NOEL SERRANO HONORS HIS FATHER

LOSING A LOVED ONE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS WE CAN GO THROUGH.
NO WORDS CAN ADEQUATELY EXPRESS THE STRONG EMOTION, THE LOVE AND THE GREAT APPRECIATION THAT WE ALL HAVE FOR THE MAN WHOM WE HONOR AND SEND HIM TO HIS REST TODAY..
MY FATHER, FRANCISCO SERRANO WAS BORN IN PONCE, PUERTO RICO ON DECEMBER 17, 1919. HE WAS THE PRODUCT OF A LARGE AND CLOSE KNIT FAMILY. HE WAS A MAN THAT SEEMED TO HAVE DISCOVERED "THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH" THE MANY YEARS OF TOIL AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WAS NEVER REVEALED ON HIS GLOWING COUNTENANCE. THERE ARE MANY WHO BEAR THE SCARS OF A LONG AND CRUEL LIFE, EVEN AT AN EARLY AGE, BUT PANCHITO, AS HE WAS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED BY HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BORE NO SEMBLANCE OF A LONG AND TWILIGHT STRUGGLE, FOR GOD BLESSED HIM WITH A LONG AND ACTIVE LIFE. IN THE MIDST OF CRISES , CHURCH STRUGGLES, AND FAMILY TRAGEDIES. FRANCISCO SERRANO WAS A VERY FRIENDLY AND OUTGOING MAN . HE EMBRACED LIFE TO THE FULLEST , EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HIS FINAL MOMENTS.
MY DAD HAD A RICH HISTORY OF CELEBRATED ANTICS IN HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD THAT REVEALED A VERY HAPPY PERSONALITY THAT EMERGED FROM A HUMBLE UPBRINGING.. HE WAS ADMIRED BY HIS YOUNGER SISTERS WHO EMULATED HIM FROM HIS VERY YOUTH.
DAD WOULD ALWAYS TELL US THE STORY OF THE TIME WHEN HE WAS AT HIS GRANDPARENT'S FARM, WHEN HE ONCE GAZED UP AT THE HEAVENS AND SAW THE LARGE BIRDS FLYING HIGH ABOVE THE MOUNTAINS OF ADJUNTAS. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF "I WONDER IF I COULD TEACH THESE LITTLE BABY PIGS TO FLY HIGH LIKE THOSE BIRDS " MY FATHER, AS A CHUBBY, LITTLE KID WADDLED TO THE NEARBY BARN AND TOOK THE LITTLE PIGS AND STARTED TO THROW THEM UP IN THE AIR. FRANCISCO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY HIS YOUNGER SISTER MINA, WHO SMILED IN CURIOUS GLEE, AS SHE SAW HER BROTHER ATTEMPTING TO GIVE THESE LITTLE PIGS, FLYING LESSONS. THESE POOR LITTLE PIGS WOULD SWOOP UP AND SPLASH ON THE SOFT GRASS. DAD'S GRANDFATHER CAME TO THE FIELD IN THE EVENING HOURS AND FOUND HIS LITTLE PIGLETS SPLATTERED THROUGHOUT. UNDERSTANDABLY,SOME OF THE PIGS WERE NOT FEELING SO WELL. THE GRANDFATHER CRIED OUT,"WHAT HAPPENED HERE"! "WHO DID THIS? LITTLE MINA CAME RUNNING TO HER GRANDFATHER AND DECLARED..…”.PANO, PANO, VOLLA, VOLLA" MY FATHER ALWAYS RECALLED THIS MOMENT WITH A HEARTY LAUGH, THAT WAS IN HIS NATURE. OUR FAMILY ALWAYS ADMIRED HIS WIT, HIS CHARM AND HIS ENDLESS STORIES OF HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD.. FRANCISCO SERRANO ALWAYS ATTEMPTED TO LIVE HIS LIFE FREE FROM ANXIETY OR STRESS. HE HAD BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH IN HIS LONG AND OFTEN TRAGIC LIFE. HE HAD WITNESSED AND SURVIVED SEVERAL PASSINGS WITHIN HIS LARGE FAMILY. GOD BLESSED OUR BELOVED FATHER WITH LONGEVITY OF LIFE. HE LIVED A STEADFAST AND FAITHFUL LIFE IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD. FRANCISCO SERRANO WAS TAUGHT TO HONOR HIS FATHER AND MOTHER. WHEN HIS DAD DIED YOUNG , HE TOOK CARE OF HIS MOTHER AND YOUNGER BROTHERS AND SISTERS. FRANCISCO SERVED IN THE US ARMY DURING WWII AND RECORDS REVEAL THAT HE SENT HIS MILITARY PAY TO HIS MOTHER.

HE WAS THE PROFOUND PRODUCT AND EXAMPLE OF THE "OLD GUARD" AND A MEMBER
OF THIS NATION'S GREATEST GENERATION

.
GOD BLESSES AN INDIVIDUAL THAT THINKS OF OTHERS BEFORE ONESELF. GOD GIVES PROLONGED LIFE TO THOSE THAT HONOR THEIR FATHER AND MOTHER. THIS IS A TRUE COMMANDMENT OF GOD WITH A VIVID PROMISE. GOD ALLOWED FRANCISCO TO OUTLIVE ALL THOSE WHO OVERSHADOWED HIS MEEK AND HUMBLE PERSONA, BUT BEHIND THE FRIENDLY,COUNTRY LOVING, SILVER-HAIRED, CHERRY-FACED EXTERIOR, WAS A MAN THAT TRULY LOVED THE LORD WITH ALL OF HIS HEART, MIND AND SPIRIT. HE LOVED HIS FAMILY WITH EVERY BREATH.THIS WAS A FATHER THAT LABOURED ALL NIGHT AND ALL DAY TO PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY. HE STILL TOOK THE TIME TO BUILD US GO- GO CARTS IN THE SUMMER. HE TOOK US TO THE BEACHES. HE MADE THE TIME TO TAKE HIS WIFE TO TEACH HER BIBLE CLASS, HE TOOK US TO BEAR MOUNTAIN, HE TOOK TIME TO EMBRACE US, TO LOVE US, FOR WE WERE HIS TREASURE. MY FATHER WOULD WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND KNELT BEFORE THE LORD TO INTERCEDE FOR HIS FAMILY. HE BEGAN PRAYING IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, THANKING THE ALMIGHTY FOR ANOTHER DAY OF VICTORY. THE EVENING HOURS WOULD FIND FRANCISCO, ONCE AGAIN , ON HIS KNEES PRAYING OUT LOUD FOR HIS FAMILY, FOR THAT WAS HIS CUSTOM.

I WANT TO SAY TO MY BELOVED FATHER, DAD,YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU. YOU WERE AN OUTSTANDING FATHER. I AM SO PROUD TO BE YOUR
SON.I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MARIA AND I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR
THE
MANY YEARS THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU, FOR THE EXPERIENCE, THE HONOR AND
HIGH
PRIVILEGE OF CARING FOR AND SERVING YOU DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE
SHARED
PRECIOUS MOMENTS TOGETHER AND OUR LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOU BURNS
DEEP
WITHIN OUR HEARTS. OUR TRUE COMFORT , AT THIS HOUR, IS IN THE
REALIZATION THAT
YOU FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, THAT YOU NOW GO TO A
BETTER RESTING PLACE
AND THAT WE WILL SEE YOU ONCE AGAIN ON THAT GREAT
MORNING AND WE WILL ALL
REJOICE AND SING THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED. WE WILL
DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE
LORD FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN.