Remembering Ernie...

Stones at Ernie's grave

November 1, 2013

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,

and this mortal shall have put on immortality,

then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,

Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting?

O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin;

and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory 

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefor, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast, unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour

is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58

The month of November is full of beautiful memories for me and my family.

On the very first day of the month, it is our tradition to visit the grave of our loved ones. It is our way of honoring those who have gone ahead of us. 

November 2 is Ernie's birthday, and we have always made it a point to celebrate it as a family by visiting his grave at the memorial park, and then sharing a meal together at one of his favorite restaurants.

This year things went differently for us because I am still here in the States. I am so glad that my two sons and their families still kept the tradition, even without me being around.

A meaningful thing for me is that my daughter Obedient One also arrived here a few days ago, and we were able to celebrate Ernie's birthday in a special way.

There are many things I will never forget about my husband. One of the things that stands out is that he was such selfless man.

It can truly be said that his life was never about himself.

A selfless man will always be a kind man... because he never does things to give credit or draw attention to himself. He does good things because he truly wants to be of help.

Ernie was such a man.

He did not keep a record of good things he had done, or favors he had extended to others. He simply did them out of the goodness of his heart.

There were times when people would thank him for an act of kindness he had done in the past, and he had already forgotten what it was.

What a refreshing thing it was to be married to a man like Ernie, a man with such a gracious heart.

He gave of himself readily, and his acts of generosity never left a bad taste in anyone's mouth.

He was a cheerful man, often whistling as he walked in through the door, always ready with a big smile.

He often saw the humorous side of life, and that is why whenever he was around, we would often be laughing.

Ernie also had a beautiful voice, and he loved to sing. Music was such an important part of our lives.

He was far from perfect, and he knew it. He did not find it difficult to admit it if he had been wrong, and would ask forgiveness once he realizes he has hurt me, or anyone else.

My husband was a truly noble man.

That is probably the reason why at his funeral, nearly a thousand people came to pay their last respects to such a humble man.

As I remember my dear husband at the start of this month, I keep thanking God for the legacy of humility that Ernie has left behind.

May our children and grandchildren grow up to be like him... extending kindness without strings attached.

It warms my heart to know that although Obedient One and I are here halfway around the globe, we were still one with the rest of our family in remembering Ernie.

The memory of his kind heart will continue to live on in our hearts.

Below are some pictures of our family celebrating Ernie's birthday this year.

At the memorial park... sharing good times, honoring the memory of their father...

over doughnuts, chips, and soda.

My two sons - First Born and Worshiper

My two daughters in "love" - God-given and Chosen One
with their sons



Worshiper and his son Full of Hope

Worshiper with Forerunner and Full of Hope

My two grandsons - Full of Hope and Forerunner

Obedient One and me - arriving at Washington DC,
on our way to New York City on November 1, 2013

With a dear friend Fely
at Peter and Ann Casimiro's home in NYC

November 2, 2013

With dear friends Tata and Fely, a lovely way to celebrate Ernie's birthday

Walking around Manhattan with Pitpat, Tata and Fely, on a chilly evening, on our way to the Korean Town, November 2, 2013

One highlight of my trip to NYC was being able to worship and partake of the Lord's Supper on Sunday morning (November 3) at the Times Square Church with my dear friend Fely:

Sunday evening dinner treat given by Fely

in honor of Ernie's birthday

November 3, 2013

I took this shot of Obedient One while we were waiting on 34th St. NYC, for our bus back to Washington DC, Monday November 4, 2013. It was 31 degrees F when this photo was taken!

Beautiful memories to warm our hearts...

A truly memorable weekend worth treasuring...