I am writing this article this Friday morning, March 27, 2015. This afternoon, we will all lift Len to the Lord for His eternal love and care.
Together with her children, Kirk (and Reza and Pia), Don, Mark ( and Therenne), and Mae, and with Ceding, their special family member (and ours too), together with her siblings, Nong Joseph (with Edna, Jem, Jex (with Amadel, Avery, Austin, Nong Edmund (with Lerma, Jong and Anna, Paolo and Sam, Sonny Boy with Gail and Gabby, and Edward) Brenda (with Bonggoy, Bubbles, Bambi and spouses and children), me (with Orly, Aiko and Jared, and Karlo) and together with all our relatives and friends in various parts of the Philippines and abroad, all will join together and pray the Divine Chaplet and offer mass for Len at the St. Peter's Chapels in Mandaue from 2pm, and then, we will move on to Cempark where Len will finally be laid to rest and lifted to the Lord for His continuing love and care, hopefully, prayerfully, within the Divine Mercy hour.
Into Your Hands, o Lord, we entrust Marilyn. Along with and beyond our present tears and grief, we continue to sing praises and thanks to you, dear God, for taking best care of Len.
Thank You for sharing Your love with Len and through Len. Thank You for sharing Your love with her children and all of us You whom You graciously allowed to be touched by Len throughout her lifetime.
Gathering together for Len has been one grand testimony of love shared by You with us all in our family. We pray and thank You for continuing to allow this grace of love from You for us all now and for all succeeding members of our huge family and clan in the future.
Nong Joseph, our brother whom we lovingly call Patok, reminded us: instead of saying "rest in peace" to those who join the Lord, we should say, "live in peace with God." For not only has Len been given eternal rest and peace by God, Len is now able to sing praises forever, she is now basking in God's embrace and presence, and continuing to pray for and watch over us all from up above.
Despite our tears, we are consoled because of God's words, through His Son, Jesus Christ. "I am the Good Shepherd ( John 10:14). My sheep hear my voice: I know them and they follow me ( John 10:27).
"I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, Who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no once can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." (John10:28-30).
Len continues to live and in the best hands of Jesus Christ and God our Father, hallelujah! She is where she chose to be, she is where she is happiest now, in the best care and hands of God! Thank you, Lord! You are truly good, all the time!
Her children and the rest of Len's large extended family members and her friends also continue to be in the best hands of the Lord who loves everyone. Thank you, Lord!
With grateful hearts then, despite momentary tears and mourning, we joyfully lift Marilyn into Your loving hands and care, our dear God.
Lepins, now you can sing forever in the presence of the Lord! You will always be with us. We love you deeply and will certainly miss you but we will strive to go beyond our tears now, to always remember you smiling and strumming your guitar, as you always did everyday at mass, to "sing to and with the Lord- to praise and be with the Lord forever!!!"