Skip to main content

She Hath Done What She Could

By
Today's epitaph is not an uncommon one. She hath done what she could can be seen on several tombstones in my area of the southern U.S. I saw it most recently on the gravestone for Fannie W. Heard at Sardis Cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia. One thing that is not often seen, though, is the chapter and verse of the Bible scripture from which this phrase comes - Mark 14:8.

While I knew it was scripture from the Bible, I was ignorant as to exactly where it was located and to what it applied (sorry, Grandma). When I got out my Bible and looked it up, the epitaph became even more poignant.

Chapter 14 of the Gospel of Mark is about the plot to kill Jesus. I'm not going to go into full detail. Just know the woman spoke of in verse 8 came and poured perfume on the head of Jesus, and the people around her wondered why she wasted such expensive perfume. Jesus replied in verse 8: "She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial." He goes on to say in verse 9: "I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

I hope all of that means the life stories and memories of Mrs. Fannie W. Heard live on today.

Southern Graves Home
Labels:

Comments

Amy Coffin, MLIS said…
"She hath done what she could" is on my great-great grandmothers stone. She's buried in Oklahoma. Thanks for the insight on the phrase.

--Amy
November 6, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rocks, Rocks, and More Rocks

By
Why do people put rocks on grave stones? Some time ago, I learned that the rocks signified a visitor. That is true enough, but I decided to learn a little more about the custom and share my findings with you. Putting rocks on tombstones is most often described as a Jewish custom. There are many "Ask a Rabbi" columns out there, but I did not find one that knew for sure where the custom originated. They all agreed, however, that a rock symbolized a visitor and when put on a tombstone said, "I remember you." I also read that some people pick up a rock wherever they are when they think of a person that has passed. Then, the next time they visit the grave, they place the rock to say, "I wish you were here." Rabbi Shraga Simmons offers a deeper meaning: "We are taught that it is an act of ultimate kindness and respect to bury someone and place a marker at the site. After a person is buried, of course, we can no longer participate in burying them. H
13 comments
Read more

Southern Cross of Honor

By
I'm late to this discussion, but it's one I'd like to join. :-) Terry Thornton at The Graveyard Rabbit of the Hill Country started with Grave Marker Symbols: The Southern Cross of Honor and UCV (link no longer available). Judith Shubert at The Graveyard Rabbit of the Covered Bridges continued with Hood County Texas: C.S.A. Veterans & Southern Cross of Honor Symbol . [UPDATE, 1 June 2009: Judith has moved this post to the blog, Cemeteries with Texas Ties . The link has been corrected to reflect this move. You may also link to her article via her nice comment on this post.] Wikipedia states: The Southern Cross of Honor was a military decoration meant to honor the officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates for their valor in the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. It was formally approved by the Congress of the Confederate States on October 13, 1862, and was originally intended to be on par with the Union Arm
25 comments
Read more

Thursday Link Love: EyeWitness To History

By
Yesterday, a link was added to the Genealogy Research Resources Group at Diigo. The link was to the website titled EyeWitness to History.com: History through the eyes of those who lived it . It's a great site, and I encourage all to visit it. Here are several items I found while snooping around. - Inside a Nazi Death Camp, 1944 : "Hitler established the first concentration camp soon after he came to power in 1933. The system grew to include about 100 camps divided into two types: concentration camps for slave labor in nearby factories and death camps for the systematic extermination of "undesirables" including Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally retarded and others." - Crash of the Hindenburg, 1937 : "Radio reporter Herbert Morrison, sent to cover the airship's arrival, watched in horror. His eye witness description of the disaster was the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast and has become a classic piece of audio history." [You ca
1 comment
Read more




SouthernGraves.blogspot.com

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!' Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live...'" (Ezekiel 37:1-5, NKJV)