
Happy Birthday Mommy!
For your birthday this year, I would like to share the very words I shared to you and dad during my wedding 23 years ago. If you remember, we wove into our wedding ceremony an "Honoring of Parents" part. Here is what I shared on November 5, 1988:
"Dad and Mommy, thank you for making this wedding so memorable simply by your presence. I know it was quite a sacrifice on your part to make this event so special for Carlo and I- but that has always been your character, you have given and given of yourselves to us your children, often sacrificially.
In most of the major decisions in my life, like the choice of career which is missionary and now the choice of a lifetime partner, you have died to your own standards, your own desires, your own dreams for me just so I may get God's very best.
Your selflessness has made it easier for me to obey God's call for my life. But even more than that, YOUR SELFLESSNESS HAS GIVEN ME A GLIMPSE OF GOD'S FACE.
Thank you and I love you very much."
Mommy, this was true of you then, and it is true of you now. Through all these years, you have continued to amaze me with your heart to GIVE. I remember when we were in Cebu last April just before Vivien left, she had extra dollars and wanted you to have it, but what was your response?- “Give it to Sandra”. You don’t only know mom how I really cried…here you were, even out of your own need, you still gave to me; even at the height of our pain and grief over Marla’s death, you put others first.
Mom, you don’t know this but everytime you give to me, I really cry because I am just so blessed to have a mom, who never thinks of herself but of others.
You have impacted and continue to impact all of us with your selflessness, truly your selflessness has given us all a GLIMPSE OF GOD’S FACE.