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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ecxapple-style-span"><b><i><u><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family: Papyrus;
color: black; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;">Woman and
a Fork </span></font></u></i></b></span><span
class="ecxapple-style-span"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span style="font-style:
italic; font-family: Papyrus; color: black;
font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span></font></i></b></span><span
class="ecxapple-converted-space"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span style="font-style:
italic; font-family: Papyrus; color: black;
font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span></font></i></b></span><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br>
<span class="ecxapple-style-span"> </span></span></font><font
color="black" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; color: black; font-size:
13.5pt;"></span></font></p>
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<blockquote style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font id="ecxrole_document"
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"> </span></font><b><i><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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.</span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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. </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">Everything was in order
and the Pastor was preparing to leave when
the young woman suddenly remembered
something very important to her. </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">'There's one more
thing,' she said excitedly..</span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">'What's that?' came the
Pastor's reply.</span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">'This is very
important,' the young woman continued. 'I
want to be buried with a fork in my right
hand.' </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">The Pastor stood looking
at the young woman, not knowing quite what
to say. </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">That surprises you,
doesn't it?' the young woman asked.</span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">'Well, to be honest,
I'm puzzled by the request,' said the
Pastor. </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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!' </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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.' </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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 that many people twice her age, with
twice as much experience and knowledge. She
KNEW that something better was coming.</span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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. </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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.</span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">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. </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">Friends are a very rare
jewel</span></font></i></b><span
class="ecxapple-converted-space"><b><i><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="2"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 10pt;
font-weight: bold;"> </span></font></i></b></span><b><i><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">, indeed. They make you
smile and encourage you to succeed.
Cherish the time you have, and the memories
you share. Being friends with someone is
not an opportunity, but a sweet
responsibility.<span
class="ecxapple-converted-space"> </span></span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"> </span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial"
size="2"><span style="font-family: Arial; color:
black; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></font><b><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-family: Papyrus; color: black;
font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;">Send
this to everyone you consider a FRIEND...and
I'll bet this will be an E-mail they do
remember, every time they pick up a fork! </span></font></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial"
size="2"><span style="font-family: Arial; color:
black; font-size: 10pt;"></span></font><b><i><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 24pt;
font-weight: bold;">And just remember...keep
your fork!<span
class="ecxapple-converted-space"> </span></span></font></i></b><b><i><font
color="black" face="Papyrus" size="2"><span
style="font-style: italic; font-family:
Papyrus; color: black; font-size: 10pt;
font-weight: bold;"> </span></font></i></b><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;
font-size: 10pt;"></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font color="black"
face="Times New Roman" size="6"><span
style="font-style: italic; color: black;
font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;">The
BEST is yet to come!</span></font></i></b></p>
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</blockquote>
</span>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
"Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it
tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown
</pre>
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