Can anyone give me some good verses or inspirational messages to put on a gravestone?

Question

My Mother in Law passed away suddenly on 7-15-07. My husband and I are trying our best to come up with some type of inspirational message to have engraved on the headstone. I have seen one that goes something like"Don't weep for me..........." something along those lines.In other words the message is basically from the deceased asking those who visit her grave not to mourn but to be happy for her because she is at peace and no longer in any pain. Can anyone think of something along the lines of that. The marker has to be the inground, flat granite or bronze so my space is limited, I think a single headmarker is aprroximately 2foot by 2 foot and you can add about 6 inches to the length and width,but it still isn't like the headstones that are above ground,they have lots more room. Unfortunately,her grave plot in in a section of the cemetary that requires the flat inground headstones only. Appreciate any help!
Christy

Answer 1

Something simple like A Beautiful Life, a Legacy of Love. The headstone should not be written in the voice of the deceased unless they have requested it.

Answer 2

Are you thinking of this anonymous poem?:

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.



It's acceptable to take chunks of poems and put them on gravestones, even from copyright works. If you do a search you'll be able to find a lot of poems on death (or life, or love) from which you can select chunks. Sometimes it's even nice to just have something as simple as "Life was her passion, family was her pride."

Answer 3

Here are a couple.



The things we touch have no permanence. My master would say: there is nothing we can hold onto in this world. Only by letting go can we truly possess what is real."



Don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens - The Main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away



Believe me when I say I’ll keep you in my heart,

Now and forever till we meet again.

Please don’t cry for what is gone,

Because for us there is no end.



I promise I’ll always carry you inside my heart,

And think of you till the day we meet again.

So dry your tears and smile for me,

Despite the pain this is not the end.





I hope these help.

Answer 4

Dont cry for me.

I'm finally free.....



From the song, Wish you were here, by Mark Harris:



I wanted to tell you how closely Ive kept

The memories of you in my heart

And all of the lifetimes that we've had to share

Live even though we're apart



But don't cry for me

'Cause I'm finally free



To run with the angels

On streets made of gold

To listen to stories of saints new and old

To worship our Maker

That's where I'll be

When you finally find me



Now don't you be weary cause waiting for you

Are wonders that you've never known

Just hold on to Jesus, reach out for His hands

And one day they'll welcome you home



And that's when you'll be

Finally Free

Finally Free



And all of the dreams that you treasure

Will soon come together

And that's when your sorrow will find tomorrow And you will rise again



to run with the angels.



`

Answer 5

I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose

Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose

Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night

You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light

And I will remember you

Will you remember me?

Don't let your life pass you by

Weep not for the memories

- - - Sarah McLachlan, "I Will Remember You"

Answer 6

Free your body and soul

Unfold your powerful wings

Climb up the highest mountains

Kick your feet up in the air

You may now live forever

Or return to this earth

Unless you feel good where you are

Answer 7

The righteous shall go into life eternal.

Matthew 25:46



Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:15



Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8



I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.

Philippians 1:3



To live in the hearts of those we love is never to die



Your love will light my way,

your memory will ever be with me



May the souls of the faithful departed

through the mercy of God rest in peace

Answer 8

If your mother-in-law was religious, I like "oldschl82's" answer. If not, you could try:



"Death is a tragedy ... but only for the living. We who have died go on to other things."

- Charles de Lint, Into the Green



My condolences to you and your family.

Answer 9

Celebrate what I have given to you in my living,

Rather than mourn what I will no longer be able to give to you in my death.

In this way my life will have carried with it purpose and meaning,

By continuing to live through you and not dying with me.









This is something I just wrote on the spot here, It's probably too long for your use, though.

Answer 10

You know you can google inspirational sayings and you will get a bunch of websites that you can choose by catogory or author the sayings...There are so many awesome ones I wouldn't even know where to begin with out knowing the deceased...Sorry for you loss..

Answer 11

"To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord."



"Being confidant of this very thing that he who has begun a good work is faithfull to complete it."



"If there is ever I day I cannot tell you I love you, Don't ever let a moment go by without you knowing that I do."



"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."



"Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagles."



"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."



"You shall be blameless before the Lord your God."



"Having put on a new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."



"Many woman have done well, But you excel them all."



"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven."



"Now abide faith, hope, and love, these three: But the greatest of these is love."



"Walk by faith and not by sight."



"Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth."



"Rejoice always."



"Lived a life worthy..."

Answer 12

Question: Was your Mother in Law a Christian? That will make a world of difference in what would be an appropriate epitaph.

Answer 13

just asleep waiting for jesus to wake me to the kingdom of golry sorry for your lost but dust to dust asleep not burning hell is for devil death and the grave not love ones jesus christ will bring her soul to paridise like he told the thife on the cross in grave like lazsurus he came alive after 4 days not from hell but from asleep gone home to be with abba

Answer 14

"You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough."



"Mourn not, with unavailing grief, the loss

Of friends escap'd from all this mortal strife,

Who fix'd their hopes on their Redeemer's cross,

And find in him the Way, the Truth, the Life."

Answer 15

I know it's from a song but how about:



I can see clearly now the way is clear, I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind, it's gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day.





I can see clearly now by Johnny Nash

Answer 16

one that may be good, i think it is in the book of mark. it says something to the statement of, "when all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice (Jesus) and come out." i can not remember the exact scripture sorry, but i hope this helps.

Answer 17

For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalms 56 V 13

Answer 18

Revelation 21:4 "And He will Wipe out every tear from there eyes and death will be no more neither morning nor pain nor sorrow for the former things have passed away"

Answer 19

1 Corinthians 15:51-58



All about the resurrection......great verses for the believer in Christ.



For me personally, those are the verses that I want on my headstone.....along with the words: "Don't cry....I'm with Jesus"

Answer 20

How about "Dont weep for me, I'm always by your side" or "Dont weep for me, celebrate my memory" Hopefully that got you thinking of something. Good luck and I'm sorry for your loss

Answer 21

2 Corinthians 5:8-We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Answer 22

My mom died of cancer at 48, she was a Christian, I found in her bible a verse "God is my rock and my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid."



That was the way she lived her life, I doubt it applies to you, just some input.

Answer 23

It should be something specific to her personality. Something to share who she was. Only people who are close to her would know this.

Answer 24

We live forever in the hearts of those we love.

Answer 25

just a thought...



(Jesus said:) "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." (John 11.25-26)



please accept my condolences.

Answer 26

....and the greatest of these is Love...........I love this and I'm a Buddhist......I know it's the very end of the phrase but I find it eloquent and beautiful. It doesn't presuppose anything.......Many blessings to you and yours

Answer 27

"So men really don't wear underwear under those kilts!" For the off chance that you have a Scottish piper band playing at the funeral. It's an epitaph and epiphany all in one sentence.



Brilliant! Print it! Go!

Answer 28

The Lord's prayer is great. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he restoreth my soul."



Or something personal like "Liza....She followed God all of her life then He cradled her home"

Answer 29

"I did not die, I am in the wind, the flowers and in the souls of my loved ones I left behind"

Answer 30

"submssion is the crowning glory to obedience". or "the greatest gift is the gift of self". "lord i lift up my eyes to you seeing thy glorification". "lord you are always there and i can only see you through my faith". oh, i can see clearly now is by johnny nash.

Answer 31

How about:



"You didn't leave, you just moved into my heart"

Answer 32

Live as if you were to die tomorrow - Gandhi

Answer 33

1.weep no more............for i am at peace

2.this stone marks not death but...........birth to a new begining

3.love thyself....as you have loved me, because in ur heart, ur love keeps me alive still

4.......try those . .dunno can think of any more

Answer 34

Here lies Jane. BHA and BHT added.

Answer 35

love me once

love me twist

love me next to jesus christ

Answer 36

How about..."Don't weep for me"?

Answer 37

How about..."One moore shinning lite in heaven" idk if you like it but....who nkows

Answer 38

"I'm dead. You're alive. Why are you wasting time reading this?"

Answer 39

NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE

Answer 40

"I'm going to haunt you if you read this, what? you don't believe me? Sleep with one eye open buddy."