Message-ID: <7121588.1075855556122.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 05:40:00 -0800 (PST) From: maria.sandoval@enron.com To: brenda.flores-cuellar@enron.com, chantelle.villanueva@enron.com, andrea.guillen@enron.com, phenicia.olivier@enron.com, brenda.barreda@enron.com, pamela.sonnier@enron.com, elizabeth.soto@enron.com, melissa.rodriguez@enron.com, judy.hernandez@enron.com, mckenzie.senigal@enron.com, patty.soria@halliburton.com, amolina@unifirst.com, yolanda.sandoval@halliburton.com, margiec@networkinterstate.com, monica.richardson@sous.com, yolanda.pena@enron.com, sara.solorio@enron.com Subject: The Tablecloth Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Maria Sandoval X-To: Brenda Flores-Cuellar, Chantelle Villanueva, Andrea R Guillen, Phenicia Olivier, Brenda Barreda, Pamela Sonnier, Elizabeth Soto, Melissa Rodriguez, Judy Hernandez, Mckenzie Senigal, patty.soria@halliburton.com, amolina@unifirst.com, yolanda.sandoval@halliburton.com, margiec@networkinterstate.com, "Richardson, Monica" , Yolanda Pena, Sara Solorio X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Juan_Hernandez_Dec2000\Notes Folders\Notes inbox X-Origin: Hernandez-J X-FileName: jhernan.nsf ---------------------- Forwarded by Maria Sandoval/HOU/ECT on 11/21/2000 01:24 PM --------------------------- 11/21/2000 01:19 PM Brenda Flores-Cuellar@ENRON Brenda Flores-Cuellar@ENRON Brenda Flores-Cuellar@ENRON 11/21/2000 01:19 PM 11/21/2000 01:19 PM To: Felecia Russell/Corp/Enron@ENRON, "Teresa V. Contreras" , Melissa Jones/NA/Enron@ENRON, "Ryan M. Matthews" , alma.navarro@enron.com, Maria Sandoval/HOU/ECT@ECT, Susan D Trevino/HOU/ECT@ECT@ENRON cc: Subject: The Tablecloth Happy Thanksgiving to all. > > > THE TABLECLOTH > > > > > > The brand new pastor and his wife, > > > newly assigned to their first > > > ministry, to reopen a church in > > > suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early > > > October excited about their > > > opportunities. When they saw their > > > church, it was very run down and > > > needed much work. They set a goal to > > > have everything done in > > > time to have their first service on > > > Christmas Eve. > > > > > > They worked hard, repairing pews, > > > plastering walls, painting, etc. and > > > on Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and > > > just about finished. On Dec 19 a > > > terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm > > > hit the area and lasted for two > > > days. > > > > > > On the 21st, the pastor went over to > > > the church. His heart sank when he saw > > > that the roof had leaked, causing a > > > large area of plaster about 20 feet by > > > 8 feet to fall off the front wall of > > > the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, > > > beginning about head high. The pastor > > > cleaned up the mess on the floor, and > > > not knowing what else to do but > > > postpone the Christmas Eve service, > > > headed home. On the way he noticed > > > that a local business was having a > > > flea market type sale for charity so > > > he stopped in. > > > > > > One of the items was a beautiful, > > > handmade, ivory colored, crocheted > > > tablecloth with exquisite work, fine > > > colors and a Cross embroidered right > > > in the center. It was just the right > > > size to cover up the hole in the front > > > wall. He bought it and headed back to > > > the church. > > > > > > By this time it had started to snow. > > > An older woman running from the > > > opposite direction was trying to catch > > > the bus. She missed it. The pastor > > > invited her to wait in the warm church > > > for the next bus 45 minutes later. > > > > > > She sat in a pew and paid no attention > > > to the pastor while he got a ladder, > > > hangers, etc., to put up the > > > tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The > > > pastor could hardly believe how > > > beautiful it looked and it covered up > > > the entire problem area. > > > > > > Then he noticed the woman walking down > > > the center aisle. Her face was like a > > > sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did > > > you get that tablecloth?" The pastor > > > explained. The woman asked him to > > > check the lower right corner to see if > > > the initials, EBG were crocheted into > > > it there. They were. These were the > > > initials of the woman, and she had > > > made this tablecloth 35 years before, > > > in Austria. > > > > > > The woman could hardly believe it as > > > the pastor told how he had just gotten > > > the Tablecloth. The woman explained > > > that before the war she and her > > > husband were well-to-do people in > > > Austria. When the Nazis came, she was > > > > > > forced to leave. Her husband was going > > > to follow her the next week. She was > > > captured, sent to prison and never saw > > > her husband or her home again. > > > > > > The pastor wanted to give her the > > > tablecloth; but she made the pastor > > > keep it for the church. The pastor > > > insisted on driving her home, that was > > > the least he could do. She lived on > > > the other side of Staten Island and > > > was only in Brooklyn for the day for a > > > housecleaning job. > > > > > > What a wonderful service they had on > > > Christmas Eve. The church was > > > almost full. The music and the spirit > > > were great. At the end of the service, > > > the pastor and his wife greeted > > > everyone at the door and many said > > > that they would return. One older man, > > > whom the pastor recognized from the > > > neighborhood, continued to sit in one > > > of the pews and stare, and the pastor > > > wondered why he wasn't leaving. The > > > man asked him where he got the > > > tablecloth on the front wall because > > > it was identical to one that his wife > > > had made years ago when they lived in > > > Austria before the war and how could > > > there be two tablecloths so much > > > alike? > > > > > > He told the pastor how the Nazis came, > > > how he forced his wife to flee > > > for her safety, and he was supposed to > > > follow her, but he was arrested and > > > put in a prison. He never saw his wife > > > or his home again all the 35 years in > > > between. > > > > > > The pastor asked him if he would allow > > > him to take him for a little ride. > > > They drove to Staten Island and to the > > > same house where the > > > pastor had taken the woman three days > > > earlier. He helped the man climb the > > > three flights of stairs to the woman's > > > apartment, knocked on the door and he > > > saw the greatest Christmas reunion he > > > could ever imagine. > > > > > > > > > True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid > > > > > > Who says God does not work in > > > mysterious ways. I asked the Lord to > > > bless you as I prayed for you today. > > > To guide you and protect you as you go > > > along your way.... > > > > > > His love is always with you, His > > > promises are true, And when we give > > > Him all our cares you know He will see > > > us through. > > > > > > So when the road you're traveling on > > > seems difficult at best, Just remember > > > I'm here praying, and God will do the rest. > > > > > > Pass this on to those you want God to > > > bless, and don't forget to send it > > > back to the one who asked God to bless > > > you first.