the letter
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 a 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 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."
>>
>> 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.
>
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