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| image by Lindberg Heilige Schutzengel, German artist, c 1900 |
My husband and I were talking this morning about a movie we watched last night (Fern Hill, a coming of age movie with a great story line). In the movie, the boys were camped out and, as people often do when camping out, talked late into the night. Their topics ran to discussion of God, and that reminded me of nights on our hill with our grandchildren, watching the stars. They often began talking about spiritual things, God and angels and heaven. Perhaps it is when our minds finally slow down, when the bigness of nature reminds us of how small we are, that we move easily into consideration of the infinite and unfathomable.
As a child, I found comfort in the idea of a guardian angel watching over me all the time--except, of course when I was doing something I knew was wrong. Then I would be looking over my shoulder and hoping the angel didn't see. I remember talking with my sisters about our angels, about what they might look like, and where they were exactly (over us? beside us? in front of us?).
I wondered how much the angel could actually see--i.e. how much I could get away with without my actions being reported to God, and if the angel ever slept. At one time I worried that our bed was so crowded that there was no room for the angel. There were often three to five of us little girls in the same big double bed--three sleeping across the top, and two in the opposite direction at the foot. It was great for playing pedal-foot, but pretty cramped otherwise. How could our angels have possibly squeezed in there, or even be able to tell who was who? Uneasy thought for a youngster!
I asked my husband if he had a guardian angel as a child, and he said no, he did not remember that being part of his upbringing. So I am wondering, are guardian angels just a Catholic thing, or do other religions also teach of the watching, guiding angel? According to Wikipedia, there seems to be widespread acceptance of this guiding spirits in other faiths.
I think I gave my angel a run for her money when I was a child. She must have been weary by the end of every day. I wonder, what would I have been like without feeling those angel eyes on my movements?
Today I feel the presence of my mother, my son and my father with me every day. Perhaps guardian angels are those who have passed on, who watch over us and intervene in our behalf. I don't pretend to know the answers, but there is still comfort in the thought.
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
I believe in angels. I mean, I might not have a clear picture of who or what they are, but I believe in them. I've never gotten over the idea of a personal angel looking out for us. Spirit Guides, too, but that's something else, I think. Who knows.
ReplyDeleteOnce, when my granddaughter was way small, just learning not to get her feet tangled up, but too excited with the world to slow down, she was running full tilt and I saw her start to fall. It happened quick and her face was aiming right for the sharp corner of the old white church building, the sharp block foundation corner down at Enon, WV.
I saw her fall toward that sharp corner all in a flash, and by truths, she should have hit that corner and split her sweet little face wide open. There was not anything to cushion between her and that corner. But she was completely unharmed. I saw her hit the corner very hard, but when she came away unharmed, I thought then and I still think, that her angel put his hand between the child and that sharp corner.
Later, when she was older, she got hurt and she had long heard me tell her of her angel and she asked me, "What about that angel guy?" I told her that as she got older, the responsibility belonged to her.
I've wondered, too, if sometimes the angels have to stand back and allow.
Oh, beliefs are funny things. You can't unbelieve something just because and you can't believe it just because, either.
I have thought of certain plants as angels, and of people as angels. And I believe I may have been an angel to someone at some time. I met a homeless angel down in Asheville. I was distraught and was crying, heart-broken over some mean thing, and I saw this being going through the trash in search of food and I had a $20 bill in my pocket. I reached it between him and the garbage can and it made me feel so good to see his delight that I was healed of my heartbreak. He was my angel that day.
A couple days ago, a little dog came by our place and wanted food and water. We gave it and hoped he'd stay but he left so quickly, we couldn't stay him. I wrote about him on my blog. I think little Marlow was an angel, too. I think he was for my husband, to tell him his ideas of these little restful lots planted for the bees would be safe stations for people and animals for awhile to come.
And you, too, Granny Sue, you've been an angel to stir these memories and musings. Thank you!
Beautiful! I have always loved this picture. My Aunt (in heaven now) had this picture in her guest room. I now have one in my guest room.
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I don't remember thinking about it that much as a child though I do remember that I believed I had a guardian angel & would think of the picture you shared.
ReplyDeleteWhen my son was a preschooler he went through a stage where he was afraid at night. I told him God had sent his guardian angel to stay with him all the time, even at night, to keep him safe. We would pray about his fears together before he went to sleep. A friend had given me a Dayspring greeting card with a print of 'Watcher's in the night' on it. (It's the second pic in this link) http://www.thecollectionshopartreview.com/thomas-blackshear-watcher-in-the-nighrt/
We posted that above his bed & he loved it. That same friend gave him a larger framed print for his next birthday & we still have it hanging in our house. I do believe angels are real, though I doubt any of us really know what they look like. I do love this image of them though.
Another favorite image I have is this one. http://www.amazon.com/SPIRITUAL-Ron-DiCianni-Unsigned-Lithograph/dp/B001K28ZVI/
It was given to my husband as a gift when our son was born. I've always considered angels very powerful & I love this image of a father & an angel protecting the son. Especially because the father in the print looks so much like my husband at that time.
There is a lot in the Bible about angels. I base my faith on The bible & personal experience.