Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
A Pensive Walk
I went for a peaceful, pensive hour-long walk in Historic Oakwood Cemetery today. I have wanted to visit there for a while. Although many great oak trees were uprooted by the April tornadoes, I still enjoyed the beauty of the hilly landscape. Oakwood appears to be one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in North Carolina, dating back to 1867 with more than 1,500 graves from the Civil War and about 20,000 graves total.
Seeing the inscription: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will see God," was both sobering and uplifting. After my life imploded last month, just the thought that I will have the privilege of seeing God in the Last Day brought tears to my eyes. His mercies are new every morning and his grace is sufficient for me. [Note: Just realized that the first inscription was actually an amalgamation of Matthew 5:6 & Matthew 5:8]
I came across another tombstone with the last name FREED and "Jesus said: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." inscribed under it. What a testimony!
I saw another tombstone engraved with a cross and the name "Liu" in English and Chinese. Flowers were planted round the grave. Two scriptures came to mind: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus," and "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."
Even if you are not a sports fan, it is impossible to graduate from NC State University without hearing the name of legendary basketball coach, Jimmy Valvano. I spotted the grave of the late Valvano and was amazed that there was no mention of "NC State" or "championship" or "basketball" on his tombstone, but that he simply wanted to be remembered as "devoted husband and loving father" who recommends to posterity, "take time every day to laugh, to think, to cry."
I conclude this post with a moving inscription that I recorded. It was dedicated to the late John W. Pike (d. 1919) from his wife Etta Pike (d. 1937): "True to His God, pure in heart, a devoted husband, a loving father, a true neighbor. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Gone but not forgotten, we shall meet again."
"Be faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life."
Scripture references: Matthew 5:6, Matthew 5:8, John 11:25-26, Galatians 3:28, 1 Peter 1:24-25, Revelation 2:10
Seeing the inscription: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will see God," was both sobering and uplifting. After my life imploded last month, just the thought that I will have the privilege of seeing God in the Last Day brought tears to my eyes. His mercies are new every morning and his grace is sufficient for me. [Note: Just realized that the first inscription was actually an amalgamation of Matthew 5:6 & Matthew 5:8]
I came across another tombstone with the last name FREED and "Jesus said: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." inscribed under it. What a testimony!
I saw another tombstone engraved with a cross and the name "Liu" in English and Chinese. Flowers were planted round the grave. Two scriptures came to mind: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus," and "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."
Even if you are not a sports fan, it is impossible to graduate from NC State University without hearing the name of legendary basketball coach, Jimmy Valvano. I spotted the grave of the late Valvano and was amazed that there was no mention of "NC State" or "championship" or "basketball" on his tombstone, but that he simply wanted to be remembered as "devoted husband and loving father" who recommends to posterity, "take time every day to laugh, to think, to cry."
I conclude this post with a moving inscription that I recorded. It was dedicated to the late John W. Pike (d. 1919) from his wife Etta Pike (d. 1937): "True to His God, pure in heart, a devoted husband, a loving father, a true neighbor. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Gone but not forgotten, we shall meet again."
"Be faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life."
Scripture references: Matthew 5:6, Matthew 5:8, John 11:25-26, Galatians 3:28, 1 Peter 1:24-25, Revelation 2:10
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