There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had 
been given three months to live. 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 wished to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with
her favorite Bible.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave, when the 
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 woman continued. "I want to be buried with
a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing what to say.

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and 
potluck dinners, I remember that always 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 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 woman 
goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her 
before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of 
Heaven than he did. She Knew that something better was coming!

At the funeral, people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the
pretty dress she was wearing, and her favorite Bible, 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 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 he 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!

Author Unknown