Re: Re: Fwd: The tablecloth

[Guest guest]

You are ALL welcome! It made me cry too! :-)

Dianemikat828 <mikat828@...> wrote:

Thanks for sharing. That brought tears to my eyes!Hugs,kathySubject: The tablecloth> Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:47:30 -0500> From: " Rowell" <julia.rowell@c...>> <jrady@s...>, "Machart, " <monica.machart@h...>,> "Diane Myers" <dlmyers1960@s...>> > > > > > The Tablecloth> > The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned> > to their first ministry, to reopen a church> > in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October> > excited about their opportunities. When they saw> > their church,

it was very run down and needed> > much work. They set a goal to have everything> > done in time to have their first service> > on Christmas Eve.> > > > They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls,> > painting, etc., and on December 18> > were ahead of schedule and just about finished.> > > > On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving> > rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.> > > > On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church.> > His heart sank when he saw that the roof had> > leaked, causing a large area of plaster about> > 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the> > sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about> > head high.> > > > The pastor cleaned up the mess on the

floor,> > and not knowing what else to do but postpone> > the Christmas Eve service, headed home.> > On the way he noticed that a local business was> > having a flea market type sale for charity so he> > stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful,> > handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth> > with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross> > embroidered right in the center. It was just> > the right size to cover up the hole in the front> > wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.> > > > By this time it had started to snow. An older> > woman running from the opposite direction was> > trying to catch the bus.. She missed it. The pastor> > invited her to wait in the warm church for> > the next bus 45 minutes later.> > > >

She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor> > while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put> > up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor> > could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and> > it covered up the entire problem area.> > > > Then he noticed the woman walking down the center> > aisle. Her face was like a sheet.. "Pastor,"> > she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?"> > The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check> > the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into> > it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had> > made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.> > > > The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor> > told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The>

> woman explained that before the war she and> > her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.> > When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave.> > Her husband was going to follow her the next week.> > He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her> > husband or her home again.> > > > The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth;> > but she made the pastor keep it for the church.> > The pastor insisted on driving her home, that> > was the least he could do.. She lived on the other> > side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn> > for the day for a housecleaning job.> > > > What a wonderful service they had on Christmas> > Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the> > spirit were great. At the end of the service, the> > pastor

and his wife greeted everyone at the door> > and many said that they would return.> > One older man, whom the pastor recognized> > from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the> > pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he> > wasn't leaving.> > > > The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on> > the front wall because it was identical to one> > that his wife had made years ago when> > they lived in Austria before the war and how> > could there be two tablecloths so much alike.> > > > He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he> > forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was> > supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and> > put in a prison.. He never saw his wife or his home> > again all the 35 years in between.>

> > > The pastor asked him if he would allow him to> > take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten> > Island and to the same house where the pastor> > had taken the woman three days earlier.> > > > He helped the man climb the three flights of> > stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on> > the door and he saw the greatest Christmas> > reunion he could ever imagine.> > > > True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid> > Who says God does not work in mysterious ways..> > I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for> > you today, to guide you and protect you as you go> > along your way. His love is always with you, His> > promises are true, and when we give Him all our> > cares you know He will see us through.> > >

> So when the road you're traveling on seems> > difficult at best.. Just remember I'm here> > praying and God will do the rest. Pass this on> > to those you want God to bless and don't forget> > to send it back to the one who asked God to bless> > you first.> > > > When there is nothing left but God, that is when> > you find out that God is all you need. Take 60> > seconds and give this a shot! All you do is simply> > say the following small prayer for the person> > who sent you this.> > > > Father, God, bless all my friends and family in what> > ever it is that You know they may be needing this> > day! May their life be full of your peace,> > prosperity and power as he/she seeks to have a> > closer relationship with you. Amen.>

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