How does your site rate?

I found the site for these tags over here at Laurie's site, and was
pleasantly surprised to find that holtieshouse was 2/3 good and only
1/3 evil, I had a horrible premonition it might have gone the other way.

In an effort to retain this reatively good rating I am posting a nice
one today

Keep Your 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 there on out, I have always done so. I have also, 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 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 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 pretty dress 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.

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 your fork."

Stay tuned folks we'll be back to normal with the next post I'm sure.