Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners remind me of the pastor’s retelling of the visit he made to a frail old member of his congregation as she lay dying in her hospice bed.  He was asking her about any last requests or funeral arrangement preferences.

“Just one thing, pastor.  Make sure there is a fork in my hand when I’m lying in the casket”

“Huh?  Whatever for?”

“Well every time the plates are cleared from our family dinners, someone would tell us to hold onto our forks, because the best was yet to come.  I am looking forward to the best after this life.”