The Woman and the Fork

There are so many activities going on at our congregation I sometimes get a little lost.  One of those activities is Secret Sisters.  This is my first year to do Secret Sisters and to be honest I'm not the best at it.  I have sent my secret sister a few cards and a little gift, but whoever my sister is has ROCKED!!!  I think I have an idea who it is and if I'm right I know why she is so good!  Anyway, I guess protocal is that we have a devo emailed to us once a month (I like that).  Below is this months thought and I really liked it so I thought I would share it with my readers.  Enjoy!!

The Woman and the Fork

There was a young 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.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young 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 young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
'That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained..... 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and 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 young 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 young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like, than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and ! they saw the cloak she was wearing 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 young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He 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.
I felt like this story had two main points. First, we have so much to look forward to as Christian women. Sometimes we get so caught up in things going on in this world that we forget about the treasures Heaven holds for us. Remember to keep your eyes on the prize; don't let the worries of today weigh you down. That's what this group is all about. We are sisters, we are a support team.
The second point is this: Tell everyone the good news! Even in death this woman helps share her faith with everyone she encounters. We are a people set apart, and we act differently. This is how we share Jesus without even speaking a word. Remember the fruits of the Spirit.
Matthew 6:19-20

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
 
Kimberly