I enjoyed this story. Mike
> >>Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked > >>it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at > >>the envelope again. > >> > >>There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read > >>the letter: > >> > >>Dear Ruth: > >>I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like > >>to stop by for a visit. > >> > >> Love Always, > >> Jesus > >>Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would > >the > >>Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to > >offer." > >>With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my > >>goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down > to > >>the store and buy something for dinner." > >> > >>She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and > >>forty cents. "Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least." > >> > >>She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of french bread, a > >>half pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with > grand > >>total of twelve cents to last her until Monday. > >> > >>Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked > >>under her arm. > >> > >>"Hey lady, can you help us, lady?" > >> > >>Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two > >>figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed > in > >>little more than rags "Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife > >>and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting > >>cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, > lady, > >>we'd really appreciate it." > >> > >>Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, > >>she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really > wanted > >>to. > >> > >>"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a > >few > >>cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner > >>tonight, and I was planning on serving that to Him." > >> > >>"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." > >> > >>The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and he headed > back > >>into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in > >>her heart. "Sir, wait!" > >> > >>The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, > >>why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my > >>guest." > >> > >>She handed the man her grocery bag. "Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" > >>"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she > >>was shivering. "You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't > >>you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the > >>woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the > >>street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. "Thank you > >>lady! > >>Thank you very much!" > >> > >>Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. > >>The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. > She > >>fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed > >>another envelope in her mailbox. > >> > >>"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took > >>the envelope out of the box and opened it. > >> > >>Dear Ruth: > >>It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank > >>you, too, for the beautiful coat. > >> > >> > >> Love Always > >> Jesus > >> > >>The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed. > >> > >>THIS IS A SIMPLE TEST... > >>If you love Jesus, send this to ten people and the person that sent it to > >>you!!!!!!! > >>Do not keep this message. 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