Readiness is All
By Belinda
Some weaving of threads as only God can:
On one of our walks through the churchyard some time ago, I had mentioned to Rob that graves generally face east, towards the direction to which we look for Christ's return (see scripture below.)
Rob found this fascinating and told John, his neighbour, the one with the scooter and dog named B about it. John loves to hang out in churchyards reading headstones--something I love to do too.
John wasn't too sure it was right, but has been checking the graves out ever since! Rob chuckled this week as John finally conceded, "You know I think your sister is right, there are a few that don't, but most of them do."
Then John mentioned a grave just behind Martha's in the churchyard. Rob said he told him, "Oh, Belinda knows about Martha, I think she has a book about her."
I told Rob that I also knew the grave they were talking about. The man had been a lodger in Martha's house. The stone is particularly interesting because it looks as though it was placed yesterday, although it is over a hundred years old. It is also a very fine stone of red granite, for a man who was a bricklayer.
His name was Thomas Cooper, and the inscription identifies him as: "An honest man and a good bricklayer" who died on June 1st 1910. He would have been 64.
The stone was placed by "His fellow Shakespeareans," and Rob found the quote from Hamlet, based on Matthew 10:29 very meaningful.
Some weaving of threads as only God can:
On one of our walks through the churchyard some time ago, I had mentioned to Rob that graves generally face east, towards the direction to which we look for Christ's return (see scripture below.)
Matthew 24:27
English Standard Version (ESV)
27(A) For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be(B) the coming of the Son of Man.
John wasn't too sure it was right, but has been checking the graves out ever since! Rob chuckled this week as John finally conceded, "You know I think your sister is right, there are a few that don't, but most of them do."
Then John mentioned a grave just behind Martha's in the churchyard. Rob said he told him, "Oh, Belinda knows about Martha, I think she has a book about her."
I told Rob that I also knew the grave they were talking about. The man had been a lodger in Martha's house. The stone is particularly interesting because it looks as though it was placed yesterday, although it is over a hundred years old. It is also a very fine stone of red granite, for a man who was a bricklayer.
The stone was placed by "His fellow Shakespeareans," and Rob found the quote from Hamlet, based on Matthew 10:29 very meaningful.
Hamlet:....There is special providence in
the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to
come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come—the
readiness is all....
(Matthew 10:29
English Standard Version (ESV)
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?[a] And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.)
Rob has mentioned several times, the final words from the Hamlet quote on the grave: "Readiness is all..."
My friend Dave shared the lovely song from Justin Hines's new album, Days to Recall; "Say What You Will," which I also posted here. I can't help but see a thread in these lyrics from the song...
And If I were to die today my life would be more than ok for the time I spent with you it's like a dream come true
and if this was the last goodbye no more tears to dry i would say it one more time s'been more than fine
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