A beautiful  story...
> > 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.