and Dad upon their 30th Wedding Anniversary

July 2008
Mom and Dad,
Happy 30th Anniversary! Thank you both for being such wonderful parents and for all the sacrifices you’ve made, as well as the love you’ve shown me over the past 25 years. I’m truly grateful for the love you share, even during the difficult times we’ve been through. I hope you enjoy your trip to Delaware and have a restful, relaxing time. This is just a small way for us to say “thank you” on your 30th anniversary.

Love,
KK

Printed Message on the Card:
For you, Mom and Dad
“Children Do Not Realize”
Until we’re grown, we never know or fully realize
How sweet and kind our parents are,
how gentle, and how wise.
We simply take for granted from day to passing day.
Each sacrifice they make for us
in their own loving way…
But then we grow and finally learn,
the way that children do
How much their love has really meant,
how thoughtful they’ve been, too…
And so this comes with all the thanks
you both deserve, and more —
For there aren’t, two dearer parents
than the ones this greeting’s for!
Happy Anniversary
Love and Gratitude Always

My Letter to MM and KK Just Before the Birth of Their Second Child

May 2020
Dear MM and KK,
We had planned to fly to Dallas on May 6 to be with you for the baby’s birth. Although we can’t be there physically due to COVID-19, we entrust your family to God, who is more loving, helpful, and knowing than we are.​

I want to share a few Bible verses with you. God’s word is more powerful and comforting than my own. KK mentioned that MM’s dilation has begun, indicating the baby will arrive soon. From my experience, “soon” could mean within a week. With my first two deliveries, the doctors had to break my water. Waiting can be challenging, especially in the final stages of pregnancy when the mother feels heavy, tired, and hot. However, God will bring forth the baby at the appropriate time. As Isaiah 66:9 says:​

“Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. ​

Isaiah 42:14 also shows that God understands the pain and the tough times a mother goes through at childbirth:​

“… But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant.”

Moreover, Psalm 22:9 reminds us that God is the ultimate obstetrician:​

“Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.” The original word is gazah, which means “draws forth from the womb.”

What a beautiful picture of God’s care and love for us. We do not have to be afraid because our God is greater than any earthly obstetrician.​

I pray that the delivery will be quick. Of all three of my children’s births, KK’s was the most painful and prolonged. I was close to having a C-section because his head wouldn’t descend, and there were complications with the umbilical cord. But he finally descended! As John 16:21 says:​

“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”

You, especially MM, will experience immense joy too. During this countdown, Dad and I will continue to pray that God gives strength to MM and blesses both of you with peace, as Psalm 29:11 states:​

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.” ​

I’m relieved to know that MM’s mother has found a place that can mail MM some 坐月子餐 (zuò yuè zi cān). MM must eat nutritious food to restore her strength and ensure she has enough milk for the baby. This will also lessen KK’s workload. Let us know how we can help. Would you like us to mail something to you?​

With all our love and prayers,​
Mom

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Handmade Mother’s Day Card from YY, My Daughter, with a Message Written in Chinese

This is a very precious handcrafted Mother’s Day Card made by my daughter YY when she was in third grade. She used bits of lace, beads, ribbons, and even a rose bud to create a fan design for the cover of this card. She wrote the message in Chinese in her own handwriting. For the few characters that she did not know how to write, she used phonetic notations. Besides the original message written in Chinese, I translated it into English as well. Here they are:

親愛的媽媽：

謝謝您買新衣給我穿。
也謝謝您那麼地愛我，我也很愛您。
祝母親節快樂。

女兒
恩欣敬上

Dear Mom,

Thank you for buying me new clothes.
Thank you for loving me so very much. I love you too.
Happy Mother’s Day!

Respectfully,
Your Daughter, YY

 

The Poems To Mom by YY, My Daughter

In Christmas of 1999, YY was 10 years old and wrote a collection titled “A Book of Poems to Mom”. Here, Mom has included two of her poems along with her computer-generated illustrations. Since then, she has written more poems and books for Mom. Due to space limitations, Mom has decided to include only these two poems here.

Front Cover: A Book of Poems for my Mother From your daughter Melanie Christmas 19.9.9

 

Letter to YY on her 14th Birthday

2/15/2003
Dear YY,

Happy Birthday!

I just want to let you know that I appreciate what you have been doing in the last twelve months.

At this time last year, the two of us were all alone in Hawaii, but you were very responsible in taking care of yourself and your homework. You were a tremendous help during our move. I could not do it without your help at the garage sale, helping me to drag the heavy furniture and move everything to Pauline’s home. We have gone through some very rough times, but I also remember the good times that we had together. The time I spent with you alone, talking, shopping, and having dinner in various restaurants.

I am also very proud of you because you have been doing your best adjusting to all the new situations we have encountered in the last few years. You continue to work hard in school, put forth your best efforts, and keep motivated despite the changing curriculum and different cultures of the schools. I know it is very difficult to make and keep friends and get into a group at your age. I thank God that He has prepared Liz for you; she is very much like your friends in Punahou, and you also take the initiative to widen your circle of friends without much complaining. I am sure with your winning ways and sincerity, you will be able to develop more intimate friendships with others soon. The girls from our church are nice, and it seems like you are being well received by them.  As far as home is concerned, I think we have finally settled in and adjusted to the New York lifestyle and the resultant changes in our jobs, school, church, and hectic schedules.

I hope you will continue to trust in God’s leading in our lives and live by His principles. Please keep our communication lines open, and be open to our suggestions and guidance. I know you will continue to strive for the best. You have two older brothers to look up to, and I am very proud of them, too. Remember, no matter what happens, we are always a family, and we love you.

Love,
Mom

Letter to YY as She Left Home for her Senior Year in College

Aug 28, 2010
Dear YY,
I can hardly believe that you left for your senior year of college this morning. I still remember when we first arrived in Rye eight years ago, how we were snubbed by the Rye Middle School counselor and principal.

Since then, we have shared many joyful and memorable moments together: the pride of watching you win distinguished awards in various science competitions; the loud cheers from your classmates on the school bus as it turned onto our street after prom; the celebrations at your friends’ homes; and the multiple times you were called across the stage at your high school graduation to be recognized by the Master of Ceremonies. I also cherish the memories of our college visits—especially the trips you and I took together without Dad—and the first time Dad and I helped you move into your dormitory.

Compared to your brothers, Dad and I have been more involved in your high school and college activities. Partly, this is because we have had more free time, but mostly, it is because you created a whirlwind of activities that drew us in so naturally. Since Brown is so close to home, we have countless opportunities to pick you up and drop you off. I hope this has fostered a deeper, mutual closeness between us.

I made several trips this summer, and you were very involved with your summer job. If we hadn’t traveled to Hawaii together, I fear we might have drifted apart. When we lived in Hawaii, our family faced many challenges, and I know, even at your young age, you were aware of the burdens I carried. At that time, I was often oblivious to the beautiful scenery around me, because my senses were dulled. I am so grateful for your invitation to return to Hawaii this summer. My impression of Hawaii has been transformed dramatically since then, and I treasure the wonderful time we spent together, enjoying each other’s company and God’s beautiful creation.

Just after you left this morning, I came across an article in the Daily News. It detailed the story of a freshman at Parsons The New School for Design who tragically fell from a 22-story apartment during a drinking party. Her father is an ambassador to Thailand, yet this angel-faced teenager described in her blog a life tormented by alcohol, psychotropic medications, loneliness, and depression. Though she was a deep thinker and a talented writer, quoting Sylvia Plath and philosopher Thomas Hobbes in her writings, she seemed to lead a life without purpose and intimacy — even with her parents.

As I read her story, I couldn’t help thinking of you. I know you have many pursuits in life and give your best effort in everything you do. I hope you will develop meaningful relationships with people you meet, beyond professional connections, and that you will feel comfortable confiding in us and your brothers when you’re in need.

I have reminded you multiple times that while we appreciate your hard work and accomplishments, success in school and work is not everything. I always pray that you can be more relaxed and depend on God. This does not mean neglecting your responsibilities, but it does mean recognizing that unless you align with God’s will, your achievements may not provide true and lasting meaning in life.

I hope you will use the devotional books I gave you to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. I also pray that your two new roommates will provide you with spiritual support.

I miss you, love you, and look forward to seeing you next week. Enjoy every moment of your last year in college!

With all my love,
Mom