I found this....

[irishcream]

This is one of the sweetest things i've ever read...something to make you smile on a sunday morning:- 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 she 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 Islandand 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 >

[O-Nieronaut]

Nice find, Irishcream! That realy goes to show that things usualy happen for a reason. I love stories like that! It reminds me of a story my Dad told me. It's not quite as profound, but I still think its warming. He was at a Sunday morning service at an out-of-town church. The collection plate was going around, and when it came to him, he put in $10. As he started to pass the plate to the next person, though, he suprised himself by suddenly reaching in and taking the $10 back. That got him some sideways looks! He wasn't sure why he did such a thing until the end of the service. Everyone was shaking hands and hugging, meeting their neighbors and all that, but my Dad walked straight aaccross the church and handed the $10 to this man he had never seen before. He said, "I don't know why, but I think this is supposed to be for you." The man cried. He had put $10 into the collection plate himself, then realized that that was his last $10, he was out of gas, and had no idea how how was going to get his family home. I only hope I have the presence of mind (or maybe absence?) to act so selflessly when it is asked of me.

[irishcream]

Originally posted by O'Nieronaut Nice find, Irishcream! That realy goes to show that things usualy happen for a reason. I love stories like that! It reminds me of a story my Dad told me. It's not quite as profound, but I still think its warming. He was at a Sunday morning service at an out-of-town church. The collection plate was going around, and when it came to him, he put in $10. As he started to pass the plate to the next person, though, he suprised himself by suddenly reaching in and taking the $10 back. That got him some sideways looks! He wasn't sure why he did such a thing until the end of the service. Everyone was shaking hands and hugging, meeting their neighbors and all that, but my Dad walked straight aaccross the church and handed the $10 to this man he had never seen before. He said, \"I don't know why, but I think this is supposed to be for you.\" The man cried. He had put $10 into the collection plate himself, then realized that that was his last $10, he was out of gas, and had no idea how how was going to get his family home. I only hope I have the presence of mind (or maybe absence?) to act so selflessly when it is asked of me. That's really sweet...just goes to show that there are still some good, selfless people left in the world..

[MSG]

That's pretty awesome... I thought he was gonna like take down the tablecloth and the wall was gonna be fixed but it was heartwarming nevertheless. Also nice story oneironaut

[Alaurast78]

I loved both stories. It truly is amazing how things happen in life. It gives me hope! It also brings up many questions but that will just start a debate. I love to hear these stories and I would like to hear more if others have them.

[themindsi]

Yea, I liked that one when I read it too. It was going around the office for awhile..god the office, BLEH. But I remember reading it, it's so cute.