keep the fork

[Guest guest]

> >Keep Your 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

> there on

> >out, I

> >have always done so. I have also, 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 church socials and

> potluck

> 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 pretty dress 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. The pastor

> 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.

> They lend an

> ear, they

> >share a word of praise, and 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 may

> be their

> >time

> >to " Keep your fork. "

> >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 even if

> it means

> sending it

> >back

> >to the person who sent it to you. And remember to

> keep your

> fork.

> >

> >For all my friends

>