"Wear bright colors, laugh and dance at my funeral."

Whenever my late hubby, Mario, and I would discuss how we wanted our funerals to be, he and I were both in total agreement that we wanted no one to wear dark, somber colors, but bright happy ones instead with happy upbeat music played at the funeral.

Mario said to me several times "I want people to wear bright colors, laugh and dance at my funeral." Never dreaming it would ever be a possibility to 'lose' him, until we were rocking each other's rocking chairs, I would look at him and say "I can agree with the color thing, but I don't know how I could EVER laugh or dance, as losing you would be losing my world," then he'd remind me that what he was saying is the way we all should be, happy for our loved one who would now happy beyond our wildest dreams. All of his wishes were fulfilled the best I possibly could at his funeral ...another of God's gracious blessings (and possibly another post).

I am truly so incredibly happy that he is in Heaven, but a hole was created in me when he left, and yet I am also ever so grateful for all the wonderful, loving years I was blessed with his deep and passionate love for me and our children, his kindness, his thoughtfulness for others, his willingness to help them and his ability to always put others first. He would never even start to eat any meal until I was eating and he would always give me the best portion of anything and have me eat first or usually even serve me first himself. He'd even save his "allowance" (we both had an 'allowance' each month to spend as we wished or to save...most often we saved to spend on each other) for weeks to buy something for me for a special occasion or take me out.

One of Mario's interests was skydiving. Now, we're not talking the ordinary skydiving, but something called HALO which stands for High Altitude, Low Opening. He was even an Airborne instructor for awhile at Ft. Benning, GA. He had his Master Airborne wings as well, all of which helped me to become the great prayer that I am!! He would have loved this patriotic canopy (top of the parachute) and flag.

Although, (or maybe because) Mario had served two tours in Viet Nam, he could not bring himself to ever look at the Viet Nam memorial wall (on a trip to Washington, DC)...even the thought would choke him up. There was a smaller replica of it in Arizona, but he just couldn't bear it (probably because he would see the names of fallen comrades he knew so well). He had two purple hearts as well as medals from 'Nam for lives he had saved under fire. Although it never did happen, the 'good news' is that just a few months before he died he said he thought he was ready to go see it.

He was also fiercely patriotic...maybe not quite as much as me, but a very close second. He did make a career out of the Army and even went through the naturalization process to become an real U. S. citizen, after Ria was born. He had been born in Poland, but raised in Venezuela, so he was a Venezuelan when we got married!! What a blessing it was that we both always dreamed of marrying someone who could speak Spanish like a native and we found each other!

Mario was grateful that America, the U.S., stood for so many good and honorable and God fearing ideals...something we need to pray deeply will return to us in full now!

His favorite symbol was the American Bald Eagle and we had eagles all over the house. For awhile he had a fabulous collection of somewhat expensive eagles, but sad to say, this collection gradually got broken. There are still quite a few other, more durable ones left that I will have to post for you in the near future.

Mario was also a very strong Christian, a true man of God and volunteered repeatedly to help out at any spiritual retreat and at many of our church's ministries. We said prayers together and blessed our children (and each other) every night.

Finally, I leave you with my most recent blessing as tied in with Mario, and that would be my Michael. God knew that I would need to find a man who could respect my sorrow over losing Mario and a man who could hold him in high esteem. Michael has always felt this way and more, never harboring any jealousy for as he has put it, if I could so easily 'get over the loss of Mario', my feelings wouldn't be very deep and I could not love Michael well either!

Some clever and amusing thoughts on being a Christian

Under same management for over 2,000 years.


Soul food served here.


Tithe if you love Jesus! Anyone can honk.


You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.


Beat the Christmas rush, come to church this Sunday!


Don't wait for the hearse to take you to church.


We should be more concerned with the Rock Of Ages, instead of the age of rock.


Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case!


Come early for a good seat in the back.


Life has many choices, Eternity has two. What's yours?


The best vitamin for a Christian is B1.


Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due.


A man's character is like a fence. It cannot be strengthened by whitewash.






Mario loved a good laugh, so please enjoy these for him:

Help from God

A woman named Edna finds herself in dire trouble. Her business has gone bust and she's in serious financial trouble. She's so desperate that she decides to ask God for help. She begins to pray...' God, please help me. I've lost my business and if I don't get some money, I'm going to lose my house as well. Please let me win the lotto.'
Lotto night comes and somebody else wins it.
Edna again prays.... 'God, please let me win the lotto! I've lost my business, my house and I'm going to lose my car as well.'
Lotto night comes and Edna still has no luck.
Once again, she prays, 'My God, why have you forsaken me?? I've lost my business, my house, and my car. My children are starving. I don't often ask you for help and I have always been a good servant to you. PLEASE, just let me win the lotto this one time so I can get my life back in order.
Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as the heavens open and Edna is confronted by the voice of God Himself:
'Edna, meet Me halfway on this. Buy a ticket.'

Adam Revealed

Four-year-old Robert opened the big bible which had been in his family for years. Absolutely fascinated, he flicked through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the bible. Robert picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old dry leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
'Mum, look what I've found', the boy called out.' What have you got there, dear?' With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think I've found Adam's underwear!'

Amish Humour:
Sign behind an Amish carriage: Energy efficient vehicle. Runs on grass and oats. Extreme caution: Avoid exhaust.

Poor Sick Boy
Marty, a little boy, was in church one Sunday with his mother Doris, when he started feeling sick.
'Mummy,' he inquired, 'can we leave now?' 'No,' his mother replied, 'the service isn't over yet.'.
'Well, I think I'm about to throw up.' Marty announced. 'Then go out of the front door and around to the back of the church and throw up behind a bush.' said Doris.
After about sixty seconds, Marty returned to his pew, alongside his mother.
'Did you throw up?' Marty's Mum asked quietly. 'Yes,' Marty answered, embarrassed.
'How could you have gone all the way to the back of the church and returned so quickly?' Doris demanded.
'I didn't have to go out of the church, Mummy. They have a box next to the front door that says, "For the Sick" '.

Today's Hymn
Reverend Clive Morgan was completing his homily in St John's Church about the dangers of alcohol and the need for moderation and temperance.

He announced at the end of the sermon in a loud, clear voice, 'If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river.' With even greater emphasis he added, 'And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river.' Finally, he intoned in an extremely serious manner, 'And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river.'
The Reverend Morgan then sat down. Jerry, St John's leading chorister stood up and announced with a smile, 'For our closing hymn this Sunday, let us sing together hymn number 109: 'Shall We Gather at the River.'




~~~Most gracious God and Father of us all, I thank you for the blessings of wonderful memories and children with a wonderful man, Mario and future blessings with another wonderful man, Michael.