Woman and the Fork

I love this story, and I hope you all do too!

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 se e 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.
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.

My Lois

My grandmother (MaMa) is an incredible woman. I would describe her as being a good ol' Texas woman. She is a wonderful cook and an amazing advice giver. I titled this post My Lois because that was Timothy's grandmother's name in the Bible. Timothy's grandmother was a very wise woman, and that is what I think about my grandmother.

The reason I am writing this post is because my family found out this week that my grandmother has a malignant tumor in one of her breasts. We find out today if the mass can be removed with surgery or if other measures will need to be taken. My grandmother has been perfectly healthy her whole life, so in some ways this is a shock to us.

This is hard for me because I love her so much. She has always been available any time I needed her, and she is such a selfless, loving person. She is one of the people in my life that I think I have always just asumed would be there always. If you are reading this and you believe in the power of prayer and in the power of our God, please pray for her. We know our God is the Great Physician.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Caroline had a 6 hour stretch one night this week and a 5 hour stretch last night. I am sure it is a fluke, but I have enjoyed it. She is growing so fast. It is crazy how much babies change in the first year of life.

Caroline is One Month Old

On Monday, July 7, Caroline turned one month old. It is amazing how quickly she has changed. She is starting to move around a lot more in her crib. She now snugly fits into her newborn clothing, and she is sleeping a whopping 4 hours at a time overnight. She is such a beautiful baby. These are pictures of her one month photo session with her bear.

Family and Fireworks

Four Generations

Well, Caroline experienced her first National holiday this last weekend. We took her to San Antonio for a little time with my family. We had a family get-together at my grandparents house and had a great time. I am bummed though because my brother and sister are both living in California now, and they were not there. Family gatherings just aren't the same without them.