June 5, 2012
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Walking With the Dead
Maybe this is strange, but I really love cemeteries. They are so peaceful. There are almost always pretty flowers to enjoy. I like to walk around and read what is written on the stones, and wonder about the people who have finished their lives and are buried here. What did they do? Who loved them? Were they kind and good?
Often there is a welcoming bench where you can sit and listen to the birds and enjoy the sunshine.
There is nothing spooky or creepy about it. My grandma always said that nobody in the cemetery is going to hurt you.
I suppose a lot depends on your attitude and feelings about death. Although I am not in any big hurry, I am not afraid of it. Death is a part of life. All we can do is make sure of our final destination, and I have done that. I know when my spirit leaves this old body, I will go to be with the Lord. I will close my eyes on earth, and open them in Heaven! My family will probably miss me, but they will see me again because they love and obey God, too. When I get there, I will see many loved ones who have gone on ahead of me. And, best of all, I will spend eternity in HIS presence! My wonderful Lord! (2Co 5:8 KJV) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
It is sad to lose a loved one. I have felt that loss. It leaves an empty place. I have buried a father and a daughter, a beloved grandma, a sweet brother in law, and a wonderful father in law as well as some dear friends. I miss them. But I know they are enjoying something I can only imagine! No matter what we think we know about Heaven, the real thing is even better!
(1Co 2:9 KJV) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
(John 14:1-4)“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”
(1Co 15:52-55 NLT) It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die [and our mortal bodies have been transformed into immortal bodies], this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
(Psalm 23:4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
(Psalm 116:15) Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
“He whose head is in heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave.” ~ Matthew Henry
Comments (28)
nice
I used to be really bitter about celebrities because I was taught to hate them, but I've always liked them as well. I have my favorites. It's good that someone gets to live a life like that. It's comforting.
That's how messed up my brain is. I don't like dead people. They are part of my hallucinations. I think they got stuck in there when my hallucinations were freezing the second time. Like, I worked around a morgue in the miltary, and I saw a few, and they were just the right impression for the intuition. Nothing traumatic. Then again, I had one dead person on the boat prior, a hallucination. They were literally talking to me awhile ago. I'm happy they didn't show themselves as that makes me freak out. These are the twins though. It was very distracting, to say the least, to try to feed my oblivious cat with them yappin like that. These are the same ones that like to give me a show during sleep paralysis. Today they were being weird. They usually make sense but today they were rappin nonsense words. They only come about an hour after I wake up. That's why I didn't think I was hearing voices before. It's a long story, and I've taken up enough of your time.
Lovely photos.
I don't find this morbid at all -- I too have assurance of my final destination and my prayer is that others in my family and circle of friends will soon repent and believe in Him who gives eternal life.
Blessed assurance! Lovely post.
I've always enjoyed cemeteries, too, especially older ones. It's nice if you can get a sense of the person, about whom I wonder, as well. My Dad used to say, every time we passed one in the car (every time!) - " that place is popular - people are DYIN' to get in there!"
While in Indiana recently walking with my daughter we came upon a cemetery. It was old and some parts were well kept while others the older parts remained overgrown and obviously not cared for by anyone. After taking a closer look I saw the dates on some of the them and I said to my daughter no wonder, their is probably no one alive that even knows these graves exist. There was one in particular that we came across. Four little stone cradles that were lined up in a row. The cradles were made to plant flowers in their beds. I couldn't imagine the pain of the young family. Some lived only a few weeks others longer but they were all babies. We, Lindajoy and I could not move until we had cleaned out each cradle. With tears we left the cemetery. It is with amazing comfort our Savior gives us a living Hope of that day when all our tears will be washed away. He is Faithful to keep us until that day if we simply seek Him with our whole heart. When we meet Him in the sky it will be a Glorious Day, I long for that day.
Great Post Thank you, Christie
I found it oddly serene -so don't worry
my girlfriend and I saw a weegie board at the antique mall and I've always been told they are evil so when Lisa had it on her lap and pretended she was doing it she said,"Mrs.Palmer what do you want to tell Jill?" I said,"oh, I would love to hear from her."
she was my neighbor of my parents and I helped her in the nursing home when she went in at 92yrs old and she died 2 weeks short of 97yrs old. I went to see her every week and that week came around really fast but she was a wonderful christian mentor to me.
Some of our friends think I'm pretty strange too ~ I also love to wander through old cemeteries ~ some of the stones are simply beautiful ~ others cemeteries are just so interesting because of the history of the location ~ yeah, I just enjoy them ~
Hi Mae, I did not find it morbid, but it reminded me that I am 78 and the only male on my dad's side of the family to live pas t 71.
I look forward to heaven. I don't look forward to the dying part. I have a growing list of medical issues. lol There is no doctor or pill that is going to overcome my final day on planet earth.
Very good scripture.
frank
I also like to walk through cemeteries. It's so good to have the sure hope of Heaven.
one day, my children and I spent about two hours, driving and walking through a cemetary here in our town. I actually found it peaceful and read many of the headstones. Many dating back to the 1800's. so much life was lived... it actually made me think of the legacy I want to leave to my children, my family.. a legacy of knowing Christ and walking in His ways..
I really appreciate this post. It has been many years since I have studied about the end times, but just recently began doing so again, and your post has fit in with that study very nicely. Thanks!
A friend of mine died, and consoling his wife left me feeling really bad. And besides that I have been hearing a lot about death lately. So reading this post was amazing to me, as it made me realize what we have in God. And I hope that even the non-believers will be able to grasp the truth about life, and death. I really appreciate this.
some of the happiest memories i have is when my family and i go to cemeteries every november 1 (or was it 2) and mold balls out of the candle wax.
@angys_coco - It is easy to get our thoughts on the wrong things, isn't it? We have such a wonderful hope and future! I am glad something I wrote could help you!
@Shepherdsfold - I always feel sad when I see the graves of little children. I am glad you cleaned those wee graves. I am also glad we share the blessed hope of knowing HIM!
@Colorsofthenight - Is there anything I can do to help you?
I too like cemeteries. I find it fascinating to wonder about the lives of people, look at the dates on the stones...etc.
I am not afraid to die, to meet my Savior! Too see Heaven. We have no idea how wonderful it will be! =)
I like the quote from C.S. Lewis.
Hope you have a great week.
@DanishDoll - thank you. I don't know your intents. My brain sucks.
But these were pretty pictures.
I'm with you. I love cemeteries. I find them very peaceful.
@Colorsofthenight - It just seems like you are kinda confused and unhappy? I don't know.... I guess from your comments, I am just concerned for you.
@DanishDoll - well, thank you. I am annoyed today. I bought shark and just found out it's bad for me and now I have 5 other pieces that are going to get freezer burn. I bought it from a farmer whose business looked slow. I went in there to ask directions then he was really friendly and I knew he needed business. I was like, I'll try this stuff. I've never had shark. I don't like it either.
Do you like shark?
@DanishDoll - it has a lot of cholesterol in it too, which means I can't eat it anyway. I have high cholesterol naturally. Tht was 7.00 dollars that could have been spent on tomatoes!
I love this post. Not morbid at all! My parents used to stroll graveyards when they dated. They sometimes took us as kids. We weren't Christians then, but we looked for history and enjoyed getting snippets of stories with birth/death dates and such. We went as new Christians atop a hill in Harper's Ferry. I laughed at some of the names like Butts (I was 15 or 16) and posed for some irreverent photos, but found a great peace there like you're describing. I've been comfortable in cemeteries ever since. Even when I was 18 and my wacky friends went to one that was supposed to be haunted...it was silly friend time and not scary for me.
In my late 20's, while I was working on my Masters degree, I would take afternoons and study at Arlington National Cemetery. It was so reverent there that I started reading my Bible and journaling and taking naps and spending time in prayer. Friends thought I was nuts, but I'd just quip that "Dead people don't bug me" because I couldn't explain how the sense of being a part of nature and surrounded by those who had served their country...how it moved me and helped me grow as a person. One day I found myself sitting next to my best friend's uncle's gravestone there. I wasn't able to go to his funeral, so it meant a lot to me to be there "with him." He was the first Black man to attend Georgetown Law, to be a Patent Examiner, and to be quite a few other things. I'd been in awe of him from the moment I met him.
I agree with you I, too think cemetaries are facinating. It is interesting to me that they are different in some places. I think the most unusual ones are in New Orleans...and the old Hawaiian cemetaries are interesting too. Maybe we are both a little weird!
@Colorsofthenight - I don't like many kinds of fish. I know how you feel, though. I remember buying a bushel of carrots from a farmer because I thought he needed the business. Then, when I brought them home, only the ones on top were good. The rest were so rotten you could put your finger through them. I was so mad! I learned not to trust guys just because they seemed nice! After that, I always dug around in the bushels to see if any stuff was rotten! Sorry you wasted your money. Maybe you can trade them for something with a friend? Not easy to do with rotten carrots!
@DanishDoll - you could at least make compost out of yours. I think I'm going to give it to my grandma today. I'm only 25, but I have high cholesterol and they have mercury in them, which is okay, but you can't eat more than one serving, and i have a bundle. Why do they even sell shark? I guess we're suckers for a smile, and we want to be good people. My family has a little farm, so I was thinking of them.
@Colorsofthenight - I think sometimes, they call shark "white fish." I don't really know much about it. I do like flounder. Once we drove to the coast with friends and bought it fresh off the fishing boats coming in. It was great! It has a very delicate flavor and isn't too "fishy." I have high cholesterol too, but I am 60! I have read it is a genetic thing. I tried to control it with diet, but the doctor said sometimes you just have it because it got passed to you. Yippee.
Anyway, I take a pill now. Don't wanna pop an artery! Have a good day!
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