kolmapäev, august 25, 2004
What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?
There's an ad for Tombstone brand frozen pizza that says, "What do you want on your tombstone?" Two years ago, Tim and I bought a three-grave plot (always the bargain hunters, we got one for each of us and an extra to share!). It was important to me to get a good spot in Forest City Cemetery in Portland, Maine. This is where my grandparents and Tim's grandmother and infant brother are buried. I didn't want to end up out in the Back Forty somewhere in a few decades. (Well, not really me, but my ashes and dust!)
It's been interesting to see how different graveyards and tombstones look here in Estonia. The graveyards are more wild, and while kept up still are a lot more than just the grass you usually see in America. The tombstones are more simple, usually just a cross shape.
This has got me thinking again about how we want our tombstones to be. I know I want a reddish color, something to contrast with the white snow in Maine. And I want a tall tombstone, something that will not be covered up when the snow gets really deep. I've toyed with the idea of getting a bench, so it will at least serve a useful function.
But what to write on the tombstone, this is difficult to decide.
When we were in Tallinn last weekend, we picked up the July/August 2002 issue of The Officer magazine. It has an article about different Salvation Army gravesites, especially Generals. Here are some things written on the tombstones mentioned:
Born ... Born Again of the Spirit ... Went to Heaven
[Cool, and this is William Booth's (SA Founder), but when exactly was I born again?]
Called to Higher Service ... Promoted to Glory
Entered into Rest
"They Rest from their Labors and Their Works Follow Them" (Revelation 14:13)
[At first I thought this said, "their work follows them" and I certainly don't want that!]
Pioneer of The Salvation Army
["in Tartu, Estonia" -- yes, that would be nice!]
I Shout Hallelujah and Go On
[This is Samuel Logan Brengle's, so you'd think I'd love it, but I really don't]
A True Defender of the Faith
[session name or what?]
A Warrior of the Cross
[sounds too much like the Crusades]
Faithful Devoted Soldier of the Cross and Flag
At Peace with God
What I really want is something that expresses the idea that I'm having an eternal party, getting to do nothing but love Jesus "to infinity and beyond" -- and encouraging everyone who sees my tombstone to ask themselves what they'll be doing when they're in my shoes.
Faithful blog reader Andy Groff reminds me not to sermonize! So I will just very briefly mention that I am preaching this Sunday at the Narva (Russian-speaking) Corps on 1 Corinthians 15:13-20 ("Christ has indeed been raised from the dead"), 25-26 ("the last enemy to be destroyed is death"), 51-58 ("death has been swallowed up in victory").
You are thinking that I am getting quite morbid here! But death is just a normal part of life, just like birth is, and it's what has been on my mind lately.
So (in Estonian, nii) ... what do you want on your tombstone?
Evelyn Clark
Pioneer of The Salvation Army in Tartu, Estonia
Born July 1967
Born Again of the Spirit August 1999
Went to Heaven November 2039
It's been interesting to see how different graveyards and tombstones look here in Estonia. The graveyards are more wild, and while kept up still are a lot more than just the grass you usually see in America. The tombstones are more simple, usually just a cross shape.
This has got me thinking again about how we want our tombstones to be. I know I want a reddish color, something to contrast with the white snow in Maine. And I want a tall tombstone, something that will not be covered up when the snow gets really deep. I've toyed with the idea of getting a bench, so it will at least serve a useful function.
But what to write on the tombstone, this is difficult to decide.
When we were in Tallinn last weekend, we picked up the July/August 2002 issue of The Officer magazine. It has an article about different Salvation Army gravesites, especially Generals. Here are some things written on the tombstones mentioned:
Born ... Born Again of the Spirit ... Went to Heaven
[Cool, and this is William Booth's (SA Founder), but when exactly was I born again?]
Called to Higher Service ... Promoted to Glory
Entered into Rest
"They Rest from their Labors and Their Works Follow Them" (Revelation 14:13)
[At first I thought this said, "their work follows them" and I certainly don't want that!]
Pioneer of The Salvation Army
["in Tartu, Estonia" -- yes, that would be nice!]
I Shout Hallelujah and Go On
[This is Samuel Logan Brengle's, so you'd think I'd love it, but I really don't]
A True Defender of the Faith
[session name or what?]
A Warrior of the Cross
[sounds too much like the Crusades]
Faithful Devoted Soldier of the Cross and Flag
At Peace with God
What I really want is something that expresses the idea that I'm having an eternal party, getting to do nothing but love Jesus "to infinity and beyond" -- and encouraging everyone who sees my tombstone to ask themselves what they'll be doing when they're in my shoes.
Faithful blog reader Andy Groff reminds me not to sermonize! So I will just very briefly mention that I am preaching this Sunday at the Narva (Russian-speaking) Corps on 1 Corinthians 15:13-20 ("Christ has indeed been raised from the dead"), 25-26 ("the last enemy to be destroyed is death"), 51-58 ("death has been swallowed up in victory").
You are thinking that I am getting quite morbid here! But death is just a normal part of life, just like birth is, and it's what has been on my mind lately.
So (in Estonian, nii) ... what do you want on your tombstone?
Evelyn Clark
Pioneer of The Salvation Army in Tartu, Estonia
Born July 1967
Born Again of the Spirit August 1999
Went to Heaven November 2039
