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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.
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