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All of us have a link to those who have passed, whether it through gift or personal experience. Therfore, there is not one person who should not be touched by a "Forgotten Spirit".
What is a "Forgotten Spirit"? It the person who passed long ago, who's legacy remains in a cemetary somewhere. They are the person who's families have long since passed, and noone is available to care for the one thing that stands that reminds us all the day they were born and the day that they passed.... Thier tombstone.
Their are so many grave markers that sit in cemetaries everywhere that noone cares for. They are very old, overgrown with weeds, dirty, and just plain old forgotten about.
I challenge each of our members here, along with our visitors to take a trip to your local cemetaries... find one tombstone that is old, and unkept and clean it up.. Make it shine with the spirit that it represents.
This is a great family activity too. Your children will enjoy this too. It is a great way to give to those who walked well before our own days.
I will post exactly the care needed in the cleaning process. Take pictures before and after, and post here. It truly is a remarkeable feeling when you have finished, and I will bet you will not just stop at one!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
1. Bucket
2. Old milk jugs filled with water
3. Spray bottle... 1/2 water 1/2 Bleach (to clean the moss and mold and years of grime)
4. Scrub brush... white bristles, like you use in the kitchen
5. Toothbrush
6. Gentle dish soap.. such as Ivory
HOW TO PICK YOUR TOMBSTONE
The first item of business is to knock on the tombstone. And no, this is not to see if anyone is home If the stone sounds hollow it is best to leave it be. These are fragile stones. Give it a gentle dusting if you like, pull the weeds, clean up around it.
Use your judgement.. if the stone is flaking or looks to be on its absolute last legs.. it probably is.
Be careful of the really old flat white granite stones. The ones where the words are almost faded out. This type of stone does not withstand weather, and a good cleaning could completely wipe out the lettering.
HOW TO CLEAN
GENTLY. GIVE IT A GOOD "GENTLE" SCRUBBING WITH THE SCRUB BRUSH. USE THE TOOTHBRUSH TO CLEAN THE ENGRAVINGS AND AROUND THE SEAMS AT THE BOTTOM. USE BLEACH WATER SPARINGLY!! ONLY USE IT ON THE AREAS THAT ARE STAINED WITH MOLD OR MOSS OR GRIME THAT JUST IS STUBBORN. GIVE IT A RINSE..
PULL THE WEEDS GROWING AROUND IT...
DO NOT USE ANY ABRASIVE CLEANERS OR HARSH CHEMICALS.. YOU WILL DO DAMAGE NOT GOOD!!
Once you are done... You have honored the legacy of another. Be Proud... and remember....
THEY WERE ONCE WHERE WE ARE... AND WE ALL WILL ONE DAY BE WHERE THEY ARE!!!.
What is a "Forgotten Spirit"? It the person who passed long ago, who's legacy remains in a cemetary somewhere. They are the person who's families have long since passed, and noone is available to care for the one thing that stands that reminds us all the day they were born and the day that they passed.... Thier tombstone.
Their are so many grave markers that sit in cemetaries everywhere that noone cares for. They are very old, overgrown with weeds, dirty, and just plain old forgotten about.
I challenge each of our members here, along with our visitors to take a trip to your local cemetaries... find one tombstone that is old, and unkept and clean it up.. Make it shine with the spirit that it represents.
This is a great family activity too. Your children will enjoy this too. It is a great way to give to those who walked well before our own days.
I will post exactly the care needed in the cleaning process. Take pictures before and after, and post here. It truly is a remarkeable feeling when you have finished, and I will bet you will not just stop at one!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
1. Bucket
2. Old milk jugs filled with water
3. Spray bottle... 1/2 water 1/2 Bleach (to clean the moss and mold and years of grime)
4. Scrub brush... white bristles, like you use in the kitchen
5. Toothbrush
6. Gentle dish soap.. such as Ivory
HOW TO PICK YOUR TOMBSTONE
The first item of business is to knock on the tombstone. And no, this is not to see if anyone is home If the stone sounds hollow it is best to leave it be. These are fragile stones. Give it a gentle dusting if you like, pull the weeds, clean up around it.
Use your judgement.. if the stone is flaking or looks to be on its absolute last legs.. it probably is.
Be careful of the really old flat white granite stones. The ones where the words are almost faded out. This type of stone does not withstand weather, and a good cleaning could completely wipe out the lettering.
HOW TO CLEAN
GENTLY. GIVE IT A GOOD "GENTLE" SCRUBBING WITH THE SCRUB BRUSH. USE THE TOOTHBRUSH TO CLEAN THE ENGRAVINGS AND AROUND THE SEAMS AT THE BOTTOM. USE BLEACH WATER SPARINGLY!! ONLY USE IT ON THE AREAS THAT ARE STAINED WITH MOLD OR MOSS OR GRIME THAT JUST IS STUBBORN. GIVE IT A RINSE..
PULL THE WEEDS GROWING AROUND IT...
DO NOT USE ANY ABRASIVE CLEANERS OR HARSH CHEMICALS.. YOU WILL DO DAMAGE NOT GOOD!!
Once you are done... You have honored the legacy of another. Be Proud... and remember....
THEY WERE ONCE WHERE WE ARE... AND WE ALL WILL ONE DAY BE WHERE THEY ARE!!!.