- To: "Char Dille (E-mail)" <rehmeier@uswest.net>, "Kathy Corrigan (E-mail)" <kathleencorrigan@aol.com>, "Lisa Day (E-mail)" <myknday143@cs.com>, "Nancy Harvey [HarveNA@mmis.state.id.us] (E-mail)" <HarveNA@mmis.state.id.us>, "Pam Elliot (E-mail)" <PElliott@labor.state.id.us>, "Penny Garcia (E-mail)" <pgarcia@boisestate.edu>, "Teresa Wesley (E-mail)" <Teresa_wesley@bia.gov>, Donna Nielsen <dnielsen@idl.state.id.us>, Irys Gibbens <igibbens@idl.state.id.us>, Karen Bertram <kbertram@idl.state.id.us>, Louie Konkol <lkonkol@idl.state.id.us>, Maria Torgeson <mtorgeson@idl.state.id.us>, Robbie Gary <rgary@idl.state.id.us>, Sandra Brown <sbrown@idl.state.id.us>, Sue Moore <smoore@idl.state.id.us>, Suzy Cooley <scooley@idl.state.id.us>, Ula Chadd <uchadd@idl.state.id.us>
- Subject: FW: FW: Keep the Fork
- From: Meredith Dille <mdille@idl.state.id.us>
- Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 08:18:54 -0600
> "Keep Your Fork"
>
> 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 didn't know 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 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
> woman
> the last time 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, her 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 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 oh 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 even if it means sending it
> back to the person who sent it to you. "Keep Your Fork!"
>
