Is Your Ticket Punched?
Sent by a CNO reader
Editor’s
note: We have been unable to confirm that Billy Graham
ever said this (nor has it been noted as untrue). That said, enjoy.
New
Suit
Billy
Graham is now 92 years-old with Parkinson's disease.
In
January, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their
favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.
Billy
initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he
struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, 'We
don't
expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.' So he agreed.
After
wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to
the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said,
"I'm
reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist
who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the
Century.
Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the
conductor came
down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came
to
Einstein. Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his
ticket, so
he reached in his trouser pockets.
It
wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it.
Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.
"The
conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We
all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about
it.'
"Einstein
nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down
the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he
turned
around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking
under
his seat for his ticket.
"The
conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr.
Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a
ticket.
I'm sure you bought one.'
Einstein
looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who
I am. What I don't know is where I'm going."
Having
said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm
wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are
telling
me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more
fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and
one more
occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which
I'll be
buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately
remember
the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this:
I
not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going."
May
your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing
but happiness, come through your door. "Life without God is like an
unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
Amen
& Peace My Friends
And
may each of us have lived our lives so that when our ticket is
punched we don't have to worry about where we are going.
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