Woman And the Fork

[Guest guest]

a sweet story with a great message......

>>>

>>>

>>> > 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 & 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 & with substance!

>>> >

>>> > >> 'So, I just want people to see me there in that

>>> >

>>> > >> casket with a fork in my hand & 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. 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 & knowledge. She

>>> >

>>> > >> KNEW that something better was coming.

>>> >

>>> > >> At the funeral people were walking by the young

>>> >

>>> > >> woman's casket & they saw the cloak she was wearing & the

>>>fork

>>> >

>>> > >> placed in her right hand. Over & over, the

>>> >

>>> > >> Pastor heard the question, " What's with the fork? "

>>> >

>>> > >> And over & 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 &

>>> >

>>> > >> about what it symbolized to her. He told the people

>>> >

>>> > >> how he could not stop thinking about the fork & 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. They lend an

>>> >

>>> > >> ear, they share a word of praise, & they always want

>>> >

>>> > >> to open their hearts to us.

>>> >

>>> > >> Show your friends how much you care. Remember to

>>> >

>>> > >> always be there for them, even when you need them

>>> >

>>> > >> more. For you never know when it maybe their time to

>>> >

>>> > >> " Keep their fork. " Cherish the time you have, & the

>>>memories

>>> >

>>> > >> you share. Being friends with someone is not an

>>>opportunity

>>> >

>>> > >> but a sweet responsibility.

>>> >

>>> > >> Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it

>>> >

>>> > >> means sending back to the person who sent it to you.

>>> >

>>> > >> And " keep your fork " !