Message-ID: <7252440.1075853940547.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 04:21:00 -0800 (PST) From: wmontg@juno.com To: ddavis@ect.enron.com Subject: Fw: FW: The Fork Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Willie L Montgomery X-To: ddavis@ect.enron.com X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Dana_Davis_Dec2000\Notes Folders\Discussion threads X-Origin: Davis-D X-FileName: ddavis2.nsf --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Charita Lott" To: "Willie montgomery" Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 11:53:47 -0600 Subject: FW: The Fork Message-ID: <000601c05af6$7d6fafa0$4c7010ac@awilliams.matrixservice.com> -----Original Message----- From: Tiffiany Rose [mailto:trose@matrixservice.com] Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 9:11 AM To: Shayla Prater; Pamela Hayward Brooks; Lashawn Bass; Kesha Randle; Charita Lott; Anthony Ray Chambers, Jr.; Andre'a Murrell Subject: FW: The Fork -----Original Message----- From: The Oranges [mailto:orange23@corecomm.net] Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 9:56 PM To: Aaron T Orange; Abby Joseph; Andrea Fisher; Christopher Alverson; Christopher Grove; Dana Kimbrough Nunes; Darren Shepard; Debra Buchanan; Derek Murdock; Dr. Campbell; Dr. Jolene Wallace; Jake Green; Jennifer Littles; Kevin Buie; KRice06@aol.com; LaDonna Walters; Les Mitchell ; Malcom Townes; Mark Crawford; Mike and Ife Jacobs; Monica Henry; Montee Evans; Nathaniel Griffin; Opal Sykes Wheeler; Regina Madison; Robert L. Orange; Rosalyn Smith; Rosalynn Lenoir; Ruthie G. McEwen; Shawn Anthony Fields; Stephanie and Vernon Lewis; Vernida Summers; Vernon and Crystal Murdock; Victor Murdock; Wanda Jackson Subject: The Fork This is one I received from a friend in Hawaii, Enjoy! > > > THE 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'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 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 even if it means sending it > >> > back to the person who sent it to you. > >> > And..................... keep your fork >