Angels Angels Everywhere

Several months ago I was on my home from work, driving on the interstate, speed limit 70 mph, bright sunny day. Traffic was pretty busy and I was in a hurry to pick up my son from work. I don't remember now what distracted me, caused me to glance away - maybe digging in my purse, maybe looking for something, maybe just plain distracted.  I looked up to see in front of me a lane of vehicles at a dead stop - long before the exit where everyone  usually slowsdown to merge from 4 lanes into three, two, one.

I was going 70 miles per hour. There was no - I mean NO - way I could possibly have stopped in time to avoid slamming into the back of the car in front of me.  I was in one of the middle two lanes, merging to three. There was nowhere else to go except into the back of the car.  I didn't SLAM on my breaks, but pressed the pedal all the way to the floor, praying that at least no one would be hurt badly.
Instantly after praying for the best outcome - all of this happening in split seconds - I just shut down - time stood still - there was no sound - it was as if I was in a vacuum.

My car stopped about 1 foot behind the car in front of me. I didn't swerve, slide, or even "burn rubber" as the car came to a stop.  I was surrounded by absolute peace and a strong sense of well-being - not to mention being speechless! (Ah . . .  that was the last time I was speechless as referenced in my previous post). 

Luck? Skill?  Fluke? Misjudgement of the true distance.  No. No. No. And no. There is no doubt what happened: angels surrounded me, forming a hedge of protection. There is NO other explanation. None. I had not thought about that incident until the other night when my husband made the comment, "You have angels all around you, didn't you know that?"

Honestly, I do know - and completely believe - that we all have angels all around us! If God sent angels to Jacob, Lot, Hagar, the Israelites, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds and on and on then why not to you and me?! Angels to warn us, angels to comfort us, angels to guide us.

"Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him" (Genesis 32:11 NIV).

"With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished” (Genesis 19:15 NIV

"God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there" (Genesis 21:17 NIV).

"When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud,"
(Judges 2:4 NIV)

"And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite" (1 Chronicles 21:15 NIV)

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them" (Psalm 34:7 NIV).

"Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright, and he is gracious to that person and says to God, ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;  I have found a ransom for them—let their flesh be renewed like a child’s; let them be restored as in the days of their youth’—(Job 33:23-35)

"[ The Birth of Jesus Foretold ] In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee," (Luke 1:26 NIV)

"The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28 NIV).

"But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20 NIV).

"[ The Escape to Egypt ] When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matthew 2:13 NIV).

Angels to protect us.

Angels, angels everywhere.

Blessings on your journey,
Mary

Christmas Living After the Christmas Tree

I really like our family Christmas tree this year. The white bows and ribbons were used in my daughter's wedding several years ago. You could call it recycling but I call it reliving a wonderful experience for our family (and frugal decorating!)

I love to weave together the memories of our family life. Each year I go for a slightly different theme. This year I used white, silver and red as the primary colors. My son's ornament collection has grown to over 25 Mary's Angels from Hallmark (he gets one every year since his first Christmas). We also have Hallmark's Christmas Around the World ornaments from my daughter's series.

Rounding out the tree we have Santa ornaments, snowman ornaments and twelve "names of Christ" ornaments. Guess it kind of sounds like a jumble/ hodge-podge, but it was challenging not to put too many ornaments on the tree and I'm pleased with the result this year. (Can you tell I really, really love Christmas?!)

I know I should take the tree down this weekend - especially since I have a 3-day weekend and will finally have the time to reorganize and put away everything the way I have wanted to for the past several years. I hesitate because it is a visible reminder of my Christmas living pledge. It's 'easy' to remember the plan when I have that tree sitting in the corner of my living room.

I'm kind of in the hot seat, too, because I've 'put it out there' for all the world (or at least anyone who reads my blog:-). So if I 'fail' in my effort, everyone will know. But I guess the true failure will be in not trying to do it anyway. Failure is really just another opportunity to learn - and humble ourselves.

Feel free to check in from time to time to see how my Christmas living unfolds after the Christmas tree is put away and life resumes 'as normal.'

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV).

Blessings on your journey,
Mary

Two days after Christmas

Today is December 27. For some reason this morning I thought of the shepherds during that first Christmas.

Discussion on Facebook already has begun: when folks should/do take down the tree. Life needs to get back to "normal," the reminders of the holiday packed away for another year . . . by this time that first Christmas the shepherds had undoubtedly returned to their flocks. I'm just not ready to put Christmas away yet.

I bet there was still much conversation about those angels, and that baby, the star, and the wonder/hope of what it all foretold. I bet those shepherds lingered that night . . . knowing their sheep were unattended . . . or perhaps knowing it was time for the "next shift" to come to town as they took turns watching each other's flocks.

I'm pretty sure they never looked up in the night sky and thought of it in the same way as they had the night before those angels appeared! I bet they secretly hoped to see more angels . . . receive even more good news . . . maybe a prediction of the future . . . life would certainly never be the same!

Our Christmas tree will stay up a while . . . at least through next weekend. This year the predominant ornaments are angels. I started buying my son the "Mary's angels" series by Hallmark on his first Christmas and by now they fill the tree--reminding me of that night sky.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:8-14 NIV).

Blessings on your journey,
Mary

He Will Command His Angels Concerning You

As I sat at the stop light this morning I noticed how hard the wind was blowing, pushing in the new weather front whose arrival was impending, according to the morning weather report.

Rain was threatened this morning but had subsided by the time I left for work. The sky was gray, gray, gray. The clouds, however, were blowing past me in the sky and about 10 in a row, whiter and denser than the pale background of the sky appeared as a band of angels, moving in unison across the sky at a steady, but measured clip.

Psalm 91 has been on my mind throughout the weekend and I couldn't help but think that is exactly where God wanted me to be spending my time in His Word. He had, after all, arranged the angels/clouds perfectly to affirm me at just that moment!

"If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge-then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:9-12 NIV).

He indeed guards our ways!

Blessings on your journey,
Mary

Jerusalem a Joy; The People a Delight

It is cold and dreary outside but this morning I woke up with a great sense of wonder, awe and excitement! The verses our pastor preached his sermon on today really added to my sense of joy. “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.” [Isaiah 65:17]. Later on we read of “Jerusalem as a joy” and the “people a delight.” My pastor went on to remind us that God started creating this new world – the world described in Isaiah - on Christmas Eve!

The world God is describing to Isaiah is one where, “Before they {God’s people} call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.” [Isaiah 65:24-25] The angels were so excited, so full of joy and anticipation, they couldn’t wait to tell the world!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." [Luke 2:8-14]

I think that’s what I’m feeling this year! I can’t wait for Christmas morning! We don’t have any little ones whose eyes light up when they see the pile of gifts under the tree. But we have a gift even greater than the joy of little children emptying out their stockings.

In the sermon we were reminded that “God has laid on our hearts to create the world Isaiah describes.” Each of us, doing what we can to bring about God’s kingdom on earth is how we join in the celebration! We wait to relive the moment the heavens opened and the angels sang. On Christmas Eve I know we’ll be singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will” at the worship service. And the anticipation will be almost more than we can bear!

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? [Romans 8:22-24]