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[RC] Another Church Story - Tom NollGreetings: Some time ago my wife received this story in an email. After reading Howard's post yesterday, I though the story would be appropriate for ridecamp. I've edited and refined the story slightly, still the author is unknown. Happy Holidays, Tom Noll SW Idaho ________________________ An old man was riding his horse and walking his dog along a county road, enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to the man that he had died. He remembered dying, and realized too, that the dog had been dead for many years and it had been a very long time since he'd ridden this horse. He wondered where the road would lead them, and continued onward. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, a tall, white arch that gleamed in the sunlight broke the marble wall. As the man stood before the arch, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the street that led through the gate looked like pure gold. He was pleased that he had finally arrived at heaven. The man got off to lead his horse and the he and the dog walked toward the gate. As he got closer, he saw someone sitting at a beautifully carved desk off to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, but is this heaven?" "Yes, it is, sir," the man answered. "It's magnificent! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked. "Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The gatekeeper gestured to his rear, and the huge gate began to open. "I assume that my friends can come in," the man said, gesturing toward the dog and horse. The man at the desk replied, "I am sorry sir, we cannot accept your animals -- animals are not allowed." The man thought about it then thanked the gatekeeper, turned back toward the road, and continued in the direction he had been going. After another very long walk and many long hills, he came to a dirt road, which led through a farm gate. If there had ever been a fence it was long gone, and it looked as if the gate had never been closed, as grass had grown up around it. As he approached the gate, he saw a man just inside, sitting in the shade of a tree in a rickety old chair, reading a book. "Excuse me sir!" he called to the reader. "We've been traveling along this road for a good distance and we are rather tired and thirsty. Do you have any water?" "Yes, certainly, there's a pump over there" the man said, pointing to a place that couldn't be seen from the road outside the gate. "Come on in and make yourself at home." "How about my friends here?" the traveler gestured to his dog and horse. "They're welcome too. There's good grass near the well and there's a bowl and a bucket by the pump," he said. The man led the horse and dog through the farm gate and, sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a dipper hanging on it with a bowl and a wooden bucket next to it on the ground. The man led his horse to the grass, filled the bucket for the horse, filled bowl for his dog, and then took a long drink himself. After he made sure that the dog and horse were comfortable, he and the dog walked back toward the man, who was sitting under the tree waiting for them. "What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is heaven," was the answer. "Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "It certainly doesn't look like heaven, and there's another man down the road who said that place was heaven." "Oh, you mean the place with the golden streets and pearly gates?" "Yes, it was magnificent." "Nope. That place is hell." "Doesn't it offend you for them to use the name of heaven like that?" "Well, I can see how you might think so, but actually it saves me a lot of time. That place screens out the people who are willing to leave their best friends behind. Author Unknown ________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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