What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

For my birthday this year Papa Joe took me to the Billy Graham Memorial Library in Charlotte North Carolina. We just loved it!

Ruth Graham is buried there and the setting is beautiful.
These are the words she chose for her parting shot. They reflect her wit and humility.
I have always loved her from afar. She was basically a single mother as Billy traveled the world preaching the good news. Her children say she was a force to be reckoned with and fun at the same time.
Her book "Sitting by My Laughing Fire" is a collection of poems she wrote over her lifetime.
Here is an example -- she wrote as a young college woman on the eve of meeting Billy:

Dear God, I prayed, all unafraid

(as we’re inclined to do),

I do not need a handsome man

but let him be like You;

I do not need one big and strong

nor yet so very tall,

nor need he be some genius,

or wealthy, Lord, at all;

but let his head be high, dear God,

and let his eye be clear,

his shoulders straight, whate’er his state,

whate’er his earthly sphere;

and let his face have character,

a ruggedness of soul,

and let his whole life show, dear God,

a singleness of goal;

then when he comes

(as he will come)

with quiet eyes aglow,

I’ll understand that he’s the man

I prayed for long ago.

(From Ruth Bell Graham’s Collected Poems)

The Bible says "You have not because you ask not." Well, she asked and look how God answered her prayer!
I guess the hesitation in asking God for anything is the responsibility that comes when we realize He is real when He grants our prayer.
If you have an opportunity to go to Charlotte go to the library. You will love it!