Hold On, Myrna -- Hold On To GOD!

'Anyone who belongs to CHRIST has become a NEW person. The OLD life is gone -- a NEW life has begun!' (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Myrna's gone. Her physical presence is NO MORE. We will NO LONGER enjoy her visits, NO LONGER enjoy celebrating CHRISTmas and Mother's Day and Thanksgiving and birthdays with her. NO MORE precious moments by which to make memories to file away in our hearts. NO MORE TIME to know her deeper. NO MORE TIME to love her better. NO MORE TIME to enjoy her unique personality.

And WHAT a personality is the SOUL that she IS! In her teens, Myrna was a bright fuschia-colored persona, lively and flamboyant, an extroverted rebel. She forged with gusto her own self-made path in Life, headstrong into the buffeting winds that came trying to knock her down -- and she weathered through them with her deep well of inner resolve, with her "Just get back up!" attitude. Myrna was NO quitter! She did not whimper, nor throw in the towel. Myrna was a 10-round fighter -- SO determined to "hang in there, baby!" -- no matter what Life dished out.

In her later years, Myrna mellowed out. During her brief visits with us during family get-togethers, i experienced her heart of cheerful, open-handed generosity. If Mom merely said she liked the bag she was using, Myrna would empty that bag and exchange it with one of Mom's. Or if i asked her if she had an extra lipstick in her bag, she'd find one and hand it to me... just like that! Or she'd just pass out $20-bills, to Mom's and Maia's and my delight! She brought various gifts ("pasalubong") whenever she visited us -- but NOW we realize that SHE herself was GOD's utterly precious gift to us!

Myrna had this wonderful way of dealing with those who've hurt her. She had this matter-of-fact "don't worry about it" way of forgiving others -- of not holding on to grudges. At the hospital, because of an incident with a nurse, knowing that i was agitated by it, she just whispered as best as she could, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!" -- so i didn't. Or she'd just raise her perfectly arched eyebrows, or roll her eyes, and say, "Oh, well!" in that tone that says it all.

Myrna taught me the meaning of "EQUANIMITY" -- of having composure, especially under extreme duress. The night before her open-heart surgery, i asked her, "Are you scared?" And she honestly said "YES" -- having been a nurse for more than 35 years, she KNEW what that coming ordeal entailed. But she was composed -- she was not panicking that night, nor the morning of surgery. Myrna demonstrated "EQUANIMITY" as she faced the upcoming Life or Death operation. 

i learned much from my sister's RE-actions to all that she had suffered -- a 17-hour open-heart surgery (which required repairing a valve and two bypasses), 14 days of intubation (breathing with a ventilator), kidney failure, which included 2 1/2 weeks of dialysis prior to her heart surgery, which later -- caused severe edema. Then ANOTHER major surgery -- this time a colostomy due to severe colitis -- just 2 1/2 weeks after that harrowing heart surgery! And Myrna had to be intubated again -- re-attached to the much-hated ventilator. Then more tests had to be done. Three trips to the I.R. -- moving her from the fifth floor to the first floor of the hospital, with ALL the monitors and drips going with her. Then one more FINAL procedure... and her spirit seemed to say, "Oh well..." in that way that says it all.

But throughout these terrible ordeals (from July to September) -- GOD was ever drawing Myrna to Himself. She had heard the Gospel -- the Good News that is GOD's gift of Salvation through CHRIST. She may not have paid attention during my times of sharing or read the Gospel booklets i've given -- but she listened intently the night before her heart surgery and the morning before being brought to the O.R. Myrna heard the GOOD News. And our parting words were, "Hold on, Myrna! Hold on to GOD -- because HE is holding on to you. HE is holding you, but you have to hold on to Him, too!"

Before her second major operation -- the colostomy -- i explained the GOOD News again... and that TOday is the day she needs to trust her very life to GOD, to trust in CHRIST and His BLOOD-payment at the Cross for the forgiveness of ALL her SINs. i reminded her that GOD is EVER holding on to her AS she holds on to Him. And GOD brought her THROUGH this very deep Valley of the Shadow of Death -- AGAIN... for the FOURTH time within two months. That was September 1.

On September 7 (6:39 am) -- my phone text reads, "Had private talk with Myrna last night. Asked if she was believing in GOD. She nodded, YES -- her eyes open. Has she trusted her life in His hands, through CHRIST JESUS, SON of GOD? YES, she nodded. THIS is the REAL everlasting HalleluJAH we've been waiting and praying for!"

On September 8 (3:13 am) -- Dr Spitzer called to tell us to come immediately to say our goodbyes to Myrna. Mom and i arrived at 4 am (Junior and Amy arrived soon after, and Tom later). i spoke into Myrna's ear -- "THIS time, Myrna, GOD will carry you. You don't need to hold on any longer, because THIS time, GOD will carry you to Heaven. DON'T BE AFRAID. JESUS is with you. When you open your eyes, you'll be in Heaven with GOD and JESUS and our loved ones. NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE TEARS, NO MORE SORROW -- just LOVE and JOY!" i saw a tear from the corner of each of her closed eyes. Tears of sorrow AND joy? Was that Myrna's personal goodbye?

Is Myrna REALLY gone? MOST DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY NOT -- Myrna IS ALIVE! The immortal part of her, the SOUL that she IS, lives on -- with GOD in Heaven. She is forEVERmore painLESS, tearLESS, fearLESS. NO MORE torturous intubation, NO MORE unsightly colostomy bag, NO MORE attached to drips and beeping monitors. GOD IN CHRIST has removed ALL of Myrna's sorrows; He has given her FINAL and EVERlasting VICTORY over Eternal Separation from GOD (which is Hell). Myrna IS IN HEAVEN -- literally, truly, IN REALITY -- at THIS very moment, because the immortal SOUL that she IS, after separating from her lifeless, mortal body at 5:35 am Sunday -- immediately, instantly, in the blink of an eye -- was carried by our LORD to His Kingdom of UNapproachable LIGHT and INfinite LOVE and UNimaginable GLORY. Myrna's REAL self -- her SOUL -- is with GOD in Heaven. Myrna is NOT JUST resting in peace -- she IS IN PERFECT BLISS, breathing Divine atmosphere, IN the very Presence of her LORD, her Savior, her GOD! Myrna WAS like a sheep gone astray... but NOW and forEVERmore, she is CHRIST JESUS' very own beloved -- a forEVERmore blessed child of GOD, a forEVERmore citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven! ALL is WELL indeed with Myrna's SOUL! HalleluJAH! \o/

(May ALL who've been enriched by Myrna's gracious presence in their lives also have like-assurance that "ALL is WELL with my SOUL" so that when we stand before GOD, we can be confident that those who belong to CHRIST are clothed in HIS perfect Righteousness -- and that 'there is NOW NO CONDEMNATION to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS' -- Romans 8:1.)

(Video montage (by Jeremy Sazon) -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE0ugDNsm8Q&feature=youtu.be)