January 7, 2005
Newsletter Archives

Since writing the newsletter last week, an unexpected series of events have happened in my life. Monday morning while at work I experienced chest pain, so immediately went to the E.R. from which I was transferred to Intensive Care where arrangements were made for a Cardiac Cath. The examination revealed that my left anterior descending artery was 95% blocked. The procedure to insert a stent was shortly underway, which was successful. So as I write this I’m home recuperating and happy to be alive.

So having been personally reminded of the fragility of life, I was browsing through “Epitaphs, Voices Out of the Past.” Apparently, the word “epitaph” comes from two Greek words “epi” (upon) and “taphos” (tomb). From this comes the thought of what is “upon a tomb.”

Some inscriptions are humorous, others are very serious and thought-provoking.

Two graves side by side tell quite a story in two brief sentences. One states: “She died wanting things.” The grave beside states, “He died trying to give them to her.”

The uncertainity of life is expressed in quite a few. One states:

“I expected this,

But not just yet.”

Having seen this many times, King Solomon warned, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” Proverbs 27:1.

Here was the fine commentary on the tomb of a Sarah H. Bolan. It says: “Her hope was in Christ,

For His glory she lived.

To be ever with Him and Like Him

She joyfully died.

Be ye also ready!”

If someone condensed our lives into a brief sentence (and told the truth) what would they say?

Russ Nesbit