Epitaphs
Stories
Object:
Contents
What's Up This Week
Stories to Live By: "Epitaphs"
Shining Moments: "Prayer at Midnight" by Marjorie K. Evans
Sermon Starter: "On Not Getting to the Promised Land" by John Sumwalt
Scrap Pile: "In the Midst of Struggle" by Myron Talcott
What's Up This Week
by John Sumwalt
I was at a retreat recently where the leader asked us to think about what we would like to have written on our tombstone. I settled on: "Look for Me Where the Story Never Ends." It is from the title of one of the first stories I wrote for a CSS book 15 years ago. Have you thought about your epitaph? Check out some classic epitaphs in this week's Stories to Live By. Myron Talcott describes the new insights and new heart that can come through struggle in the Scrap Pile. And if you are preaching on the Hebrew text you will enjoy the stories about Martin Luther and Martin Luther King Jr. in the Sermon Starter.
Our next book will be an anthology of "best stories" from preachers and Christian educators about experiences of God's presence. All of us who work in the church have powerful personal stories of the ways that God has called, led, guided, cajoled, dragged, knocked upside the head, and healed. If you are willing to share one of your stories or if you know of someone who has a story that is just too good not to share, write to us at jsumwalt@naspa.net.
Stories to Live By
Epitaphs
Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
Deuteronomy 34:10-12
We don't know what was written on Moses' tombstone, or if his grave ever had a marker of any kind. These verses from Deuteronomy serve as a kind of epitaph to the great leader of Israel.
Have you thought about what you would have written on your tombstone? You might take your inspiration from some of these classic epitaphs from around the world.
In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery is found this tribute to Anna Wallace:
The children of Israel wanted bread,
And the Lord sent them manna.
Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife,
And the Devil sent him Anna.
Side by side are found these "his and hers" messages...
HIS was dated September 15, 1854:
Stop here my friend and cast an eye.
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, so shall you be.
Prepare for death, and follow me.
HERS was dated April 12, 1859:
To follow you I'm not content,
Until I know which way you went.
One creative man decided to play a game with his name in a Ruidoso, New Mexico, cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast.
Pardon me for not rising.
A Uniontown, Pennsylvania, cemetery contains a memory of the manner of death:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
Lester Moore was a Wells Fargo station agent for Naco, Arizona, in the cowboy days of the 1880s. He's buried in the Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona:
Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a .44
No Les No More.
On Margaret Daniels' grave at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia:
She always said her feet were killing her
But nobody believed her.
In a Georgia cemetery is a simple message:
"I told you I was sick!"
Shining Moments
Prayer at Midnight
by Marjorie K. Evans
Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
Psalm 90:16
One night a number of years ago I woke up with a start, almost as if someone had called me, and I sat up in bed. I saw that it was midnight and that my husband was sound asleep, so I lay back down. But as soon as I did, the name Addie Gordon popped into my mind, and I felt I was to pray for her.
Realizing it must have been the Lord prompting me to pray for Addie, I asked, "Why should I pray for her, dear Lord? I scarcely know her; I only met her once when she was home on furlough from her missionary work in Taiwan."
Then I remembered the advice our Bible teacher had recently given us. She said, "When the Holy Spirit brings someone's name to mind, pray for that person. Pray specifically if you know the need. If not, pray that the Lord will meet the need the person has."
Still a bit puzzled, I prayed: "Dear Lord Jesus, I don't know Miss Gordon's need. But you know, so please meet whatever need she has. If she's ill, let her get well. If she's in danger, guard and protect her, Father, and keep her safe from harm. Amen."
After that, I felt at peace and was able to go back to sleep.
Several years later, Addie came home on furlough. At a luncheon which our Bible club gave for her, I related the "prayer at midnight" incident to her.
Addie became extremely excited and asked, "When was that?" As we pinpointed the time, she said, "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That was the time a terrible typhoon struck in the small city southeast of Taipei where our mission compound is located. It broke the dam, and the river began flooding.
"The river was only about 200 yards from my house, which began shaking around noon (midnight your time) as the water came in. I had no way to get to higher ground, as the water was about three feet high and swirling and rising rapidly. I grabbed my small Bible, opened the top part of my door, and called out, 'Chiu ming, chiu ming' -- save me, save me!
"A young naval officer who often came to the compound to interpret for us had left a while before and was at a bus stop on his way back to the naval base. But suddenly he had a strong impression, 'God wants me to go back to the mission.' So he hurried back, heard me calling, and replied, 'I'm coming, Miss Gordon!'
"He quickly got a boat and rowed me to the top of the hill to safety. It took several weeks for the water to recede. When it was low enough that we could get into the house, we had to take my things out and dry them on the roof as the ground was still very soggy.
"Marjorie, I'll be forever grateful that the Lord awakened you at midnight and that you obeyed his urging to pray for me. I truly believe it was your prayer that saved me. So whenever the Lord urges you to pray for someone, do it immediately!"
Marjorie K. Evans, a former elementary school teacher, is now a freelance writer with many published articles in Christian magazines, teacher's publications, and Sunday school papers. Her devotional articles have been included in sixteen books. Marjorie attends Calvary Chapel of Lake Forest, in Irvine, California, and she has two sons, a daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren. She also enjoys reading and raising orchids.
Sermon Starter
On Not Getting to the Promised Land
by John Sumwalt
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
I wonder if Moses knew what was coming when God took him up on the mountain that day. He was a very old man, and he must have known that the driving purpose of his life was not going to be fulfilled. He was not going to enter the promised land. As he looked out from the peak of Mount Nebo, 2600 feet above sea level, upon the beautiful, lush Jordan Valley just north of the Dead Sea, and the city of Jericho with its towering palm trees swaying in the desert breezes -- as breathtaking a view as there is anywhere in the world -- he heard God's voice: "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." (Deuteronomy 34:4)
Moses must have experienced a deep sadness, as we all do when we realize we are not going to make it to "the promised land." How many people have you known who have worked hard all their lives, saved and saved so they would have a comfortable retirement, looked forward to traveling and spending time with grandchildren -- only to die unexpectedly, just as their golden years have begun. It happens all the time. How many aged men and women do you suppose saw their "promised land" washed away in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita? Many of us will see the "promised land," but like Moses will never get to "cross over there."
Jonathan B. Dean-Lee spoke to this theme in a recent sermon (http://rhccucc.org/sermon/jdl-102702.html):
"Moses certainly isn't the only faithful servant to come to the end of life in one sense incomplete. During the 16th century, our Protestant ancestor Martin Luther had for 20 years passionately and thoughtfully led a revolutionary reform of the church. But in his last days, he saw all that he worked for unravel. There were many reformers who had joined the cause, but they quarreled constantly and divided themselves on issues apart from the larger principles that once united them. Imperial intrigue had changed the political landscape, and when Luther died in February of 1546 the German Protestant church was without any official support of the government. Martin Luther did not die a happy man. As one historian described it, 'Above all, the failure of pure preaching of justification by faith alone to transform the social, civic, and political life about him greatly grieved Luther.'
"And closer to our own time, Martin Luther King's life ended long before racial justice and equality came to pass in any noticeable way. King spoke of another Promised Land, his hope that his 'four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.' Yet that day did not come for him, either."
Some of you will recall Martin Luther King Jr.'s last sermon at the Mason Temple in Memphis on the night before he was assassinated. He hadn't planned to preach that night. He was tired from a journey and he was feeling ill. He had planned to go to bed early in his motel room. They called from the church to say it was packed and that people wanted to hear him. King went to the church and delivered his famous "mountaintop" sermon:
"We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter to me now, because I've been to the mountaintop, and I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. He's allowed me to go up to the mountain, and I've looked over and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. And I am happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man. 'Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.' " (Mark Lane and Dick Gregory, Murder in Memphis: The FBI and the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993, pp. 117-121)
Scrap Pile
In the Midst of Struggle
by Myron Talcott
Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.
Psalm 90:13-15
"All struggle is not loss.... We not only survive struggle but, it seems, we are meant to survive in new ways, with new insights, with new heart." (Joan D. Chittister, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope, Eerdmans, pp. 19, 3)
Joan Chittister understands how deeply we are affected by changes around us and within us. In her book she names struggles in her own life, which brought profound changes in her self-understanding and in her roles in her community and society here and overseas.
She names also gifts for her growth which she discovered in the midst of those struggles, gifts she might have missed without those struggles. Her faith and witness are inspiring!
I read Sr. Chittister's book while writing an overview of my ordained ministry in seven communities -- eight if you include my return to Madison for ministry during retirement. She names nine struggles and gifts which are part of her journey in life and faith. What she writes about struggles with fear matched one of my ministry experiences in particular. I was leaving an appointment in a local church for a special appointment as a teacher. I was so excited by this new opportunity, and I waited eagerly for the contract to make it official.
After delay, more delay, and still more delay, I was told "there will be no contract." May arrived, my successor had already been named, no other appointment was available for me, no other job was on the horizon, we would have no place to live after June 30.
Most overwhelming of all, Margaret had fallen during our time in Japan and broken bones in both feet. She was in a wheelchair and then on crutches. What would we do? I was more afraid than any time I could remember. "If fear is a river, I'm in a flood!"
Finally in June, by God's grace and a telephone call from the bishop, a decision was made to send me a contract. Family and friends helped us pack and friends from the congregation moved many boxes of books, so I was ready to teach starting in July.
Only after this experience did I see that in my struggle with fear I received the gift of courage to get through a whole series of circumstances over which I had little or no control. Chittister calls fear "the catalyst of courage" (p. 51), and she calls courage the "seedbed of hope" (p. 48). Thank you, God, for all your gifts -- especially this one!
Myron Talcott is a retired United Methodist pastor who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he teaches Bible and spiritual growth classes at First United Methodist Church. Myron has affirmed "ministry in the workplace" by working part-time in a newspaper business office and as a desk host for a health and fitness center. His goal is getting more time on the other side of the desk and in the center's programs!
**********************************************
How to Share Stories
You have good stories to share, probably more than you know: personal stories as well as stories from others that you have used over the years. If you have a story you like, whether fictional or "really happened," authored by you or a brief excerpt from a favorite book, send it to StoryShare for review. Simply click here share-a-story@csspub.com and e-mail the story to us.
**********************************************
StoryShare, October 23, 2005, issue.
Copyright 2005 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
What's Up This Week
Stories to Live By: "Epitaphs"
Shining Moments: "Prayer at Midnight" by Marjorie K. Evans
Sermon Starter: "On Not Getting to the Promised Land" by John Sumwalt
Scrap Pile: "In the Midst of Struggle" by Myron Talcott
What's Up This Week
by John Sumwalt
I was at a retreat recently where the leader asked us to think about what we would like to have written on our tombstone. I settled on: "Look for Me Where the Story Never Ends." It is from the title of one of the first stories I wrote for a CSS book 15 years ago. Have you thought about your epitaph? Check out some classic epitaphs in this week's Stories to Live By. Myron Talcott describes the new insights and new heart that can come through struggle in the Scrap Pile. And if you are preaching on the Hebrew text you will enjoy the stories about Martin Luther and Martin Luther King Jr. in the Sermon Starter.
Our next book will be an anthology of "best stories" from preachers and Christian educators about experiences of God's presence. All of us who work in the church have powerful personal stories of the ways that God has called, led, guided, cajoled, dragged, knocked upside the head, and healed. If you are willing to share one of your stories or if you know of someone who has a story that is just too good not to share, write to us at jsumwalt@naspa.net.
Stories to Live By
Epitaphs
Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
Deuteronomy 34:10-12
We don't know what was written on Moses' tombstone, or if his grave ever had a marker of any kind. These verses from Deuteronomy serve as a kind of epitaph to the great leader of Israel.
Have you thought about what you would have written on your tombstone? You might take your inspiration from some of these classic epitaphs from around the world.
In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery is found this tribute to Anna Wallace:
The children of Israel wanted bread,
And the Lord sent them manna.
Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife,
And the Devil sent him Anna.
Side by side are found these "his and hers" messages...
HIS was dated September 15, 1854:
Stop here my friend and cast an eye.
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, so shall you be.
Prepare for death, and follow me.
HERS was dated April 12, 1859:
To follow you I'm not content,
Until I know which way you went.
One creative man decided to play a game with his name in a Ruidoso, New Mexico, cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast.
Pardon me for not rising.
A Uniontown, Pennsylvania, cemetery contains a memory of the manner of death:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
Lester Moore was a Wells Fargo station agent for Naco, Arizona, in the cowboy days of the 1880s. He's buried in the Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona:
Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a .44
No Les No More.
On Margaret Daniels' grave at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia:
She always said her feet were killing her
But nobody believed her.
In a Georgia cemetery is a simple message:
"I told you I was sick!"
Shining Moments
Prayer at Midnight
by Marjorie K. Evans
Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
Psalm 90:16
One night a number of years ago I woke up with a start, almost as if someone had called me, and I sat up in bed. I saw that it was midnight and that my husband was sound asleep, so I lay back down. But as soon as I did, the name Addie Gordon popped into my mind, and I felt I was to pray for her.
Realizing it must have been the Lord prompting me to pray for Addie, I asked, "Why should I pray for her, dear Lord? I scarcely know her; I only met her once when she was home on furlough from her missionary work in Taiwan."
Then I remembered the advice our Bible teacher had recently given us. She said, "When the Holy Spirit brings someone's name to mind, pray for that person. Pray specifically if you know the need. If not, pray that the Lord will meet the need the person has."
Still a bit puzzled, I prayed: "Dear Lord Jesus, I don't know Miss Gordon's need. But you know, so please meet whatever need she has. If she's ill, let her get well. If she's in danger, guard and protect her, Father, and keep her safe from harm. Amen."
After that, I felt at peace and was able to go back to sleep.
Several years later, Addie came home on furlough. At a luncheon which our Bible club gave for her, I related the "prayer at midnight" incident to her.
Addie became extremely excited and asked, "When was that?" As we pinpointed the time, she said, "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That was the time a terrible typhoon struck in the small city southeast of Taipei where our mission compound is located. It broke the dam, and the river began flooding.
"The river was only about 200 yards from my house, which began shaking around noon (midnight your time) as the water came in. I had no way to get to higher ground, as the water was about three feet high and swirling and rising rapidly. I grabbed my small Bible, opened the top part of my door, and called out, 'Chiu ming, chiu ming' -- save me, save me!
"A young naval officer who often came to the compound to interpret for us had left a while before and was at a bus stop on his way back to the naval base. But suddenly he had a strong impression, 'God wants me to go back to the mission.' So he hurried back, heard me calling, and replied, 'I'm coming, Miss Gordon!'
"He quickly got a boat and rowed me to the top of the hill to safety. It took several weeks for the water to recede. When it was low enough that we could get into the house, we had to take my things out and dry them on the roof as the ground was still very soggy.
"Marjorie, I'll be forever grateful that the Lord awakened you at midnight and that you obeyed his urging to pray for me. I truly believe it was your prayer that saved me. So whenever the Lord urges you to pray for someone, do it immediately!"
Marjorie K. Evans, a former elementary school teacher, is now a freelance writer with many published articles in Christian magazines, teacher's publications, and Sunday school papers. Her devotional articles have been included in sixteen books. Marjorie attends Calvary Chapel of Lake Forest, in Irvine, California, and she has two sons, a daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren. She also enjoys reading and raising orchids.
Sermon Starter
On Not Getting to the Promised Land
by John Sumwalt
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
I wonder if Moses knew what was coming when God took him up on the mountain that day. He was a very old man, and he must have known that the driving purpose of his life was not going to be fulfilled. He was not going to enter the promised land. As he looked out from the peak of Mount Nebo, 2600 feet above sea level, upon the beautiful, lush Jordan Valley just north of the Dead Sea, and the city of Jericho with its towering palm trees swaying in the desert breezes -- as breathtaking a view as there is anywhere in the world -- he heard God's voice: "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." (Deuteronomy 34:4)
Moses must have experienced a deep sadness, as we all do when we realize we are not going to make it to "the promised land." How many people have you known who have worked hard all their lives, saved and saved so they would have a comfortable retirement, looked forward to traveling and spending time with grandchildren -- only to die unexpectedly, just as their golden years have begun. It happens all the time. How many aged men and women do you suppose saw their "promised land" washed away in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita? Many of us will see the "promised land," but like Moses will never get to "cross over there."
Jonathan B. Dean-Lee spoke to this theme in a recent sermon (http://rhccucc.org/sermon/jdl-102702.html):
"Moses certainly isn't the only faithful servant to come to the end of life in one sense incomplete. During the 16th century, our Protestant ancestor Martin Luther had for 20 years passionately and thoughtfully led a revolutionary reform of the church. But in his last days, he saw all that he worked for unravel. There were many reformers who had joined the cause, but they quarreled constantly and divided themselves on issues apart from the larger principles that once united them. Imperial intrigue had changed the political landscape, and when Luther died in February of 1546 the German Protestant church was without any official support of the government. Martin Luther did not die a happy man. As one historian described it, 'Above all, the failure of pure preaching of justification by faith alone to transform the social, civic, and political life about him greatly grieved Luther.'
"And closer to our own time, Martin Luther King's life ended long before racial justice and equality came to pass in any noticeable way. King spoke of another Promised Land, his hope that his 'four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.' Yet that day did not come for him, either."
Some of you will recall Martin Luther King Jr.'s last sermon at the Mason Temple in Memphis on the night before he was assassinated. He hadn't planned to preach that night. He was tired from a journey and he was feeling ill. He had planned to go to bed early in his motel room. They called from the church to say it was packed and that people wanted to hear him. King went to the church and delivered his famous "mountaintop" sermon:
"We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter to me now, because I've been to the mountaintop, and I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. He's allowed me to go up to the mountain, and I've looked over and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. And I am happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man. 'Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.' " (Mark Lane and Dick Gregory, Murder in Memphis: The FBI and the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993, pp. 117-121)
Scrap Pile
In the Midst of Struggle
by Myron Talcott
Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.
Psalm 90:13-15
"All struggle is not loss.... We not only survive struggle but, it seems, we are meant to survive in new ways, with new insights, with new heart." (Joan D. Chittister, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope, Eerdmans, pp. 19, 3)
Joan Chittister understands how deeply we are affected by changes around us and within us. In her book she names struggles in her own life, which brought profound changes in her self-understanding and in her roles in her community and society here and overseas.
She names also gifts for her growth which she discovered in the midst of those struggles, gifts she might have missed without those struggles. Her faith and witness are inspiring!
I read Sr. Chittister's book while writing an overview of my ordained ministry in seven communities -- eight if you include my return to Madison for ministry during retirement. She names nine struggles and gifts which are part of her journey in life and faith. What she writes about struggles with fear matched one of my ministry experiences in particular. I was leaving an appointment in a local church for a special appointment as a teacher. I was so excited by this new opportunity, and I waited eagerly for the contract to make it official.
After delay, more delay, and still more delay, I was told "there will be no contract." May arrived, my successor had already been named, no other appointment was available for me, no other job was on the horizon, we would have no place to live after June 30.
Most overwhelming of all, Margaret had fallen during our time in Japan and broken bones in both feet. She was in a wheelchair and then on crutches. What would we do? I was more afraid than any time I could remember. "If fear is a river, I'm in a flood!"
Finally in June, by God's grace and a telephone call from the bishop, a decision was made to send me a contract. Family and friends helped us pack and friends from the congregation moved many boxes of books, so I was ready to teach starting in July.
Only after this experience did I see that in my struggle with fear I received the gift of courage to get through a whole series of circumstances over which I had little or no control. Chittister calls fear "the catalyst of courage" (p. 51), and she calls courage the "seedbed of hope" (p. 48). Thank you, God, for all your gifts -- especially this one!
Myron Talcott is a retired United Methodist pastor who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he teaches Bible and spiritual growth classes at First United Methodist Church. Myron has affirmed "ministry in the workplace" by working part-time in a newspaper business office and as a desk host for a health and fitness center. His goal is getting more time on the other side of the desk and in the center's programs!
**********************************************
How to Share Stories
You have good stories to share, probably more than you know: personal stories as well as stories from others that you have used over the years. If you have a story you like, whether fictional or "really happened," authored by you or a brief excerpt from a favorite book, send it to StoryShare for review. Simply click here share-a-story@csspub.com and e-mail the story to us.
**********************************************
StoryShare, October 23, 2005, issue.
Copyright 2005 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
