A special Father’s Day

(A co-post with my brothers)

About a month and a half ago, our dad discovered a tumor in his jaw. It was an unusually aggressive form that required quick action and fairly extensive surgery.

This past Friday the tumor was removed. The surgeon is pleased with how everything went, and Dad is now at home recovering and cracking jokes as usual. The healing process will be lengthy. But we have much to be thankful for, including an early discovery of the tumor, knowledgeable physicians, and extremely supportive family and friends.

So Dad, we thank God you’re home today, even though your typical Father’s Day steak dinner will have to wait a few months. But we’re even more grateful for everything you’ve taught and demonstrated for us, including:

• Generosity. Dad has sacrificed a lot to provide us with necessities and comforts of life and recreational / educational opportunities (i.e. opportunities for vacation and vocation).
• Love for Mom. They are an example of God’s love shown through the marriage relationship.
• Eye for detail. Dan: I don’t like it when something I do gets scrutinized, but I think some of that has been passed down (genetically or by example). It’s sort of a double-edged sword (the more things you notice, the more you feel you are liable to act on), but in general it’s good not to be too oblivious to your surroundings…
  Steve: I agree with Dan . . . I find that I’m more detail-oriented than even most of my peers at law school.
• Ability to see the big picture. Dad can be really detailed, but he’s also constantly coming up with good ideas. He has a vivid imagination and can see multiple solutions to a problem.
• Being supportive. There are probably lots of Asian parents who wouldn’t want their kids to go into music, but he’s been supportive of both Ruth and Tim. And he’s supported all of our career choices, even though none of us decided to become a dentist.
• Always thinking about how things can be improved, whether it’s dental equipment or us. Haha.
• A genuine interest in our interests. Tries to learn about the fields we’re going into by reading random online articles.
• Always thinking of ways that our family can help and be an encouragement to others. Notices what other people need and acts on it.
• Good life balance. Dad has always worked hard, but has never been a workaholic. Work has never been more important than family or church or people.
• Sense of humor. Has a good attitude towards life and isn’t too proud to laugh at himself.

Happy Father’s Day!