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 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 am 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
maincourse 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 as 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 again 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.