INTERVIEW WITH GOD
"Come in," God said, "So, you
would like to interview Me?"
"If you have the time," I said.
God smiled and said: "My time
is eternity and is enough to do
everything; what questions do
you have in mind to ask me?"
"What surprises you most about
mankind?"
God answered: "That they get
bored of being children, are
in a rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.
That they lose their health
to make money and then lose
their money to restore their
health.
That by thinking anxiously
about the future, they forget
the present, such that they live
neither for the present nor the
future.
That they live as if they will
never die, and they die as if
they had never lived."
God's hands took mine and
we were silent for a while
and then I asked . . . "As a
parent, what are some of
life's lessons you want your
children to learn?"
God replied with a smile:
"To learn that they cannot
make anyone love them.
What they can do is to let
themselves be loved.
To learn that what is most
valuable is not what they
have in their lives, but who
they have in their lives.
To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to
others. All will be judged
individually on their own
merits, not as a group on
a comparison basis!
To learn that a rich person
is not the one who has the
most, but is one who needs
the least.
To learn that it only takes
a few seconds to open
profound wounds in persons
we love, and that it takes
many years to heal them.
To learn to forgive by
practicing forgiveness.
To learn that there are persons
that love them dearly, but simply
do not know how to express or
show their feelings.
To learn that money can buy
everything but happiness.
To learn that two people can
look at the same thing and
see it totally different.
To learn that a true friend is
someone who knows everything
about them . . . and likes them
anyway.
To learn that it is not always
enough that they be forgiven
by others, but that they have
to forgive themselves."
I sat there for awhile enjoying
the moment. I thanked Him
for his time and for all that
He has done for me and my
family, and He replied,
"Anytime. I'm here 24 hours
a day. All you have to do is
ask for me, and I'll answer."
People will forget what you
said. People will forget what
you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel.
Thinking of you.
PS: Pass it on to someone
special in your life . . .
God Bless.
Kindly contributed by Patti
Psalm 62:5-8 (NRSV)
For GOD ALONE my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from Him.
HE ALONE IS my rock and MY SALVATION,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
ON GOD RESTS MY DELIVERANCE and my honor;
my mighty rock, MY REFUGE IS IN GOD.
TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES, O people;
pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. [Selah]
An Interesting Story...
Subject: Keep 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 oufit 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 con tinued. "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. I have tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. 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 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 women 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 pretty dress she was wearing and the fork place in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the ques- tion, "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. 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. Remember to
always be there for them, even when you need
them more. For you never know when it may be
their time to "Keep the fork". "Cherish the time
you have, and the memories you share ... being
friends with someone is not an opportunity but
a sweet responsibility."
Kindly contributed by Amy
Subject: Keep 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 oufit 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 con tinued. "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. I have tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. 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 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 women 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 pretty dress she was wearing and the fork place in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the ques- tion, "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. 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. Remember to
always be there for them, even when you need
them more. For you never know when it may be
their time to "Keep the fork". "Cherish the time
you have, and the memories you share ... being
friends with someone is not an opportunity but
a sweet responsibility."Kindly contributed by Amy
