Angelic assignments

Twice in my life I've had vivid experiences with angels. Well, actually three times.

My life and my brother's life were spared from a collision with a 'drunken' driver. I can't say for sure that the driver of the oncoming vehicle was drunk or what, but headlights were swerving back and forth across the lanes and coming right toward us. I was driving my VW bus which doesn't have an engine in front to absorb any impact to the driver or front seat passenger. My brother was the passenger, and we must have been driving to an out-of-town hospital for his medical treatment. Why we decided to take the trip at night, I can't recall, perhaps to arrive early and beat morning traffic. But with oncoming headlights swerving back and forth across the lanes, I had only seconds to react,  I remember deciding that I couldn't risk swerving off the shoulder because a VW bus, while getting great gas mileage and had tons of room inside, is prone to flipping being it's center of gravity is high off the ground. And it was dark on that two lane road between cities. I decided to brace for the impact by holding tightly to the steering wheel and I probably said out loud, 'Hold on.' as my brother was looking, too.

A Volkswagon Bus

Photo credit: D1zzLe from morguefile.com

But the impact never came, Nothing happened.  I had stopped by now, still in our lane. The oncoming lights had gotten so close and I was sure we were gonna have a head-on collision, but it never came. We were okay, thank God.  It was as if the lights went through us. No other vehicles were on the road. You can see headlights or tail lights for a distance in the dark,  but the road in front and behind was completely dark. Nothing. The vehicle was gone, vanished. We both looked at each other. It couldn't have turned off the road that fast or gotten behind anything. I started driving again, continuing on, very glad the collision never happened. I was happy my guardian angel and my brother's were present and on the job, otherwise we both could've been very seriously injured that night.

 My second very real experience with angels was the night my brother was taken at his death. I've written about it as best I can in my other blog, UpForGrabsToday.blogspot.com.  Click here and read the story which I began with how our senses trigger strong memory connections helping us feel a sense of closeness with memories of our loved ones. Click here for the posting describing my other very vivid angelic encounter.



When I was young, I remember at my Grandparent's, gazing a long time at a painting of an angel protecting children as they crossed a bridge. I since found this image on a wooden plaque, torn, but still the image.

 image on wooden plaque of guardian angel

Most likely my guardian angel has been busy on a daily basis keeping me safe from harm and guiding me without my knowing she's on constant watch.
 Without a doubt, I knew the presence of angels about me and my brother and experienced their super-angelic capabilities.

Keep reading for the third time of angelic intervention in my VW.

                                                                

My1977-78 Champagne Edition VW was the first vehicle I owned. She was purchased in the Denver. Colorado area and with the help of my Dad, I got it financed through the FAA Western Federal Credit Union. (Funny, I can't remember what I called her). Anyway, her first of many trips she transported me and friends was from Colorado back to Cherry Point, N. Carolina, where I was stationed at the time. Her compartment and seating was adequately roomy enough for loading whatever luggage and friends into and hittin' the road on weekends for exploring whatever new and exciting place we could find from D.C. to Florida.

After I'd gotten out of the service and was in college, another VW memorable trip started in Waterloo, Iowa. That 1000 mile trip was to move my girlfriend lock, stock and barrel to Texas. Again, the roomy compartment came in quite handy adequately holding all her belongings. I think I took the middle seat out for more open roominess. We made the trip stopping only for brief breaks to stretch, make bathroom pit-stops or to eat. The trip was fine, but I do remember when we reached Houston, it was nighttime and the highways looked like they were looped on top of each other- I'd never seen so many layers of highways on top of highways. With me driving if I got in the wrong lane and missed a turn, it wasn't gonna be easy getting back on the right highway in all that spaghetti- mess.  We made it to our destination without getting lost. But the surprise of the trip came the next morning. From the house where we met friends in Katy, just outside Houston,  I drove not even half-a-mile on a level residential street to the bank. When I turned into the bank parking lot, the clutch cable broke! Had that happened on any of the stacked Houston highways, we might have made the morning headline news, 'out of town VW bus without brakes, driver loses control and crashes'. I was so thankful we were protected and the cable didn't break on any highway while on our trip. No doubt my angel again performed her duties well. And, my friend is still resides in Texas as does her children and grandchildren.

 I can't recall the exact year, but sometime around 1993, due to an unresolvable exhaust malady. I retired her to pasture. She sits in the yard at a dear friend's who wanted her, and she's in the company of other retired vehicles in that country yard. She's retired from travel but still in service by being the storage facility for chicken feed, horse feed and various tools. Her large sunroof isn't any longer opened and closed, her motor is silent and still, but her sliding door and adequately roomy enough compartment is still loaded.  Whenever I go to visit, I glance over and see her and a smile rushes over me remembering the many good times and places spent traveling in her.

 Out of respect, I'm abstaining from snapping a picture in her retired condition. But I found a link with photos of two Champagne Edition VW buses. Scroll down until you see the shiny bus with the nice stripes- that's how I remember how she looked some thirty years ago when she and I both were in our prime. Click here.


Until next time, on that straight and narrow path I continue to take.

You're worthy

Bad. Yeah, that was me. And knowing that, I knew I wasn't worthy to receive God's gift. I am a sinner. I've done things I am not proud of.  I've behaved badly. I've thought horrible thoughts. I've been selfish, self-centered, evil, filthy, corrupt, and didn't care what anyone thought. I've lied, even cheated, and heavens knows all the things I've done. But God was patient and loving to not give up on me. Let me back up to when I was a youngster. I was privileged and blessed with two of the sweetest, gentlest grandmothers.  Whenever I was with either of them on a Sunday, it was a given we'd be going to church. Back then, I didn't know too much about religion,Christianity, and such, but I watched my grandmothers. They were solid and true, and I thank God for them, bless their souls. One was in the country and one was in the city and when I think of her I think of her playing the organ.

As a child I enjoyed listening to my grandmother play the organ

Photo credit: xandert from morguefile.com


 Mom made sure us kids were in church on Sunday mornings, too. So I had an introduction to hearing the Word of God, and most of the time I don't think I got a single thing out of those Sunday sermons. To me sermons were always too long and boring, but I was there mostly doodling on paper and standing when it was time to stand, and sing when it was time to sing from the hymnal. Sunday school was better, because got to do something artsy, and move about or take part in discussion or something besides sit and hear a boring sermon.  I did have one Sunday school teacher whom I loved and enjoyed being in her class so much, that I didn't want to advance to the next class and leave her. It was in her class I learned the names of all 66 books of the Bible. I remember that being a major accomplishment. When you're a kid, 66 of anything is a lot.  All this was the foundation of what was to happen later.

Jesus- the solid foundation of Christianity

Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com

I joined the Marine Corps. I distinctly remember a fellow Marine, just an acquaintance, come up to me and tell me that I needed to get saved. I thought it odd that he would tell me that at that time. I knew he was right, but I wasn't ready. I don't think I wanted to make that decision right then, because I was busy enjoying my independence and having fun on the weekends with the guys, and actually having the time of my life.  But what he told me remained in the back of my mind for a long time, especially on Sunday mornings when I was sleeping in. Looking back on my life, and the things I had done, I started thinking  I wasn't good enough to receive the good things of God.  I kept putting God on the back burner, and that also was adding to my guilt of not going ahead in making my decision.  There was conflict going on in my head because I knew that as long as I didn't decide for God, I was really deciding against God, and I knew that was wrong, too, and that added to my guilt feelings even more. One Summer I remember reading every word of a book about Malcolm X, and was impressed with the routine praying times of Muslims. I remember thinking seriously about Islam, but deep inside it conflicted with what knew about God and Jesus. In Christianity you can pray and talk to God any time of the day or night and not have to stop and pray in a certain direction at specific times of the day. The Word taught God loved all equally. The Word taught humbleness, gentleness, goodness, patience, peace, patience, self-control, joy and love.  Something important was missing I didn't see was offered in the Muslim religion, I couldn't put my finger on it- was it the men and women were separated during religious services?  I wondered about that, but I definitely knew something very important was missing. I kept these feelings and thoughts to myself, but kept wondering what choice should I make.  Thank God, He remained patient with me. I had never told anyone about my pondering of becoming a Muslim until typing this right now.  It came down to a major illness to someone dear to me for me to wake up and see that each day is a very precious gift from God and stop wasting time and make up my mind. Life is short. And Islam didn't offer or promise me what I knew Jesus offered. I was a teenager when my brother first got sick, and on into my twenties when God called him home. I used to think I had plenty of time, plenty of years to decide. I was wrong. My brother, six years my junior died in my arms after 6 years of chemo and surgeries dealing with a childhood kidney disease. During those six years not once did I have the thought he would die, until the morning of the day he died. I cried all day long. That day I realized my brother wasn't going to graduate high school or get married, or grow to old age. The world was not going to be the same without this a fabulous young man in it,  and I also thought God wanted my brother with him. Why not me, I thought? Through my red and puffy eyes, that night my eyes were opened I think for the first time, to spiritual things. I willingly opened my heart and asked God to forgive me for all my sins. It took the death of my brother, to finally get me to make the one decision I'd been putting off.  I saw that departing this body actually is beautiful when you're a Christian, because it's true, angels escort you out of here. I was in my brother's hospital room because God wanted me to witness this just as real as real can be. I didn't see angels, but I felt something very strongly that I can describe must have been angels about my brother. I can honestly describe it was peaceful and beyond any words can describe, and it was at that moment that it all made sense to me. It's spiritual, and God's ways are far, far above and far, far better than man's logic and thinking. God does things in a way and manner that can't be explained, but later I can look back and see His hand was in it for the good of all concerned. My brother is fine, I know it, and I was glad he was released from severe pain his body had endured, and his heavenly escort was there to take him into the presence of the Lord.

God's gift of Jesus to you is for the asking

Photo credit: melodi2 from morguefile.com

I quietly in my heart, by faith, accepted Jesus, God's greatest gift to me later that night of March 17,1982.  My decision was the right decision, and my faith continues to grow stronger. My spirit rejoices more and more, there's nothing else like it.  My experience that night taught me there's no fear to die. God's word tells that after the last breath here, the next breath is with the Lord.  If you haven't already asked Jesus into your heart, why are you waiting? The gift from God is waiting to be received by every single person, and all you have to do is ask, and God's greatest gift, Jesus, is yours. He's already paid-in-full the penalty for your sins. The greatest love in all the world has been demonstrated by God for all people. Take it.

 And you're worthy.