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 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 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.

Friends are indeed worth keeping and nurturing, Elif. What a lovely post! [img]smile.gif[/img]

I've always loved that story and its message!
Thank you for posting it here. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Hmmm....or maybe she was really fat and wanted to be ready for the big feeding trough in the sky! [img]smile.gif[/img]

wow LoA, hadnt looked at tit like that, leave it to you to see the
flip side of a story.

ROTFLMAO!
On the lookout for any unguarded angel cake.
Damn you, LoA, you're gonna help me get myself sent straight to hell!
[img]graemlins/biglaugh.gif[/img]

Thank you Elif! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Moni-you KNOW I cant help it! Theres a little devil on my shoulder telling me what to say!

<font color="plum">Great Post, <font color="orange">Elif.</font>
Here is another good one I recently received from a friend.</font>

<font color="silver">THE SILVERSMITH

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi.

As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three which
says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled
the women, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character
and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of
refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and
let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the
silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn
away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought
again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She
asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the
fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver,
but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the
silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do
you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy... when I see my image in
it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that you are in
God's hands. He has His eye on you, and He will keep holding you and watching
you until He sees His image in you.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!</font>

How true Cerek,
HAPPY FRIDAY all :D
And just remeber, just because the mirror is made from silver and you look into it and see yourself, dont think your all that and a bag of chips including the grocery store ;) Try to be a little humble throughout your day, because you never know what you do and how it can effect others.

Damn, I thought it was gonna be a lewd joke. And I needed a good laugh, too.