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Enron Mail |
---------------------- Forwarded by Maria Sandoval/HOU/ECT on 11/21/2000
01:24 PM --------------------------- 11/21/2000 01:19 PM Brenda Flores-Cuellar@ENRON Brenda Flores-Cuellar@ENRON Brenda Flores-Cuellar@ENRON 11/21/2000 01:19 PM 11/21/2000 01:19 PM To: Felecia Russell/Corp/Enron@ENRON, "Teresa V. Contreras" <tvcontreras@yahoo.com<, Melissa Jones/NA/Enron@ENRON, "Ryan M. Matthews" <RMatthews@cima-energy.com<, alma.navarro@enron.com, Maria Sandoval/HOU/ECT@ECT, Susan D Trevino/HOU/ECT@ECT@ENRON cc: Subject: The Tablecloth Happy Thanksgiving to all. < < < 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 Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and < < < just about finished. On Dec 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. She 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.
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