An Angel for Spring

This could be a sad day, but I choose to feel happy inside God's grace. It's a day filled with nostalgia, both good and bad, and a day mostly of remembrance. I dedicate this post to my brother, Donald. Today would have been his 62nd birthday. He went home to meet his God the day after Christmas last year. For him, the pain of this world is over. And I'd like to think he finds eternal Spring in Heaven where every day is scent-filled with the loving aroma of God's Love.

When I was a kid this day was always very special for me. He and I were adopted out to separate families. They lived within half a mile of each other so we attended the same school. They brought us up to know we were brother and sister. And for as long as I can remember he was my saviour. On birthdays and holidays the two sets of parents would always make sure he and I saw each other. It gave us a much needed connection.

He protected me from the bullies on the school bus and in the school yard. And when I came of age, he welcomed me as part of his family Through heartbreak and broken relationships I could always depend on him for support and a shoulder to cry on. Those years lasted for only a short time though.

Geographic separation took its toll as we lived our lives in different ways. And when I returned to my hometown it was a bittersweet arrival. We had grown so apart that we were like strangers. But I always held the hope inside that one day, when we were old and gray and had nothing else and no one left, that we would return to the days when we were so close and perhaps enjoy the second childhool together.

But God had other plans and he was taken before that could ever happen. So these days, I just think about what might have been. And I recount the good times and the laughs and the twinkle in his eye as he used to tease me. Standing at 6'3", a hug from him enveloped me. Just a big teddy bear he was.

And so Spring springs eternal even with him gone. And I think about what other things I should do with my life... in my life... so that if someone else special to me finds their way Home I don't have to feel any regret for things undone, unsaid, unrealized, unattained... to this add one... love withheld, restrained.

Tend the garden, Donald. Open the gate and wait for us all. Love you... no matter what you may have thought.

Angel Hunting

As the sun casts its fiery glow bringing in a new dawn, are we aware of the angels in our midst? Do you believe in angels? Do you know the power they possess? We may not see the flap of their wings or hear the sound as they whisk by us. No, our senses may tell us that they are imaginary and, if not, then at the very least, they are illusive.

I can't say I agree with that. Sometimes they whisper in our ears as we lay dreaming and tell us of the beautiful things that await us. Have you ever awakened to a warm and fuzzy feeling but just couldn't understand why? Maybe it's because they just told you some secret of the universe and are still lingering about.

I believe that in each day we are surrounded by angels... if only we would search harder. Perhaps you will feel their presence today. And then you will know.

Now off with you! Go hunting - Angel hunting.

Who Are Your Angels?

In less than 30 days I will be embarking on a grand adventure. I will be moving to a place I have never been before to live with virtual strangers. When I say 'virtual,' I mean that in the literal sense as it is used in today's vernacular.

I met a woman online at a popular game site and we became the best of friends in a very short time. Her story of helping young girls through Girl Scouts of America captured my heart. I have traveled with her as she and her troop have tried to raise funds for an upcoming trip by selling their ever-popular cookies.

But the greatest capturer of my heart is her 4-year-old granddaughter who is totally convinced that I am the Snow Fairy. We happened to have our first conversation on a day when it snowed in South Carolina. For whatever the reason, her granddaughter, Anna, believed I sent it to them. And so the saga has continued and brought delight into my heart.

The graciousness and extension of her hospitality has come at a critical time in my life. When God is good, He is very, VERY good. At first I thought she was kidding. But as she talked I knew she was serious. My only question then was, "Is she the crazy one for being so kind, or am I the crazy one for even considering it?"

We are getting past my skepticism and today I feel an excitement and anticipation that I haven't felt in a very long time. A housing crisis has forced me to make quick decisions. In those times I go within to examine probabilities, unforeseen advantages and disadvantages, and the ever-present motives. No matter what I do, I try to be sure that my motives are pure. That way there is little room for regrets.

When I awoke today and felt this excitement, I knew without a doubt that my motives (and hers) are as pure as the driven snow that Anna believes I can conjure up in the blink of an eye. My friends have been telling me that Granny is a Godsend, an angel sent to help me in this time of need.

Today... I accept that as Absolute Truth and I look forward to happy days spent with the new angels in my life. You too have angels. Enjoy them, embrace them, cherish them, love them.