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 f ront 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 Naz is 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.