| There was a 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. The woman also requested
to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything
was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave
when the 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 woman continued. "I
want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing
quite what to say.
"That surprises you, doesn't it?", the woman
asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said
the pastor.
The woman explained. "In all my years of attending
church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember
that when the dishes of the main courses 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 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 woman had a better grasp
of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better
was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the woman's
casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing
another favorite Bible 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 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. Send this to
everyone you consider a FRIEND...
..... And keep your fork
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