"Where's that guy from the colonies?"

The Bearer Party made up of personnel from the three branches of the military stand alongside the coffin of British former prime minister Margaret Thatcher on a gun carriage to be drawn by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery during her ceremonial funeral, at the Church of St Clement Danes on April 17, 2013 in London. More than 2,000 dignitaries from around the world paid their last respects at the biggest such occasion in the U.K. since the Queen Mother's funeral in 2002.

WHY did Obama choose to SNUB England, the Queen, and the memory of Margaret Thatcher? I think he has put himself on a pedestal, so high, with thick layers of cirrus clouds beneath him, that he is unable to look down. I doubt that the passing of any head of state would draw him out of the country. Perhaps only the death of a wealthy "donor," or the invitation for a "round of golf" could lure him again to take advantage of all of the transportation resources available to him, at taxpayers expense. Perhaps we should be thankful that he did not take the "multi million dollar" trip to England. Maybe he felt that the country just could not afford it.

"Michelle, I really want to go to .... what's her names funeral in England, but I feel it would just add to the already heavy tax burden that is being carried by these dear friends of ours, the American taxpayers, and, I want to be around for this upcoming vote in the Senate, I'm just gonna die if that don't pass. I got Gabby and some of those parents who lost kids .... well, I just gotta be here .... "

President Barack Obama’s decision not to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Wednesday was blasted by a former Reagan administration official and Fox News analyst who called it shameful, “cheap, small and petty.”

The elephants came for the funeral

It is Wednesday morning in Newark, Ohio, 12/26/2012, I am looking out at freezing rain and snow, possible  blizzard on the way, a lot of snow, due to the rain, snow and wind,, we will probably lose power, so I have flashlights, battery lights and candles ready. The thermos is filled with coffee, water jugs in freezer are frozen, the bathtub is full of water (so we can flush the toilet), so animal stories warm my heart. I know it took a long time to get there, so excuse all the wordage. 

In case you needed another reason to care about wildlife, here’s one: If you devote your life to elephants, they might come to your funeral. Or anyway that seems to be what happened for conservationist and “elephant whisperer” Lawrence Anthony, who died in March. A few days after his death, two herds of elephants filed through the bush to their friend’s home, where they appeared to stand vigil for two days, according to Anthony’s family.

Anthony had spent time living with the elephants, in order to care for traumatized animals who were considered violent and unruly. But at the time of his death, of a heart attack, Anthony was living in a house on the Thula Thula game reserve in South Africa. The park’s elephants hadn't visited the house in a year and a half, but Anthony’s son Dylan says that the herds, from all over the park, traveled 12 hours to arrive shortly after his father’s death. They stayed for two days, and quietly left.

Elephants are well-known for their grieving rituals when family members die. If they thought of Anthony as a sort of tiny, weird-nosed cousin — and why wouldn't they, since he lived with and cared for them?

Woman and a Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. 

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. 

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. 

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.. 

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply. 

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.' 

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. 

That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor. 

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming ... like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something 

wonderful, and with substance!' 

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ... the best is yet to come.' 

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming. 

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled. 

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. 

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel , indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. Being friends with someone is not an opportunity, but a sweet responsibility. 

Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND... and I'll bet this will be an Email they do remember, every time they pick up a fork! 

And just remember ... keep your fork! 

The BEST is yet to come! 

The MaroonWall

Hundreds of Texas A&M students gathered this week to form a human wall around the funeral service of a soldier to protect his family from Westboro Baptist Church protesters.

Texas A&M alum Lt. Col. Roy Tisdale was killed on June 28 during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C. Tisdale had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the days after the soldier's death, word spread that Westboro Baptist Church members were planning to protest Tisdale's funeral.Described as a "homophobic and anti-Semitic hate group" by the Anti-Defamation League, Westboro Baptist Church regularly stages protests around the country.

When Ryan Slezia, a former Texas A&M student, heard of the group's plans, he hatched a plot to foil their efforts. "In response to their signs of hate, we will wear maroon. In response to their mob anger, we will form a line, arm in arm. This is a silent vigil. A manifestation of our solidarity," he wrote on Facebook, inviting others to join him in a peaceful protest. On Thursday, as Tisdale's funeral was held at the Central Baptist Church in College Station, Tex., hundreds of students and alumni responded to Slezia's invation, linking arms to create a human barricade surrounding the church's entrance.

Most wore maroon -- A&M's school color. One participant tweeted that over 650 people showed up, creating a formidable "maroon wall." “We are standing here quietly. We are here for the family,” Lilly McAlister, a Texas A&M student, told KBTX.com. "We are positioned with our backs to them. Everyone has been told there's no chanting, no singing, there's no yelling anything back."

The hundreds gathered were prepared for a potentially aggressive confrontation, but the protestors from Westboro Baptist Church never showed up.

Wonderful story...

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr.. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'
'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'
'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'
'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'
'Good. Anything I can help you with?'
'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'
'Would you like to take some home?' Asked Mr. Miller.
'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'
'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'
'All I got's my prize marble here.'
'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.
'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'
'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.
'Not zackley but almost.'
'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.
'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.
When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man.. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs.. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them.. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..' With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral:

We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

A Sad Story --- The Loving Husband

A man had two of the best tickets for the Super Bowl. As he sits down, another man comes along and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him..

"No", he says, "the seat is empty."

"This is incredible!" said the man, "who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event of the  football calendar and not use it?"

He says, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. My wife was supposed to come with me, but she passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we haven ' t been together since we got married."

"Oh... I ' m sorry to hear that. That ' s terrible. I guess you couldn't find someone else, a friend or relative or even a neighbor to take the seat?"

The man shakes his head...

  ......"No. They ' re all at the funeral."

Got this from an old friend, Ernie, an old Navy buddy, and a bagpiper who does not have a GPS. He was our navigator on board ship, and the one who had the helm when we ended up in Okinawa instead of Hawaii.



Joe

As you know, I am a bagpiper, and I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the California back country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.  There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.   played like I've never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Apparently I'm still lost....  it's a man thing

Ernie

Phil Knight at JoePa event: Who's real trustee?

By GENARO C. ARMAS and MICHAEL RUBINKAM

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Nike founder and chairman Phil Knight got a standing ovation at Joe Paterno's public memorial Thursday for defending the late coach's response to an accusation of child sex abuse against a former assistant.
  At a ceremony filled with lavish praise that would likely have embarrassed the school's beloved coach, Knight waded into a subject that had been virtually ignored since Paterno died on Sunday from lung cancer — the immediate cause of his firing after 46 seasons leading Penn State's football team to a record-setting 409 wins.
  University trustees have said a major reason Paterno was ousted Nov. 9 was that he failed to alert anyone beyond his two superiors at the school when he was told of an abuse allegation against former assistant Jerry Sandusky in 2002. Sandusky was charged with dozens of child sex abuse counts on Nov. 5, two school officials were charged with perjury and former school president Graham Spanier was pushed out the same night as Paterno.
  Commenting on those events, Knight said, "it turns out (Paterno) gave full disclosure to his superiors, information that went up the chains to the head of the campus police and the president of the school. The matter was in the hands of a world-class university, and by a president with an outstanding national reputation."
  Knight added, "...this much is clear to me. If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation and not in Joe Paterno."
  The remark drew a standing ovation from the crowd of 12,000 at the Bryce Jordan Center — with Paterno's widow, Sue, and former defensive coordinator, Tom Bradley, among those rising to their feet.
    "Who is the real trustee at Penn State University?" Knight asked.


Someone FINALLY had the guts to ask the question. The institution that Joe gave his life to, abandoned him and contributed to his death. I don't think we will ever know the full truth, but, at least, the question has been raised. 

Ironic

Wrongly pronounced dead woman dies of shock at own funeral


Cats are said to have nine lives, but some humans apparently have two — at least that’s seems to be the case when you look at the story of Fagilyu Mukhametzyanov.

Mukhametzyanov died from a heart attack that was prompted by waking up to see she had been wrongly declared dead and placed in a coffin.

When she opened her eyes in her casket, the 49-year-old Russian woman could hear mourners around her praying for her soul to ascend to Heaven, reports the Daily Mail. Mukhametzyanov allegedly began to scream as she realized what was going on.

Mukhametzyanov’s heartbroken spouse Fagili was originally told his wife passed away from a heart attack after she collapsed at home suffering from chest pains. After she awoke during the memorial service, Fagili took his wife to the hospital.

“Her eyes fluttered and we immediately rushed her back to the hospital but she only lived for another 12 minutes in intensive care before she died again, this time for good,” Fagili said.

As to be expected, Fagili is upset about his wife’s unusual fate.

“I am very angry and want answers. She wasn’t dead when they said she was and they could have saved her,” Fagili said.

A once in a lifetime, happened to me ............

Went to Dayton, Ohio, my old hometown, to attend the funeral of a friends Mother.

We went to the funeral home, visited, chatted and talked with some of the people there. The Schedule, a car procession was going from the funeral home to a church. As it turned out, we were the last car in the procession of about twenty-five cars.

We are last in the procession, trying to keep caught up, headlights and flashers on, with a little flag on the top of our van.

We heard a distant siren, I looked in the mirror, and coming up on our procession pretty fast, was an emergency squad.

WHAT TO DO. There were a few cars on the right of me, they weren't pulling over. I couldn't go faster, all those cars in front of me.If I did pull over, the first cars in the procession would not know what was going on for a  little while, they would keep going, I would be lost and did not know how to get to the church.

So, I just kept on going, the squad passed me on my left ..... we kept going, looked in the rear view mirror, coming fast was a fire truck. Fortunately, the cars to our left, going in the opposite way, pulled to the curb, out of respect, that left a lane for the emergency vehicles to get through.

Gave me a "start" for a little while, not sure what the law would be on that.

I am sorry, this is cute

There was an elderly man at home, upstairs, dying in bed.


He smelled the aroma of his favourite chocolate chip cookies baking.

He wanted one last cookie before he died.

He fell out of bed, crawled to the landing, rolled down the stairs and crawled into the kitchen where his wife was busily baking cookies.

With his last remaining strength he crawled to the table and was just barely able to lift his withered arm to the cookie sheet.

As he grasped a warm, moist chocolate chip cookie, his favorite kind, his wife suddenly whacked his hand with a spatula.

Gasping for breath, he asked her, "Why did you do that?"

"Those are for the funeral," she replied.

A Woman at the Super Bowl

A woman had 50 yard line tickets for the Super Bowl. As she sat down, a man came along and asked her if anyone is sitting in the seat next to her. "No," she said, "the seat is empty."


"This is incredible," said the man. "Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the world, and not use it?"

Somberly, the woman says, "Well... the seat actually belongs to me. I was supposed to come here with my husband, but he passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we have not been to together since we got married in 1967."

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that, that's terrible. But couldn't you find someone else - a friend or relative or even a neighbor to take the seat?" The woman shakes her head, "No, they're all at the funeral."

UNBELIEVABLE - UNBELIEVABLE - UNBELIEVABLE

State lawmakers to rush through legislation banning protests at funerals

 New law would prevent 'hate' church coming within 300 feet of mourners

 The funeral of Arizona gun victim Christina Green is being targeted by a fundamentalist church who plan to picket her service on Saturday

Arizona lawmakers were today set to rush through legislation aimed at preventing members of a controversial church from protesting at the funeral of the youngest victim of the Tucson massacre.

The sickening attempt to win publicity for the Kansas-based church’s anti-abortion views was the final straw for a community already struggling with grief in the aftermath of the weekend massacre.

Horrified residents swung into action today after Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to 'picket' the funeral service of nine-year-old Christina Green.

The youngster was among the six people killed during Saturday's gun massacre.

State lawmakers were this afternoon attempting to rush through today legislation which would prohibit protestors from coming within 300 feet of grieving mourners at funerals.

House spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said the legislation is in direct response to the 'hate' church's flier on its website saying 'God hates Catholics' and their plans to disrupt Saturday's funeral.

Residents of the town rocked by Saturday's shooting which killed six people and wounded 14 others are outraged that a fundamentalist church plans to picket the funeral of Christina, whose parents are Catholics.

Members of Westboro Baptist Church have come under fire before for protesting the funerals of people who had died of AIDS, homosexuals, U.S. soldiers and even Coretta Scott King.

But when the Topeka, Kansas church revealed their plans to disrupt Saturday's funeral of the young gun victim, local people decided to fight back - in a peaceful way.

Resident Christin Gilmer who was friends with two of the people murdered at the weekend, called Tuscon a 'caring, loving, peaceful community'.

‘How dare you come with your hateful message when we’re in mourning,’ she said.

‘Nobody comes into our beautiful town and tries to spew hate at the celebration and memorial of someone’s life.’

'For something like this to happen in Tuscon was a really big shock to us all. Our nightmare happened when we saw Westboro Baptist Church was going to picket the funerals'.

Horrified residents are planning an 'angel action' to counteract the hate church's plans.

A Fly-over, a 21-gun Salute and Taps

SPRINGFIELD — A flyover, 21-gun salute and rendition of “Taps” marked services at Myer’s Cemetery for fallen Clark County Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Waughtel Hopper.

  The shots pierced the silence over the heads of deputies and officers, stoic faces worn by this week’s despair.

  The shell casings from the salute will be packaged and given to Hopper’s family, said Rich Weiner, Columbus Honor Guard.

  Nearly two hours after the service ended at 12:45 p.m. Friday, vehicles in the two-mile long funeral procession were still leaving the church parking lot, located at 3638 Middle Urbana Road. They are making their way to Myers Cemetery near North Hampton, where Hopper will be laid to rest.

  Several people addressed the throng during the 45-minute service.

  The deputy’s husband, Matt Hopper, thanked mourners for their support in a brief statement.   “We lost an angel,” he said, his voice shaking. “I don’t know what else to say.”
  Hopper performed her duties at the Sheriff’s Office in an exemplary manner, Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly remarked. “On her last day of service, she volunteered for overtime, as usual,” said Kelly.
  Hopper was a kind and cheerful person who didn’t like to be the center of attention, her friend Miste Adams said. “If you ever spoke to her, I’m sure she called you 'sweetie,’” said Adams, addressing mourners during the service shortly after it started.

  A hushed and somber congregation looked on as deputies who worked closely with Hopper filed into the sanctuary and took seats on the altar above her flag-draped casket. Deputies stood guard near her coffin, which was flanked by two rows of flowers that stretched the length of the room.
  Services, which were schedule for 11 a.m., was delayed by nearly an hour as the two-mile long procession with nearly 2,000 vehicles made its way to the church.
  Law enforcement officers from across the state and as far away as Los Angeles were expected to attend.