The following are reported to be actual epitaphs on tombstones:

Here lies Ann Mann; She lived an old maid And she died an old Mann. (Bath Abbey, England)

Here lies Lester Moore Four slugs from a 44 No Les No Moore (Tombstone, Arizona)

Sacred to the memory of Anthony Drake, Who died for peace and quietness sake His wife was constantly scolding and scoffin’, So he sought for repose in a twelve dollar coffin. (Burlington, Massachusetts)

Underneath this pile of stones Lies all that’s left of Sally Jones Her name was Briggs, It was not Jones, But Jones was used to rhyme with stones. (Skaneateles, New York)

Here under this sod and under these trees Is buried the body of Solomon Pease. But here in his hole lies only his pod His soul is shelled out and gone up to God. (Falkirk Scotland)

He called Bill Smith a liar. (Cripplecreek, Colorado)

Beneath this stone, this lump of clay Lies uncle Peter Daniels, Who too early in the month of May Took off his winter flannels. (Medway, Mass.)

Beneath this stone, a lump of clay Lies Arabella Young Who on the 21st of May Began to hold her tongue. (Hatfield, Mass.)

As the popular pizza commercial used to ask, “What would you like on your Tombstone?” If your life were to be summed up in one sentence, how would it read?

I don’t know what was on the apostle Paul’s tombstone, but if I had to write it, I think I would just record what Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21,

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

That pretty much sums up Paul’s life. The question is, does that do a good job of summing up my life?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith