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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 to be 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 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 goodbye. 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 and 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 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
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
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