To my surprise, I still discover people who believe we are financially supported by our parents. Here is my response to them:

I have had colleagues in the 1st to 4th grade whose parents did their homework from time to time (blatantly so). I thought to myself then “How nice for them. How lucky they are!” But their deficiency and inability to be resourceful in 5th grade, and for some of them even later, was dramatic.

We have wise parents, and too honest with their own struggle and journey to have cuddled us then and now. I am sorry for you if we gave you the impression that “our parents are doing our homework”. Those who have eyes to see, see!

The biggest compliment my (occasionally drunk) teacher paid me in 3rd grade was when he accused me that someone else did my homework for me. I knew then I was smart. Smarter than he could believe.

After we got married, when it was the hardest season for us in California, when we didn’t know if we’ll have enough money to pay the exorbitant monthly rent, when Conrad’s boss went bankrupt and we lost one income, someone left for us 200 dollars at the leasing office, without writing on the envelope who left them for us, but just that when they needed money most, someone anonymously gave them the exact amount of money they needed. That money saved us that month.

If today we have a strong and beautiful marriage is because when we melted of worry together, when we burned together of lacking or sickness, we welded together in Christ.

Success is to work smarter, not longer and harder. Believe it or not, we work and earn money monthly. Even if and when we enjoy life with gusto.